Site Security
"Certain characteristics of dams make them an unusually difficult type of asset to protect. While assets in many other critical infrastructure sectors have a relatively small footprint, dams are normally large structures that are often located in remote areas. In addition, many critical features at dam projects can be approached via land and water, or even by air. These factors pose especially difficult problems in controlling access to dams. However, most dams are designed and built according to well-documented engineering principles and regulated standards, a characteristic that can help in the case of an attack or major disruption. Further, dams are designed to withstand a variety of unusual and extreme conditions, which makes them inherently robust structures." [1]
"The vulnerabilities of dams to manmade attacks greatly depend on site-specific conditions and characteristics that could be exploited by potential adversaries to cause structural damage or to disable or disrupt operations or critical functions. Owners and operators of critical dams across the Nation have instituted security programs based on risk-informed management principles, including provisions to increase their security posture during heightened threat conditions." [1]
Considerations Related to Site Security
- Legal Responsibilities (Site Security)
- Risk Assessment (Site Security)
- Risk Mitigation (Site Security)
- Site Security Program Management
Examples
Learn more about site security at dams at DamFailures.org
Many Dam Security Resources available from the US Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency
Citations:
Revision ID: 6873
Revision Date: 06/21/2023