Ten Point Protocol for Enhancing Climate Resilience of Existing and New Dams

 S C Mittal

 Chairman and Managing Director, DMR

 Dam Specialist and Convenor, DMR Dam Safety Centre

    (DMR Dam Safety Centre is a unit of

     DMR Hydroengineering and Infrastructures Limited)

                                                                                                                                                    3^rd Nov 2023

Need for new paradigm to ensure reliability of Dam functioning in the times of climate change was brought out in my blog dated – 11^th Oct 2023.

As a follow up of the previous blog dated 11^th Oct 2023, a Ten Point Protocol for Existing and New Dams for enhancing Climate Resilience is proposed, which will go a long way to ensure reliability of Dam Functioning in critical situations that could be faced in future

Ten Point protocol

1. Liberal Additional Free board ( over and above the requirement of present BIS codes)
2. Mandatory provision of Ungated Auxiliary spillway of 25% of PMF/Design Flood placed above FRL/ MWL
3. At least 50% capacity of Spillway as crest spillway which should be kept open during monsoon season
4. 50% capacity as low level Gates spillways for sediment flushing
5. All gates should be designed for impact load equal to 100% of Hydrostatic Pressure
6. Gates Armac system should be ensured to be operational 100% with sufficient long term O & M contracts
7. All embankment dams should have Mandatory dependable overtopping protection
8. Compulsory On site Disaster Management training  to the operation staff each year
9. Provision for early warning
10. Real-time coordination and cooperation of all dam owners and operators in the valley