Achieving public protection with dam safety risk assessment proactices

摘要

In 1978, the Bureau of reclamation implemented a dam safety program in accordance with the Sfety of Dams Act of 1978. In the early years of the program, the most significant safety risks to the public were readily apparent to decision makers and were corrected. WIth many of the most serious dam safety deficiencies coreected, Recclamation has been challenged with identifying and priorritizing future corrective actions in a manner which will provide reasonable imporvements in public protection. While reclamation has previously used risk assessment approaches for the evaluation of potential economic losses, the agency is now implementing regular use of risk assessment to evaluate and prioritize issues involving the personal safety of the public. Two key elements of the implementation of risk assessment methods include agency guidelines for achieving public protection and measures to be employed in identifying estimated risks to the public.