Safety of old embankment dams

This Paper outlines the composition of earth embankment dams, and summarizes the requirements of the Reservoirs Act 1975, the roles which might be played by local authority engineers in relation to the management of authority-owned reservoirs and the application of the enforcement provisions of the Act. Causes of deterioration and potential modes of failure are reviewed and some complications of dam demolition are discussed. Some of the practices and problems of management of reservoirs are noted. The difficulties facing an enforcement authority's engineer are reviewed and suggestions are made for easing the burden of compliance with the Act on reservoir owners.