Flood plain dam risk management downstream dams A research project and a case study

Contemporary dam safety regulations include risk assessment at downstream flood plains and consideration of potential damages due to dam rupture, regardless of the expected probability of occurrence of such event. The aim of these kind of procedures is to increase the safety level along the valley against abnormal floods caused by dam accidents. For this objective to be attained, the potential damages induced by dams along the valleys should be considered by dam owners or exploitants in what concerns, among others, the following items: Dam risk classification; Design flood selection criteria; Inundation maps and zoning; Valley vulnerability to floods.