SMALL DAMS

W hat need for guidelines for small dams?
These Guidelines therefore recommend minimum requirements based on this parameter.
More stringent requirements may be dictated by engineering criteria if required by
special circumstances.
ASPECTS DISCUSSED
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The Guidelines cover the preliminary geological and geotechnical surveys (see
chap. III, p. 37) and hydrological studies for flood estimation (see chap. II, p. 23). It
next deals with the design and construction of the two main types of dam: embankment
dams (see chap. IV, p. 67) and concrete dams (see chap. V, p. 113).
Environmental aspects are increasingly important. Chapter VI deals with the fundamental
issue of water quality in the reservoir and downstream of the dam. While we have
been building dams for thousands of years, their impact on water quality has only
been measured at best for the last few decades. This chapter is therefore more of a
review of our current state of knowledge rather than a set of precise recommendations.
Although some owners now attach more importance to the appearance of their dams,
this is not discussed here, because there is no generally accepted doctrine to our
knowledge. We simply advise engineers and contractors to give more consideration to
this aspect in terms of the finish on exposed surfaces and blending concrete dams and
appurtenant buildings into the scenery.
Lastly, it should be remembered that a dam is not finished when the construction
contractor quits the site or even when the spillway operates for the first time. A dam is
a living thing, and ages. It must be carefully watched and monitored, as described in
Chapter VII.