Practical consequences of dam safety re-assessment in the Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic dam safety assessments during floods have been systematically carried out since 2005, in accordance with new mandatory regulations which set out stricter requirements in terms of flood frequency compared with former legislation. The assessments have been carried out for the check flood, derived from the dam category indicating the potential consequences of dam failure. The changes in the requirements influenced the re-assessment of dam safety and have frequently led to extensive modifications to dams and their operating regimes. The improvements to dam safety can involve technical challenges and major financial expenses. This paper discusses the consequences of dam safety re-assessments and gives several examples of remedial works at Czech dams.