SMALL DAMS

L ife of the dam
SPECIAL FEATURES OF "SMALL DAMS"
The special features of low dams are in particular due either to their age or to their
modest size, or to the lack of awareness of some dam managers about safety problems.
In particular, for the smallest of them, the following are noteworthy:
!"knowledge of how the dam was built that is often too imprecise or too fragmented;
!" poor knowledge of the dam's background and history;
!"lack (in general) of monitoring systems;
!" often rudimentary design and construction, for economic reasons.
ROLES OF THE VARIOUS PARTICIPANTS
THE OWNER (OR THE CONCESSION HOLDER)
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The owner is entirely responsible for his dam and for maintaining it in good condition.
To this end, he must:
!" create and keep up to date a brief containing all the documents concerning the
dam;
!" ensure surveillance and monitoring;
!"maintain the dam and its various discharge structures in good operating condition.
He may award contracts for some of these tasks to an operator or a specialised
engineering firm.
THE OPERATOR
The operator works within the framework of a contract signed with the dam owner
that clearly defines the scope of his activity.
As concerns monitoring and maintenance, the owner may consign the following tasks
to the operator:
!" regular visual inspection of the dam;
!" periodic checks on proper functioning of control systems and operation of the
discharge structures;
!" routine maintenance of the dam and discharge structures, and clearing or cutting
back vegetation around the dam;
!" periodic measurements using the instrumentation, and checks that it is operating
properly;
!" drafting the annual operator's report.
The contract should precisely define the nature and frequency of all of these services.