Embankment Featured Items
Tool

AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture

Geo-referenced water dam database, organized by region worldwide. An Excel file contains the database and legend. Notes, References, and a document on the importance of dams is also available.

water dam database geo-reference capacity height GRanD dams and embankments
Publication

Conduits through Embankment Dams: Best Practices for Design, Construction, Identifcation and Evaluation, Inspection, Maintenance, Renovation, and Repair (FEMA L-266) September 2005

This brochure provides a summary of the information presented in FEMA P-484, Technical Manual: Conduits through Embankment Dams, including the effects of conduits on embankment dams, internal erosion and backward piping erosion, the factors that can lead to embankment dam failure, and best practices for conduits through embankment dams.

FEMA Conduit Pipe Earthen Embankment Design Inspection Seepage Guidance Design
Publication

Dam Owner’s Guide to Animal Impacts on Earthen Dams (FEMA L-264)

This brochure is designed to help the dam owner manage and reduce nuisance wildlife and wildlife damages at earthen dams. The brochure provides information on the types of nuisance wildlife damages, wildlife observation during routine inspections, wildlife identifcation, and basic damage repair.

FEMA Owner Animal Burrow Seepage Earthen Embankment
Publication

Dam Owner’s Guide to Plant Impact on Earthen Dams (FEMA L-263)

The dam owner is the frst line of defense in the appropriate maintenance and safe operation of dams. This brochure describes the dangers presented by problem vegetation on earthen embankment dams and discusses how to identify problem vegetation. A quick quiz is included for dam owners to determine whether their dam may be at risk for problems related to inappropriate vegetation.

FEMA Guidance Owner Plant Vegetation Earthen Embankment Inspection Seepage
Publication

Design Standards No 13: Embankment Dams

For structures under the jurisdiction of the USBR, the design standards present clear and concise technical requirements and processes to enable design professionals to prepare design documents and reports necessary to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public.

Design Embankment Dam Foundation Preparation Static Stability Analysis Freeboard Construction Seismic Cutoff Wall Geotextile Water Removal Investigation
Publication

Filters for Embankment Dams – Best Practices for Design and Construction (October 2011)

This document provides procedures and guidance for best practices concerning embankment dam flter design and construction and represents an effort to collect and disseminate current information and experience having a technical consensus. This document is intended for use by personnel familiar with embankment dams, such as designers, inspectors, construction oversight personnel, and dam safety engineers.

Design Filter Geotechnical Seepage Construction Inspection Earthen Embankment FEMA
Webinar

Introduction to Dam and Levee Safety

While not specific to tailings, this webinar includes valuable knowledge for tailings engineers. The objectives of this on-demand seminar will be to identify the current status of existing dams and levees in the United States, to learn the basic fundamentals of performing a dam/levee safety inspection, to learn how to perform a dam safety analysis and assess risks to levee freeboard, and to identify various rehabilitation practices. Topics to be covered in this on-demand seminar will include a history of dams and levees, an overview of dam safety and levee criteria in the United States, identifying the consequences of failure, determining the safety of existing dams and levees, and developing techniques for rehabilitating aging dam and levee structures.

Dams Inspection Safety analysis Dam Safety Dams and Embankments
Publication

Mount Polley Mine, Tailings Storage Facility Breach, Investigation Report of the Chief Inspector of Mines

BC Chief Inspector of Mines - The Mount Polley tailings dam, owned by Imperial Metals, breached 4 August 2014, releasing its free pond water and a portion of the tailings into Polley Lake. The spill flooded Polley Lake, creating a plug at Hazeltine Creek, and continued into nearby Quesnel Lake and Cariboo River. The cause of the dam breach and subsequent tailings spill has been investigated with a final report published 31 January 2015, the Independent Expert Engineering Investigation and Review Panel assessment of the Mount Polley Tailings Storage Facility Breach.

Tailings Dam Breach Forensic Investigation Tailings Failure Mount Polley Dams and Embankments Failure Risk
Event

Overview of the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO)

Copy of workshop presentation. Myers presents what ASDSO is and presents ASDSO Task Forces Guidance for Dam Safety Reviews of Engineering Designs and Tailings Dam Regulatory Committee.

Dams and Embankments Design safety tailings
Publication

Technical Manual for Dam Owners: Impacts of Animals on Earthen Dams (FEMA 473)

Safe dam operation includes comprehensive, state-of-practice guidance on timely inspection and observation of wildlife damages, accurate wildlife identification and mitigation, and appropriate dam design, repair, and preventive measures. This technical manual provides guidance to dam specialists, including dam owners, operators, inspectors, state dam officials, and consulting engineers, in the following areas: (1) the impacts wildlife can have on earthen dams; (2) habitat, range, description, and behavior of common nuisance wildlife to aid in the proper identification at the dam; (3) state-of-practice methods to prevent and mitigate adverse wildlife impacts on earthen dams; and (4) state-of-practice design guidance for repair and preventive design associated with nuisance wildlife intrusion.

FEMA Owner Animal Burrow Seepage Earthen Embankment Inspection