Safety Evaluation of Existing Dams (SEED) : A Manual for the Safety Evaluation of Embankment and Concrete Dams

First Edition - 1980
Revised Reprint - 1983
Reprint - 1992
Reprint - 1995
Reprint - 2000

The SEED manual is a Water resources technical publication; includes index, bibliography: p. 83-86. Text of the preface:

Failures or near failures of several dams in the United States, such as Baldwin Hills, Lower San Fernando, and Teton, resulted in an additional emphasis being placed upon the safety of Water and Power Resources Service (Water and Power or Service) dams. In 1978, the Service appointed a cadre, under the guidance of Mr. Clifford J. Cortright, ' to develop a comprehensive training program for inspecting and evaluating existing dams. The cadre was given the responsibility for developing a draft manual on safety evaluation of existing dams and preparing a training program for other Service employees.
This manual, prepared after 2 years' experience using the cadre's draft manual, is intended to provide engineering and technical personnel at all levels of Government (Federal, State, and local) and private engineering organizations with sound, comprehensive guidelines and procedures for the inspection and evaluation of public and private dams.
Specific detailed criteria, design standards, methods of analyses, construction standards, etc., are purposely omitted from this manual. Those subjects are extensively presented in numerous text books; professional publications; and organizational policy manuals, design manuals, and technical publications. Reliable dam inspections and the associated evaluations must be made by professional personnel who have attained their qualifications by study and knowledge of these subjects. Those qualifications cannot be obtained through some kind of a recitation of "standards."
A training program has been developed to supplement this manual in training and developing Service personnel.