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TRANSCRIPT
Dams in Society – Good or
Bad?
Prof Andy Hughes
Atkins
Dams & Reservoirs
• Major part of our
infrastructure
• Forgotten
• Benefits forgotten
• but
• When things go wrong
they are remembered!
Benefits
Water Supply
Clean wholesome
supply
Disease free
society
Benefits
Environmental
releases
Fish
River restoration/
maintenance
Benefits
Flood
Protection
River regulation
Benefits
Hydropower
‘Green Energy’
Swansea Barrage
Severn Barrage !
Benefits
Irrigation
UK and overseas
Increasing number
of Farm Reservoirs
Benefits
Canal Source
Benefits
Amenity
People love
reservoirs !
Boating/Sailing
Fishing
Swimming
Walking/watching
Dis-benefits
Failure
Dale Dyke
1864
Dis-benefits
Failure
Dolgarrog
1925
Dis-benefits
Public confidence
Oroville – 220,000
evacuated
Retain Silt
Good and bad
Retain
Reuse
Protect
Use up the storage
Prevent fish movement
but
Fish Pass
Other Concerns voiced at times
• Seismic
• Green gases
• WWF – 7 deadly sins of dam building
• Building on the wrong river
• Neglecting downstream flows
• Neglecting biodiversity
• Falling for bad economics
• Failing to acquire a social license to operate
• Mishandling risks and impacts
• Bias to build
But what are alternatives?
my belief is there isn’t any
for societal and
environmental benefit
Benefits out way dis-
benefits!
UK Stock
2000 dams subject to legislation
5000 other dams
Average age 120 years plus but few problems
History of failures
1852 Bilberry 80 Killed
1863 ‘Waterworks Clauses Act’
– ‘Complain to two justices’
1864 Dale Dyke 245 Killed
– Coroners jury: “All dams & Reservoirs
should by an act of parliament be
subject to frequent sufficient & regular
inspection”
History of failures cont’d…..
1865 Select committee
1925(Apr) Skelmorlie 5 Killed
1925(Nov) Coedty/Eigiau 16 Killed
History of failures cont’d…..
1925(Dec) Mr Edward Sandeman wrote to the Times
1930 Reservoir (Safety Provisions) Act 1930
1960 International concern
1965 (Malpasset, Vaijont)
1966 Report of ICE committee on reservoir safety
(12 major recommendations)
History of failures cont’d…..
1969 Lluest Wen
1970 Warmwithens
1975 Reservoirs Act 1975
1986/87 Implementation
2010 Flood & Water Management Act
2014/15 Implementation
Not only failure but incidents
Electricity
substation
Electricity
pylons
M1
Motorway
Achieve Safety
Legislation
Stems from 1925 – Reservoir (Safety Provision) Act
1930
Modified Reservoirs Act 1975 – Panel System
Flood & Water Management Act 2010 (post Pitt)
How else do we ensure safety?
Designs have improved
Hazards prediction improved – hydrology
Surveillance & monitoring improved
Instrumentation improved
New techniques
‘Tools in the toolbox’
Continue to Improve via Research
RSAG (ICE) Reservoir Safety Advisory Group
Strategy
Attract funding and carry out research
Recent Activities
Conduits
Floods Manual
Drawdown
Masonry
So although failures
occur and incidents
continue to occur
Panel Engineers
exist
Enjoy water/power/irrigation/flood
protection/clean rivers/environment
/amenities
You can
sleep at night!
Thank you
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