- Dams can fail for a number of reasons, including overtopping caused by floods, acts of sabotage, or structural failure of materials used in dam construction.
- The worst dam failure in the United States occurred in 1889 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Over 2,200 died, with many more left homeless.
- Dams present risks but they also provide many benefits, including irrigation, flood control, and recreation.
- Dams have been identified as a key resource of our national infrastructure that is vulnerable to terrorist attack.
- States have the primary responsibility for protecting their populations from dam failure. Of the approximately 79,500 dams in the United States, state governments regulate about 95 percent.
- About 11,800 dams are classified as high-hazard potential, meaning that their failure from any means, including a terrorist attack, could result in loss of life, significant property damage, lifeline disruption, and environmental damage.
Last Updated:
06/22/2012 - 00:29