Avista: Danger was minimal with dam mishap

Emergency plan requires 'abundance of caution'

The day after a crane failure at the Post Falls Dam, officials at the National Weather Service and Avista Utilities reflected on how the emergency action plan works. Charlotte Dewey, warning coordination meteorologist at the NWS, said that the dam is one of about 20 different dams in their area of responsibility in the event of an emergency.

Crane crashes into Post Falls Dam, prompting alert

A crane crash at the 118-year-old Post Falls Dam sparked emergency flash flood warnings and the closure of the nearby park Tuesday morning, as officials assessed potential damage to the critical infrastructure.