The recent flooding induced by Hurricane Helene has put a spotlight on the risk of dam failure in the United States due to increased precipitation levels linked to climate change. Particularly under threat were multiple dams, including Nolichucky Dam in Tennessee and Walters and Lake Lure dams in North Carolina.
One of the key challenges is the aging infrastructure of these dams. On average, U.S. dams are around 60 years old. With over 92,000 dams nationwide, almost 20% of these have been classified as having “high hazard potential”. This means that their failure could lead to significant loss of life or property.
The problem is further compounded by the fact that only 3% of these dams are federally controlled. According to the Association of State Dam Safety Officials, it is estimated that a staggering $75.7 billion is needed to rehabilitate nonfederal dams.
Adding to this precarious situation, climate change-induced intense rainstorms pose a significant risk to dams. This is particularly true for earthen dams, which form the majority in the U.S. Excessive rainwater can lead to overtopping that erodes the dam and eventually results in structural failure.
Changing global weather patterns are leading to more extreme and frequent weather events, such as hurricanes. These events challenge the safety of dams due to the record levels of water they have to manage. Studies from IHE Delft, the Institute for Water Education, suggest that climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of these extreme weather events, putting the world’s over 70,000 dams at a higher risk of failure.
The catastrophic flooding caused by the collapse of Arbaat Dam in Sudan and the burst of Alua Dam in Nigeria, which led to the death of 37 people, serve as stark reminders of the risks of dam failure due to extreme weather events.
Addressing these risks will require significant investment and time. Potential solutions include the adaptation of dams, such as increasing the capacity of spillways, and updating precipitation frequency data to account for climate change. In the U.S., for instance, NOAA is implementing Atlas 15 to account for these changes. However, these solutions are costly and slow to implement. As climate change continues to exert pressure on our aging dams, the question remains: can we act fast enough to prevent catastrophic failures?
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