Comparison of Failure Modes From Risk Assessment and Historical Data from Bureau of Reclamation Dams

To determine which dams need to be renovated because of their risk of failure or accident, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has developed a process of calculating that risk. It takes into account the failure possibilities and the number of people who would be affected by certain occurrences. Uncertainties that are inherent in the process make this study of the risk assessment process all the more important. The purpose of this project was to present findings from various risk assessments of Reclamation dams. The failure modes of these dams were compared to each other as well as to historical failures (Von Thun, 1985). To compare the risk assessment and historical data, it was necessary to put together a comprehensive list of all Reclamation dams classified by their age, height, and type. It was hoped that, through the process of examining the risk assessments and the historical data, Reclamation would learn more about both their dams and how the risk of failure is analyzed. By doing this, the prioritizing of dam servicing in the future may be improved.

Also see DSO-97-01: https://www.usbr.gov/ssle/damsafety/TechDev/DSOTechDev/DSO-97-01.pdf