Reservoir Safety Guidance
The safety of reservoirs is of paramount importance to the British Dam Society and is a key driving force behind many of the meetings, events and research undertaken by the society. This part of the website contains links and information relating to:
- Summary of UK Reservoir Legislation,
- Reservoir Operation and Management – A Guidance Note for Owners
- Lessons From Historical Dam Incidents,
- Flood Plans,
- Recommended guidance documents,
- Historical guidance documents,
- International publications.
Summary of UK Reservoir Legislation
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UK Region |
Reservoirs Act Enforcement Authority |
Legislation |
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England |
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Northern Ireland |
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Scotland |
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Wales |
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Reservoir Operation and Management – A Guidance Note for Owners
Reservoirs are man-made lakes, formed by constructing one or more dam structures. Dams are typically formed by embankments made of compacted earth. Reservoirs provide a wide range of benefits to their owners and form part of our environment and heritage. In the UK there are many thousands of reservoirs. Similarly, there are thousands of reservoir owners.
Without some care and maintenance, dams deteriorate over time. Large reservoirs are regulated to ensure that suitable provisions are made to keep these dams adequately safe from a failure that might cause a flood; endangering public and property. However, several small reservoirs in the UK have breached in recent times but fortunately there has been no loss of life from reservoir-related flooding for nearly 100 years, largely due to better knowledge and understanding.
The British Dam Society recognises that not all reservoir owners have detailed knowledge and resources for the operation and maintenance of dams that they own. Some basic guidance on reservoir safety and operation is available here. Owner's Guidance Document
Lessons Learned From Historical Dam Incidents
The reports offer new insights and information on lessons learned from past dam incidents, near misses and failures, and good practice to be adopted by the reservoir industry to avoid serious incidents in the future.
| Lessons from Historical Dam Incidents - Project Summary |
| Lessons from Historical Dam Incidents - Project Report |
The reports looks at how incidents have been managed, including the role of owners and panel engineers. The significance of drawdown rates (drawing water down rapidly to prevent the dam from overtopping) and other emergency provisions for dam incidents such as evacuation planning are discussed. Some examples of incident management are described.
Annual Post Incident Reports |
| 2018 Report |
| 2017 Report |
| 2016 Report |
| 2015 Report |
| 2014 Report |
| 2013 Report |
| 2012 Report |
| 2011 Report |
| 2010 Report |
| 2009 Report |
| 2008 Report |
| 2007 Report |
Flood Plans
Originally in fulfillment of a commitment made in response to the Pitt Review, the UK Government has completed inundation (flood) mapping of all regulated reservoirs, in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Further information in relation to reservoir flooding can be found on the following websites:
- England: www.gov.uk/reservoirs-a-guide-for-owners-and-operators#prepare-a-reservoir-flood-plan-and-flood-map,
- Wales: https://www.naturalresources.wales/flooding/managing-flood-risk/flood-risk-map-guidance/risk-of-flooding-from-reservoirs/?lang=en,
- Scotland: https://www.sepa.org.uk/regulations/water/reservoirs/#Maps,
- Northern Ireland: http://riversagency.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=006872dcdd7b43b89d352e0b93190e67.
Advice on what to do and how to prepare for a reservoir emergency can be found on the following websites:
- England: www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/114476.aspx,
- Wales: https://naturalresources.wales/flooding/?lang=en,
- Scotland: https://www.sepa.org.uk/environment/water/flooding/,
- Northern Ireland: https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/topics/rivers-and-flooding.
It is good practice and a legal requirement in England for reservoir owners to prepare on-site emergency plans. On-site emergency plans detail how reservoir owners or those responsible for the operation of a reservoir will respond to a potential or real reservoir failure.
Link to further information on on-site plans: https://www.gov.uk/reservoirs-a-guide-for-owners-and-operators#prepare-a-reservoir-flood-plan-and-flood-map.
Recommended Guidance Documents
An initial list of guidance documents covering a range of topics is given below.
Guide to drawdown capacity for reservoir safety and emergency planning - Environment Agency (2017) - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-drawdown-capacity-for-reservoir-safety-and-emergency-planning.
A Guide to the Reservoirs Act 1975: 2nd Edition. Institution of Civil Engineers (2014). Thomas Telford, London. 171pp.
Register of British dams. Report BR 261, 55pp. Building Research Establishment (1994).
An engineering guide to seismic risk to dams in the United Kingdom. Charles J A, Abbiss C P, Gosschalk E M and Hinks J L (1991). BRE Report BR 210, 64pp.
Investigating embankment dams: a guide to the identification and repair of defects. Charles J A, Tedd P, Hughes A K and Lovenbury H T (1996). BRE Report BR 303, 81pp.
Bibliography of British dams. Charles J A and Tedd P [compilers] (1996). Building Research Establishment, Report BR 310, 50pp.
Design of flood storage reservoirs. Hall M J, Hockin D L and Ellis J B (1992). CIRIA and Butterworth & Heineman.
Performance of blockwork and slabbing protection for dam faces. Herbert D M, Lovenbury H T, Allsop N W H and Reader R A (1995).. HR Wallingford, Report SR 345 49pp.
Design of reinforced grass waterways. Hewlett H W M, Boorman L A and Bramley M E (1987). CIRIA, Report 116, 115pp.
Floods and reservoir safety: 4th edition. Institution of Civil Engineers (2015). ICE Publishing, 80pp.
An application note to An engineering guide to seismic risk to dams in the United Kingdom. Institution of Civil Engineers (1998). ICE, 40pp.
An engineering guide to the safety of embankment dams in the United Kingdom. Johnston T A, Millmore J P, Charles J A and Tedd P (1999). Second edition. BRE Report BR 363, 102pp.
Small embankment reservoirs. Kennard M F, Hoskins C G and Fletcher M (1996).. CIRIA Report 161, 445pp.
Engineering guide to the safety of concrete and masonry dam structures in the UK. Kennard M F, Owens C L and Reader R A (1996). CIRIA Report 148, 172pp.
Valves, pipework and associated equipment in dams guide to condition assessment. Reader R A, Kennard M F and Hay J (1997). CIRIA Report 170, 160pp.
Reservoir dams: wave conditions, wave overtopping and slab protection. Yarde A J, Banyard L S and Allsop N W H (1996). HR Wallingford Report SR 459, 27pp.
Reservoir discharges: consents, permits and risk assessments. Environment Agency (2018) https://www.gov.uk/guidance/reservoir-discharges-consents-permits-and-risk-assessments.
Guide to risk assessment for reservoir safety management. Environment Agency (2013) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-risk-assessment-for-reservoir-safety-management.
World Declaration on Dam Safety. ICOLD (2019) available here
Blockage management guide (SC110005/R1). Environment Agency (2019) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/blockage-management-guide
Culvert, screen and outfall manual (C786). Benn J, Kitchen A, Kirby A, Fosbeary C, Faulkner D, Latham D, Hemsworth M (2019). CIRIA London. Report C786. https://www.ciria.org/ItemDetail?iProductCode=C786F&Category=FREEPUBS
Reservoir Management. Edited by A. Pepper. Institution of Civil Engineers (2019). ICE, 331pp.
Grouting for reservoir dams - a guide to good practice (C774). Hughes A K, Bruggemann D A, Kettle C (2018). Report C774. CIRIA London.
Design, operation and adaptation of reservoirs for flood storage. Environment Agency (2016) http://evidence.environment-agency.gov.uk/FCERM/Libraries/FCERM_Project_Documents/sc120001_report.sflb.ashx
Operational Safety of Dams and Reservoirs: Understanding the reliability of flow-control systems. Desmond ND Hartford, Gregory B Baecher, P Andy Zielinski, Robert C Patev, Romanas Ascila and Karl Rytters. Institution of Civil Engineers (2016). ICE, 400pp.
Dam and reservoir conduits. Inspection, monitoring, maintenance and repair (C743). Hughes A K, Bruggemann D A, Gardiner K D, Blower T, Deane M, Nash D F T (2015). Report C743. CIRIA London.
Application of Eurocode 7 to the design of flood embankments (C749). Pickles A. et al (2014). Report C749. CIRIA London.
Lessons from incidents at dams and reservoirs - an engineering guide (SP167). Charles J A, Tedd P, Warren A L (2014). Report SP167. CIRIA London.
Guidance for the design and maintenance of stepped masonry spillways. Environment Agency (2010) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/290519/scho1010btdg-e-e.pdf
Treated Water Storage Assets: Good Practice for Operation and Management. Version 2, reference number - 19/RG/05/50, UKWIR (2019)
Public Access to Open Reservoirs. Water UK Occasional Guidance Note, July 2009
The guides listed above can be obtained from:
BRE Guides
IHS Rapidoc (BRE Press),
Willoughby Road,
Bracknell,
Berks.
RG12 8FB
Tel: 01344 328038
Fax: 01344 328005
Email: brepress@ihs.com
Website: http://www.BREbookshop.com
CIRIA Guides
Classic House
174-180 Old Street
London
EC1V 9BP
Website: https://www.ciria.org/CIRIA/Resources
Email: enquiries@ciria.org.uk
ICE Publishing
One Great George Street
London
SW1P 3AA
Web site: www.icebookshop.com
Virtual Library: www.icevirtuallibrary.com/
HR Wallingford
Howbery Park
Wallingford
Oxfordshire
OX10 8BA
Tel: 01491 835383
Email: info@hrwallingford.co.uk
Web site: www.hrwallingford.co.uk
Historical Guidance Documents
The BDS is hosting the following reports on their website at the request of Defra to ensure they are freely available to those involved in dams and reservoirs.
In some cases the reports will be out of date or be superseded by later research and as such care should be taken when using the information contained in these documents
International Publications
International
International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) – Publications: https://www.icold-cigb.org/GB/publications/publications.asp
Members of BDS are automatically members of ICOLD, as BDS forms the UK section of the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD). A number of documents on the ICOLD website are freely available to BDS members, but a registration process is required. To register on the ICOLD website BDS members must first obtain the UK code from the BDS Technical Secretary. With that code an ICOLD individual login and password will be set up, enabling copies of Proceedings (see below) to be ordered and Technical Bulletins (see below) to be downloaded.
USA
US Bureau of Reclamation - Manuals and Standards: https://www.usbr.gov/tsc/techreferences/mands/mands.html
US Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) Publications - Engineer Manuals: https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/USACE-Publications/Engineer-Manuals/u43544q/64616D/
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) - Dam Safety Publications & Resources: https://www.fema.gov/dam-safety-publications-resources
Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) - Resource Center: https://damsafety.org/resource-center
Canada
Canadian Dam Association (CDA) – Dam Safety Publications: http://www.imis100ca1.ca/cda/
Australia
Australian National Committee for Large Dams (ANCOLD) – Guidelines (hard copies): http://www.ancold.org.au/?page_id=334
South Africa
South African National committee For Large Dams (SANCOLD) – List of publications: http://www.sancold.org.za/index.php/publications