Dam Failure
There
are 79,500 dams in the United States, according to the 2005 update to
the National Inventory of Dams. Approximately one third of these pose a
"high" or "significant" hazard to life and property if failure occurs.
Dam failure or levee breeches can occur with little warning. Intense
storms may produce a flood in a few hours or even minutes for upstream
locations. Flash floods occur within six hours of the beginning of
heavy rainfall, and dam failure may occur within hours of the first
signs of breaching.
Other failures and breeches can take much longer to occur, from days
to weeks, as a result of debris jams or the accumulation of melting
snow.
How can I protect myself from dam failure?
- What to do before a dam failure
- What to do during a flood
- What to do after a flood
