Gallimaufry: News and events from the British Dam Society

The Environment Agency has recently published the research report on ‘Lessons from historical dam incidents’. This is now available on the Agency's website: http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/PDF/SCHO0811BUBA-E-E.pdf

The report was prepared for the Agency by Halcrow Group Ltd working in collaboration with Dr Andrew Charles and Dr Paul Tedd of the Building Research Establishment. It provides a useful reference of key facts and points of learning from more than 100 incidents that have shaped reservoir safety legislation, design practices and construction methods.

This report aims to provide a useful reference for all those involved in reservoir safety, including technicians, engineers and managers involved in the operation, monitoring and surveillance of dams, researchers and design engineers. It is likely to be viewed as an essential reference for aspiring and current panel engineers.

The focus of the report is on incidents at dams that have occurred in Great Britain, but some reference is made to some important international incidents. Drawing from international experience is particularly helpful for those types of dam not commonly found in Great Britain.

The introductory section covers the national incident database and the value of post-incident reporting and investigations. Section 2 gives a historical overview which shows how serious incidents have improved our understanding of dam behaviour and the hazards posed by dams. Section 3 shows the close links between historical incidents and failures and the development of reservoir safety legislation and guidance. Section 4 looks at how incidents have been managed, including the role of owners and panel engineers. The significance of drawdown rates and other provisions for dam incidents, such as evacuation planning, are presented. Four examples of incident management are described: the incidents at Ogston, Rivington Upper, Ulley and Maich Water.

Section 5 represents the major part of research output. It provides an overview of serious incidents and a classification and brief analysis of the modes of failure. This is followed by descriptions of over 30 major incidents and summaries of 70 other incidents. Photographs and drawings have been provided where possible, together with references to the technical papers and articles for additional information. The incidents have been grouped according to the type of incident or mode of failure to facilitate the use of the report as a look-up reference for specific types of reservoir safety problems.

Good news for Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) as the Glendoe hydro scheme resumed power generation at the end of August following a 3-year interruption caused by a collapse in the headrace tunnel. Refilling of the Glendoe reservoir began in June with the closure of the bottom outlet on the 35 m high concrete-faced rockfill dam (CFRD). The 100 MW scheme is expected to generate approximately 180 GWh/year. The scheme was commissioned in early 2009 with its official opening by the Queen in June 2009; however, by August that year problems had been found in the headrace tunnel. A fault zone about 2 km from the top of the headrace and extending about 100 m resulted in a tunnel collapse. A 900 m long bypass tunnel was blasted around the fault area and SSE has installed additional concrete lining along sections of the 6·2 km long headrace tunnel.

ICOLD's 9th European Club Symposium will be held in Venice between 10–12 April 2013. Entitled ‘Sharing experience for safe and sustainable water storage’ it will cover the following themes

• water resources management in Europe

• preservation and development of European hydraulic infrastructure system

• an outlook to the future of dams and hydropower: the new challenges

• social/environmental impacts against benefits of reservoirs: a still open question

• towards improving and harmonising dams governance in Europe.

After a 43-year-long first career at Halcrow in which he was instrumental in some of their major dams projects, Mr Jonathan Hinks has now joined HR Wallingford Ltd for his second career as their new Technical Director, Dams & Reservoirs. Jonathan is also a past BDS Chairman (2007–2009) and was honoured and delighted to be invited to give the prestigious Binnie Lecture at the BDS conference in Leeds this year.

A book, The Cwmcarn dam disaster has been recently published. The Cwmcarn dam collapsed in July 1875 killing 12, and destroying much of the nearby village, but has been almost forgotten. The author, Tony Jukes, is a member of the Oxford House Industrial History Society and the publisher is Danygraig Books (i.e. Mr Jukes himself). It is a well-researched book and a good read.

Another book recently published is In the footsteps of giants – exploring the history of South Africa's large dams by Lani van Vuuren. It takes the reader on a journey through the history of the construction of South Africa's largest dams, starting with the traditional attitudes and indigenous knowledge about water resources, prior to European settlement, and ending with a glimpse into the future of dam building in the country.

The CFRD International Society is preparing to publish its first technical book on CFRDs: World concrete face rockfill dam engineering. Publication is planned for 2013.

It is time for me to hand on the editorial baton after nearly 3 years in the post. Jonathan Butterworth has assisted in the preparation and review of this edition and takes over as editor from the next edition. I would like to say thank you to all those who have contributed papers and articles over the last few years as well as the reviewers who have ensured that only high-quality papers make it into the Dams and Reservoirs.

Please continue to submit papers, articles and news items to the journal – the email address remains the same – editor@britishdams.org.

A poem about dam risk and safety.

Original poem by Don Merrell (modified by Dr Malcolm Eddleston, MWH).