The Cost of Rehabilitating Our Nation's Dams. A Methodology ...

Priority Ranking of ProjectsThis section is developed for the purpose of ranking projects to determine which projects are toreceive funding when funds are limited. There are varying opinions on what to include in apriority ranking; however, the consensus is that high hazard dams should be the first projects tobe funded.One approach is to rank projects based upon the impacts a dam failure may have on thedownstream reaches (loss of life, structures affected, lifelines impacted, etc.). However, thisapproach will require that a dam breach analysis and downstream routing be performed prior toapplication in order to establish the priority.A second approach is to utilize basic information regarding the dam itself to establish a priority.This can include parameters such as hazard, height of dam, volume of water stored, etc.Another approach is a procedure in which points are assigned based upon the condition of thedam (i.e., spillway adequacy, structural adequacy, concrete condition, condition of earthembankments, etc.).In Attachment 5 is a simple ranking procedure developed by Anthony Basile of AmericanWaterworks Service Co. to rank the rehabilitation needs of their dams. Other ranking schemes canbe found in the administrative codes of states with existing programs.21