Failure of Upriver Dam - Lessons Missed in 1986 Reinforce Lessons Learned From The 2005 Failures of Simplot Lagoon #1 in Oregon and Taum Sauk Dam

Upriver Dam, in Spokane, Washington, failed in May 1986. The failure investigation report listed a number of contributing factors to the overtopping failure. Those included changes to the project that decreased the already inadequate freeboard, lack of understanding of the design basis of the project, and inadequate electrical/mechanical equipment and controls. Other factors included a perception that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) was the only dam safety program needed for project review, owner resistance to implementing FERC guidelines, and a lack of FERC guidance on electrical/mechanical issues. This paper discusses the lessons learned from the failure of Upriver Dam and how they are similar to the Hermiston, OR wastewater lagoon and Taum Sauk, MO pump-storage project failures in 2005. We discuss the reasons for a lack of wide distribution of these lessons in the greater dam safety community, and how this might be improved in the future. Then we discuss the lessons learned from the lagoon and Taum Sauk failure, and how their review can provide guidance to dam owners on potential overtopping failures. 22 pp, 5 references.