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Dam break analysis factored into water storage design

30 July 2013

Dam break analysis factored into water storage design

Hawke’s Bay Regional Investment Company Limited is reassuring the Central Hawke’s Bay community that the likelihood of a dam failure in the proposed Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme is extremely small.

The dam break analysis for the proposed Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme was prepared to assess the potential risk to communities downstream of a water storage site.

It is a risk assessment tool which is standard practise for projects of this scale. The findings of the report contributed significantly to the feasibility study and form part of the proposed design for the scheme, which is currently being finalised.

The Dam Break Analysis Report was prepared by the Engineering Section of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and peer reviewed by Tonkin & Taylor Ltd.

The report was finalised in May 2013, however it was initially drafted in 2012 and presented in draft to the Ruataniwha Water Storage Stakeholder Group in July 2012. It has been publicly available on HBRC’s website since mid-2012. The interim results of this report were also covered by media in September 2012.

The dam break analysis provided important technical modelling information. This led to the highest New Zealand and international design standards being applied to the potential water storage project, which in turn is a factor in the Design and Construction phase.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Investment Company Limited Managing Director, Andrew Newman says the dam break analysis is hypothetical and separate to the actual probability of a dam failure occurring.

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“The water storage reservoir will be designed and constructed in a way that means the likelihood of failure is small. The safety and wellbeing of the community is paramount and is always at the forefront of our planning,” says Mr Newman.

A dam break analysis was prepared in order to determine the Potential Impact Category for the project. The rating itself, although ‘high’, has guided the design and construction of the dam, which in this case incorporates multiple features which will prevent or minimise the probability of occurrence of a catastrophic failure.

The high category rating also dictates a Dam Safety Assurance Programme (DSAP). The DSAP will need to include an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) that will detail the actions that should be taken if an incident or emergency develops that threatens the safety of the dam. Both the DSAP and EAP will be required prior to commissioning of the dam.

ENDS

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