Dams

An emergency situation that threatens the integrity of the dam, or its components, that could result in an increased risk to the population but does not result in the catastrophic failure of the dam.

A working level or step in a cut (from the Bureau of Reclamation Library Glossary).

A nearly horizontal step in the sloping profile of an embankment dam. Also, a step in a rock or earth cut (from the U.S. Mine Safety & Health Administration Dam Inspection and Plan Review Handbook).

En el mundo actual, la infraestructura son los cimientos de gran parte de nuestra vida diaria, proporcionando servicios esenciales y apoyo a las comunidades. Entre estas estructuras se encuentran las represas de agua, que desempeñan un papel fundamental al ofrecer suministro de agua, control de inundaciones y, a veces, incluso energía hidroeléctrica. La seguridad de estas represas de agua es crucial, ya que cualquier falla puede tener consecuencias catastróficas.

La administración Biden-Harris anuncia $185.1 millones en adjudicaciones para 32 estados y un territorio, con el propósito de fortalecer las represas mediante el Programa Nacional de Seguridad en Represas de la Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA, por sus siglas en inglés).

National Dam Safety Awareness Day occurs on May 31 of each year in remembrance of the devastating failure of the South Fork Dam in Johnstown, Pennsylvania in 1889. It was the worst dam failure in the history of the United States and resulted in the loss of more than 2,200 lives. The National Dam Safety Program (NDSP), authorized by Congress in 1996, is a national program that targets the improvement of dams and the safety of those who live in surrounding communities. National Dam Safety Awareness Day was created to encourage and promote individual and community responsibility for dam safety as well as to provide information on what steps can be taken to prevent future structural dam failures. A secondary goal is to promote the benefits dams offer to communities.