Purposes of Dams
From ASDSO Dam Safety Toolbox
Dams serve a variety of purposes including water storage, flood protection, power generation, tailings storage, or recreation. The design of a dam is heavily influenced by its intended purpose; however, the purpose and hazard classification of a dam can change over the course of its design life due to changing water needs, and changes in the surrounding community or in site conditions. No matter the purpose of a dam, safety to the public is the number one priority over any potential benefits. Common purposes for which dams are constructed include the following:
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| Gathright Dam in Virginia (Wikipedia) |
- Power Generation
- Water Supply & Regulation
- Recreation
- Flood Risk Management
- Irrigation
- Navigation
- Waste Management
- Environment
Best Practices Resources
Hydrologic Engineering Requirements for Reservoirs (EM 1110-2-1420), USACE, 1997
Revision ID: 6515
Revision Date: 01/30/2023