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Living with Dams: Extreme Rainfall Events | 2015
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1. Regular and thorough
inspections
Periodic Safety Inspections-
Formal and systematic visual
inspections by owner/operator
or representative to review all
components of the dam including
equipment. The inspection report
should be written and include
photos and any other available
records. Frequency of inspections
should be based on size, condition,
and dam hazard classification.
Inspections should be conducted a
minimum of once per year.
Technical Inspections-
These inspections are performed
by a qualified professional
engineer, and may include the
detailed investigations of identified
problems, stability and hydrologic
analyses, and review for compliance
with current State dam safety
regulations.
Frequency of technical
inspections may be dictated by
State regulation and dam hazard
classification.
Monitoring Inspections-
These inspections are informal on-
site visits to visually check for any
warning signs of structural distress
or spillway problems. The frequency
of monitoring inspections could
be as often as daily. At a minimum,
they should be conducted weekly.
Monitoring inspections are
critical before, during and after
extreme rainfall events.
2. Proper operation and
maintenance
An efficient Maintenance Program
will help protect a dam against
deterioration and prolong its
safe operational life. A properly
maintained dam minimizes the
likelihood of failure. Subsequently,
maintenance is a task which should
never be neglected. The financial
costs associated with a proper
maintenance program are relatively
small compared to the significant
cost of major repairs or even the
disastrous consequences of a dam
failure. This is the “pay me now or
pay me later” concept. Therefore,
a dam owner should develop a
basic maintenance program based
primarily on regular and thorough
inspections.
Inspections are critical but,
alone, are not enough.
Key elements in an owner’s dam safety programwould include the following: