Dams Sector Estimating Loss-of-Life for Dam Failure Scenarios

This report provides guidelines and recommendations for estimating loss of life resulting from dam failure or disruption. The objective is to assist in the development of consequence assessments that are consistent and can be systematically compared across multiple owners and different jurisdictions. The general approaches can be applied to both safety and security scenarios; therefore this report provides the necessary consistent framework for an all-hazards perspective, as required by the NIPP. This report does not address the probability of the triggering event or the probability of unsatisfactory performance leading to the failure or disruption consequences. Consistent estimation of these probabilities constitutes a critical step in the development and implementation of a sector-wide risk assessment framework. This report is the result of a sector-wide collaborative effort involving public and private partners. The initial version was developed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation under an Interagency Agreement with DHS. This version incorporates the technical review and contributions provided by multiple public and private Dams Sector stakeholders.