RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DAM SAFTY

Dam Safty Policy

1. National dam safety policies should be formulated which provide for appropriate and efficient measures to control the safety of all dams. These policies should be compatible with other national policies regarding water management and waste management. They should apply to all levels of administration and should cover all aspects of dam safety management. 

Legislation 

2. A priority in national dam-safety policy, where appropriate, should be the enactment of legislation and regulations governing the planning, design, siting, construction, operation, maintenance and, when necessary, the abandonment of dams. Such legislation should let advantage be taken of any evolution in technology, riskassessment and safety measures and ongoing develop- ment of standards and regulations. Legislation should be comprehensive and cover all types of dams and their administration. Adequate provision should be made for compliance enforcement.

 3. So as to facilitate their application, consideration should be given to compiling and consolidating into a specific dam-safety code all relevant provisions contained in laws and regulations. Such a code should include the way in which relevant procedures ought to be established and should define the responsibility of those involved. 

4. 2 Guidelines should be prepared at the appropriate administrative level for the selection and development of dam sites, coordinated with general land-use planning and water- and waste-management planning. Procedures for planning and implementation of dams should allow for an analysis of risks to be made along with an environmental impact assessment and their results should be considered in the decision-making. The design for dams holding waste lagoons or waste-storage ponds should provide for minimizing the risk of pollution and for rehabilitating the site after use. 

Planning, design and construction 

5. The design and dimensioning of dams should be carried out only by qualified engineers. Design methods and criteria should conform with the current state-of-the-art technology including that related to dam safety, thus facilitating safety surveillance and possible future repair or rehabilitation work. All ancilliary structures should be designed with safety features compatible with that of the main dam. Specific problems expected as a result of severe weather conditions, such as very low winter temperatures, should be defined in formulating design criteria and safety standards for dams. 

6. There should be a statutory authority ensuring compliance with established procedures. Implementation of dam construction should not be allowed to proceed without approval by the competent authority. At the end of the design phase, a design report should be prepared giving detailed information on the basic design, criteria, materials, and possible construction methods, including those related to dam safety. 

7. Minimum requirements should be drawn up by competent authorities specifying the content and form of the design and construction documents. The construction of dams should be entrusted only to companies with appropriate experience and competent performance regarding works of a similar nature. 

8. At all stages of design and construction work, an analysis should be made of potential risks likely to be caused by the construction activities. Contingency measures should thus be prepared. 

9. A detailed programme of testing and quality-control should be developed in accordance with relevant requirements set by the competent authorities. This should be carried out during the building phase of the dam by a team that is independent of the construction team. Records of this programme together with information relevant to dam safety should be kept by the dam owner with other completion documents, and so furnish at least part of the infoimation needed by the competent authority in order to approve the start of normal operation of the dam. 

Operation and surveillance 

10. For safety reasons, procedures for operation, inspection and surveillance should be drawn up for every dam. These can be used in conjunction with a system of permits for operating dams. The frequency and content of dam inspections should take into account all matters related to the safety of the structure. A competent authority at the appropriate administrative level should be entrusted with responsibility for ensuring that such procedures are implemented. The competent authority should be notified promptly of any changes in procedures related to dam safety. 

11. Procedures should provide for visual inspections at appropriate intervals, regular review of instrumentation and monitoring of specific parameters for dam safety during critical situations. The procedures should apply to the dam and all ancilliary structures. 

12. Maintenance procedures for old dams should avert unacceptable deterioration of their structures. 

13. Specific programmes should be carried out so as to establish the safety of old dams, particularly if no records exist regarding their construction. If necessary, renovation programmes should be implemented in order to upgrade their safety. 

14. Records should be required to be kept of all relevant  factors during the life of a dam, including such information as water levels in the reservoir, inflow, discharge, seepage, displacement, and all other factors concerning dam safety. 

15. Programmes should be developed for the training of personnel engaged in all aspects of dam operation, with particular emphasis on visual examination of dam behaviour. 

16. Manuals on dam operation covering normal and critical situations should be prepared for every dam. 

17. A detailed inventory of existing dams should be kept at the appropriate administrative levels covering all categories of dams. If it appears necessary, hazards to life, property and the environment should be identified for each dam and properly recorded. 

18. Potential changes in land use or other developments including environmental changes downstream of the dam should be assessed in relation to the operation of the dam. 

Financial arrangements 

19. As dams form part of the basic infrastructure in each country, consideration should be given to the setting up of financing arrangements aimed at assisting the owners of small dams in their maintenance work. This may include tax relief and low-interest loans. Further arrangements should be made when appropriate for fundraising from dam owners. 

Dam safety management 

20. Procedures should be established whereby in case of an extreme release of water, whatever the cause, the rescue authority, civil defence authority and other relevant institutions can be involved in the rescue work according to contingency planning, in order to minimize adverse effects on life, property and the environment. 

21. When more than one dam exists in a river basin, one authority should be responsible for coordinating all operational procedures. 

22. Research should be encouraged into all matters related to dams and in particular their safety. 

Cooperation among riparian countries

 23. Cooperation among riparian countries should be enhanced on questions of dam safety, standards, regulations and liability. Where possible, similar procedures, standards and regulations should be agreed upon and formalized.