Risk and Consequences of Farm Dam Failure

There are literally thousands of farm dams in Victoria. The majority of these dams do not present any danger to people, services or property because they are below ground, have small volumes of stored water, or are relatively remote from habitation. However there are also many referable or large farm dams that are now surrounded by urban areas resulting from development pressures on existing towns and cities, which often lie near major tourist attractions. These dams may present a risk to life, property or the environment. This paper discusses aspects of the risks associated with farm dam safety, in terms of likelihood and consequences of failure. In particular, issues related to the consequences of farm dam failure are discussed, both in terms of determining where hazardous dams exist and approximate methods for calculating areas at risk downstream from these storages.