Scoping the risk assessment process for small reservoirs
This project investigated methods of assessing risk for small reservoirs to inform decisions about their maximum size.
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Details
This project tested three methods of assessing risk for small, raised reservoirs that did not rely on individual measurements about the reservoir itself (dam height or volume of water stored). Instead, the three methods used information such as the:
- location
- type and shape of the surrounding ground
- factors that influence flooding
This is useful because details about the reservoir itself are often difficult and expensive to get, and may not be very accurate.
Outcome
Of the three methods tested, the one that emerged as the most useful was the intermediate method. This is where the risk assessment is based on a detailed model, but there are assumptions made about the reservoir itself. This does not produce individual risk assessments for each reservoir, but does provide a detailed assessment of the potential risk for each location.
The project used case studies to check its findings. It also contributed to the evidence for deciding what the maximum size should be for a reservoir to qualify as a Small Raised Reservoir.
The project started in 2010 and was completed in 2010 at a cost of £34,380.