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Guidance for Determining if a Dam Incident Has Occured |
In the majority of cases, the engineer can determine whether a reportable incident has occurred or not (e.g., events involving dam breach, severe damage). the Guidelines identify specific types of events or conditions that are considered dam incidents.
The following table can be used as a guide to determine if a dam incident has occurred. The table is entered by finding a keyword in the left hand column. The second column describes the type of incident.
In some cases the Guidelines must be consulted for additional guidance to determine if a dam incident has occurred. For example, in the case of earthquakes, the occurrence of a seismic incident at a dam depends on the magnitude of the earthquake (5 or greater) and the distance to the dam.
| Key Words | Incident Category |
|---|---|
| Inspection Findings | The findings of a dam safety inspection that identifies a previously unreported (to the Center) incident of unsatisfactory or unsafe conditions at a dam (exclusive of ordinary maintenance and repair and findings of inadequacies relative to current design criteria). |
| Damage, Signs of Distress, Instability | Observations of damage, signs of distress or instability of the dam appurtenant structures (see note 1). |
| Dam Breach, Dam Failure | any event reulting in the breach of a dam(partial or complete). |
| Controlled Breach | Planned (non-emergency, non-incident initiated) breach of the dam. Possibly carried out to remove the dam from service or to make major repairs. |
| Downstream Release -- Controlled or Uncontrolled | Uncontrolled release of the reservoir (e.g., appurtenant structure misoperation), or controlled release with damage. |
| Inflow Floods, Earthquakes | The performance of a dam (satisfactory or unsatisfactory, anticipated or unanticipated) generated by a nearby seismic event or inflow flood (see note 1). |
| Misoperation, Operator Error | Misoperation of appurtenant structures such as failing to comply with the project rule curve. |
| Equipment Failure | Failure of mechanical or electrical equipment to perform the dam safety functions for which they were intended. |
| Deterioration | Deterioration of concrete, steel, or timber structures that jeopardized the structural/functional integrity of the dam or appurtenant structures (see note 1). |
| Dam Safety Modification | Modifications to improve the safety of the dam or appurtenant structures such as might be required due to changes in the design criteria. Note: Repairs following an incident are reported as part of a follow-up report. |
| Reservoir Incidents | Events that occur in the reservoir (e.g., landslides, waves) that may impact the safety of the dam (see note 1). |
| Emergency Action Plans | Implementation of the Emergency Action Plan (or emergency actions) in part or whole. |
| Regulatory Action | The regulator has determined an unsafe condition exists, or the dam does not meet applicable design criteria (e.g., inadequate spillway capacity), and requires action to be taken by the owner (e.g., reservoir restriction, safety modification). |
Note 1: Consult the Guidelines Reference for specific reporting criteria
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