The study will involve computer imaging to assess potential damage in the event of a dam failure. "We chose Warren County because of the high number of earthen dams you have in that county," said DNR spokesman Jim Alexander. "We felt it would be a logical starting point for our process." Alexander said the maps used in the process have already been delivered to DNR officials. The cost of the program is being funded by a federal grant approved earlier this year, according to Alexander. Utilizing a technology known as LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) Mapping, an aerial photo will allow DNR experts to simulate a breached dam situation and employ computer technology to study the results. LIDAR, according to industry experts, is the technology of using pulses of laser light striking the surfaces of the earth and measuring the time of pulse return. The LIDAR laser scanner is mounted on the bottom of an airplane "We will assume the water level to be at a certain height," explained Alexander. "Then we will actually 'breach' the dam and that will allow us to assess the points of at risk damage downstream." Alexander said the study will allow DNR experts to predict where the most likely areas of extreme damage might occur. The LIDAR mapping technology will interface with Warren County's new GIS mapping system which the county debuted earlier this year. Warren County commissioners said they are very pleased that DNR will use the county as the pilot for its new program. "It's very good for the future of the county," said Presiding Commissioner Arden Engelage. "It will provide us with a lot of very important, very valuable information." Alexander said the computer simulation of the dam failure will produce data which includes the impact on highways and roads in the area, impact on residences and emergency evacuation strategy. "Basically, the information we gather will be collected and given to all the emergency officials throughout Warren County," Alexander observed. "What they will have is a blueprint to follow in the event of this type of disaster. "It will be a step-by-step analysis of what to do and when to do it," Alexander added. After Warren County is used for the launch of the program, Alexander said other counties throughout the state will also participate in the process. Among the earthen dams which will be studied is the Alpine Lake Dam at Innsbrook, which last month experienced a problem when a drain pipe failed. Alpine Lake Dam, which is 1,300 feet long, about 800 feet wide and measures 118 feet high at its tallest point, is considered a regulated dam by DNR officials because it is more than 35 feet high. The 236-acre lake is the largest private lake with an earthen dam in the state of Missouri. When the pipe problem occurred at Innsbrook last month, county emergency officials were able to use their new GIS system to obtain address information for residents downstream. Officials were then able to notify those residents about the Alpine Lake Dam problem and advise them of a voluntary evacuation plan. Innsbrook officials reported last week that repairs on the Alpine Lake dam are continuing. "We are in the process of getting the water level down to full pool so we can complete work on the damaged overflow tube," said Innsbrook Vice President Ron James. Once the overflow tube is permanently sealed, James reported, the new channel cut through the spillway under the bridge will become the permanent spillway for the dam. James added the modifications to the new permanent spillway need to be approved by DNR, a process which could take several weeks.