Hydropower - Dam Safety and Inspections - Initiatives
Owners Dam Safety Program (ODSP)
The Owners Dam Safety Program (ODSP) is the most important factor in maintaining safe dams and preventing dam failures. Dams with owners who do not have an effective ODSP represent a higher risk. The owner’s dam safety program has been cited as a contributing factor in many dam failures including: the 1976 failure of Teton Dam, the 1986 failure of Upriver Dam, the 2003 failure of Silver Lake Dam, and the 2005 failure of Taum Sauk Dam.
In addition, the 2006 Peer Review of D2SI’s dam safety program emphasized the major and primary role the ODSP has in maintaining safe dams. The Peer Review report noted that some owners utilized the FERC as their dam safety program and made a recommendation that D2SI take steps to ensure that owners understand their responsibilities for dam safety. The effectiveness of the ODSP clearly must be considered in the evaluation of the overall risk posed by a dam to downstream communities. The links below will provide useful information in maintaining a successful ODSP.
FERC Owner’s Self Assessment Evaluation Parameters is a tool designed to assist owners in evaluating the effectiveness of their own dam safety program.
The Owners Dam safety Program described in the agreement above is appropriate for Ameren but not necessarily for other owners. It is only provided as an example.
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