Your Dam Your Responsibility (PDF~1.2MB)

8 Dam Failure Emergency
Section 8 is likely to have less importance for small dams, but for any dam that is
potentially hazardous, this section should be given attention regardless of dam height or
volume.
8.1 Extreme Events
Extreme events such as earthquakes, flood or storm activity present a situation where
preventative action may be difficult. Whilst there is little that a dam owner can do
to prevent them occurring, the risk of dam failure from flood and earthquake can
reasonably be expected to be minimised by proper design and construction. A proper
dam design looks at the engineering aspects and applies margins of safety that have
been developed from industry experience.
Pre planning for an emergency is an important means by which to minimise the impact
from dam failure.
Failure of another dam upstream can also impact on your dam. Dam owners carry the
responsibility for the safety of their dam under the Water Act. If you are concerned about
the condition of any dam, and the matter cannot be resolved locally, you should contact
your local licensing authority (see section 3.4) which can direct work to be done to make
the dam safe.
8.2 Emergency Preparedness
Emergency preparedness is about having a plan of what to do in the event that failure of
your dam appears imminent or if the dam fails.
Owners can play an important role in ensuring the safety of farm dams by having proper
operating procedures, adequate inspection, and maintenance and safety surveillance.
However, there should also be a plan of action in case the dam fails or is threatening to
do so.
The Emergency Action Plan should be directly related to the specific dam’s structure and
its immediate environment. It will depend on the owner’s knowledge of the dam and its
operation. It should be reviewed and, if necessary, updated annually. This is especially true
for dams with a history of leakage, cracking, settlement, misalignment or erosion from
wave action.
It is imperative to issue an effective and timely warning to downstream residents if a dam
is about to fail. The better and earlier the warning the less likely injury will occur and
some damage may be avoidable.
The State Emergency Service (SES) is the response agency for major flooding events,
whatever the cause of the flood (but see also DSE below).
The police will coordinate all emergency situations.
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Where you have a potential failure emergency with your dam, you should call your
own dams engineer, Police, local licensing authority, Department of Sustainability and
Environment and State Emergency Service for assistance.
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