SAFETY OF DAMS--A REVIEW OF THE PROGRAM OF THE U.S. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION FOR THE SAFETY OF EXISTING DAMS

This report presents the major findings, conclusions and recommendations of the committee on the safety of Dams. The Bureau of Reclamation program for the safety of its existing dams includes a number of activities relating to the operation, maintenance, and safety reviews of dams under its jurisdication. These activities include: The preparation of documented instruction manuals which provide instructions for emergency procedures; routine surveillance and maintenance of dams; periodic on-site examinations; landslide surveillance; special on-site examinations; and, examination of existing structures. The principal recommendations of the Committee with respect to the Bureau's programs include the following: A dam safety office should be established to discharge the single function of dam and reservoir safety; the Bureau's management should insure that adequate funds and manpower are available to implement the dam safety program; the Bureau should increase its use of independent consultants on future designs of major dams and engineering evaluations for safety of existing dams; the Bureau should complete, in a reasonable schedule, the operating manuals for all its dams; the Landslide Surveillance Program should be given higher priority; closer liaison should be established with government organizations such as the Corps of Engineers and private firms that have expertise in the field; a more effective emergency preparedness program should be established; lastly, it is recommended that the Bureau implement a probabilistic or risk analysis based program for the purpose of ranking existing Bureau dams in accordance with risk, as based on hazard potential and the probability of a failure.

• Corporate Authors:

  National Research Council

  Committee on the Safety of Dams, 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20418
• Publication Date: 1977

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References;
• Pagination: 70 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Costs; Dams; Emergencies; Failure; Landslides; Maintenance; Management; Manuals; Personnel; Reservoirs; Safety; Surveillance
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Finance; Geotechnology; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00170425
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 12 1978 12:00AM