OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED USSD GUIDELINES ON DAM DECOMMISSIONING

摘要

Guidelines for decommissioning of dams are being prepared by the USSD Committee on Dam Decommissioning. This paper presents the objective, purpose, and scope of the proposed Guidelines, for information, review, and input of USSD members and other interested parties. The Guidelines define dam decommissioning as the full or partial removal of an existing dam and its associated facilities such that the statutory definition of a dam is no longer met. The various reasons to decommission a dam are described, including economic issues, public safety, fish passage, river restoration, abandonment, potential public benefits, and potential owner benefits. The general components and issues related to dam decommissioning projects are outlined, including the owner's feasibility study (requiring data collection for the evaluation of removal, repair, and "no action" alternatives); conceptual design; consensus building with stakeholders; preliminary design; project funding, costs, and schedules; permitting; final design and construction; and post-construction monitoring, operation, and maintenance considerations. The Guidelines will include selected case histories representative of various types of dam decommissioning projects completed within the United States.