List of dam failures

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The reservoir emptying through the failed Teton Dam
The reservoir emptying through the failed Teton Dam
International special sign for works and installations containing dangerous forces
International special sign for works and installations containing dangerous forces

A dam is a barrier across flowing water that obstructs, directs or slows down the flow, often creating a reservoir, lake or impoundments. Most dams have a section called a spillway or weir over which, or through which, water flows, either intermittently or continuously, and many have hydroelectric power generation systems installed.

Dams are considered "installations containing dangerous forces" under International Humanitarian Law due to the massive impact of a possible destruction on the civilian population and the environment. Dam failures are comparatively rare, but can cause immense damage and loss of life when they arise.

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[edit] Main causes of dam failure

Common causes of dam failure include:

[edit] Deliberate dam failure

A notable case of deliberate dam failure (prior to the Humanitarian Law rulings) was the British Royal Air Force Dambusters raid on Germany in World War II (codenamed "Operation Chastise"), in which three German dams were selected to be breached in order to impact on German infrastructure and manufacturing and power capabilities deriving from the Ruhr and Eder rivers. This raid later became the basis for several films.

[edit] List of dam failures

Dam/incident Year Location Details
Dale Dike Reservoir 1864 South Yorkshire, England Defective construction, small leak in wall grew until dam failed.
South Fork Dam 1889 Johnstown, Pennsylvania USA Blamed locally on poor maintenance by owners; court deemed it an "Act of God". Followed exceptionally heavy rainfall.
St. Francis Dam 1928 Los Angeles, California Geological instability that could not have been detected, combined with human error that assessed developing cracks as "normal" for a dam of that type.
Vega de Tera 1959 Ribadelago, Spain  
Malpasset 1959 Côte d'Azur, France Geological fault possibly enhanced by explosives work during construction; initial geo-study was not thorough.
Baldwin Hills Reservoir 1963 California, USA Subsidence caused by over-exploitation of local oil field
Vajont Dam 1963 Italy Strictly not a dam failure, since the dam structure didn't collapse (it's still standing, see main article). Filling the reservoir caused geological failure in valley wall, leading to 110 km/h landslide into the lake, water escaped in a megatsunami. Valley had been (incorrectly) assessed stable.
Buffalo Creek Flood 1972 West Virginia USA Unstable loose constructed dam created by local coal mining company, collapsed in heavy rain
Banqiao and Shimantan Dams 1975 China Extreme rainfall beyond the planned design capability of the dam
Teton Dam 1976 Idaho USA Water leakage through earthen wall, leading to dam failure.
Kelly Barnes Dam 1977 Georgia USA Unknown, possibly design error as dam was raised several times by owners to improve power generation.
Lawn Lake Dam 1982 Rocky Mountain National Park Outlet pipe erosion; dam under-maintained due to location
Tous Dam 1982 Valencia, Spain  
Val di Stava Dam collapse 1985 Italy Poor maintenance and low margin for error in design; outlet pipes failed leading to pressure on dam.
Opuha Dam 1997 New Zealand  
Vodní nádrž Soběnov 2002 Soběnov, Czech Republic Extreme rainfall during the 2002 European floods
Big Bay Dam 2004 Mississippi USA  
Camará Dam 2004 Brasil  
Shakidor Dam 2005 Pakistan Unexpectedly extreme rain
Taum Sauk reservoir 2005 Lesterville, Missouri Computer/operator error; gauges intended to mark dam full were not respected; dam continued to fill. Minor leakages had also weakened the wall through cavation

[edit] See also

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