A New Approach to Identifying Risk, Prioritizing Dam Safety Work

摘要

Canadian utility Hydro-Quebec offers a new approach for identifying the factors that most contribute to overall risk, and using the results to prioritize dam safety work. It is impossible to predict risk with certainty because two of the main characteristics of risk are complexity and uncertainty. Even if a dam is judged to be safe, residual risk exists when people or property are in the flood zone. Dam failures, although not common, have serious consequences to people, property, and the environment. Therefore, establishing measures for reducing risk is an important responsibility of a dam owner.