DAMS & LARGE-SCALE HYDRO WORKS

Dam management: the value of experience

In Spain, many of the dams that are part of the management of our water resources are more than 50 years old. Essential for water supply, power generation and flood control, these structures require continuous and rigorous maintenance to ensure their integrity and optimal operation. But simply maintaining them is not enough, and much more needs to happen. Reviewing and updating safety documentation, such as operating standards, is essential to ensure these dams are resilient and adaptable to current and future challenges.

Over the years, inflows to reservoirs and the resulting releases associated with dam operations can vary significantly. These fluctuations are often due to factors such as climate change, land use change, and other human activities that affect the quantity and stability of water storage. In addition, the original dynamics of the environment may be altered downstream of the dam, such as by urbanization and infrastructure construction. These changes can have unpredictable and potentially catastrophic consequences in the event of a flood.

Overcoming these challenges is essential for the efficient management of water resources and energy storage. The ability of dams to adapt to these changing conditions is in large part a function of the ongoing updating of their operating rules. These must ensure that dams operate safely and efficiently and reflect new environmental realities.

The implementation of automated management systems is an important step in this process. These systems not only facilitate the monitoring and control of dam operations, which is essential to ensure dam safety, but also enable a quick and effective response to emergencies. Advanced monitoring systems can detect anomalies in real time, providing critical data that allows operators to make informed decisions and act proactively to prevent problems before they become crises. While technology is useful, it is essential to have a reliable monitoring system that allows for constant monitoring and intervention when necessary.

That is why technology alone is not enough. The work of dam managers, who know their facilities and their daily operations better than anyone else, is irreplaceable. Their hands-on experience is essential in testing theory against reality to ensure that standards are truly applicable and effective on a day-to-day basis. Dam managers and operators bring invaluable knowledge of the specific details of each structure, from control valves to main pipelines. This hands-on knowledge can reveal problems and opportunities that theoretical drawings and models miss.

Writing detailed and technically perfect standards is pointless without considering the perspective of those who will have to apply them. The experience and knowledge of operators can identify critical aspects not covered in the technical documents, such as the need for specific adaptations for certain equipment or procedures not covered by current regulations.

To ensure that operating standards are useful and enforceable, it is essential to conduct site visits and maintain fluid communication with engineers and operators. These visits allow the standards writers to better understand actual dam conditions, observe day-to-day operations first-hand, and gather direct feedback on the specific challenges and needs of each facility. Only through this direct interaction can it be ensured that the standards accurately reflect reality and are truly useful to those who will apply them.

Ongoing training of dam personnel is also essential. Although technological developments in dam management may not be radical or constant, it is vital that operators and technicians are well trained to use the tools and technologies available. Training not only improves their technical skills, but also enables them to integrate and make the most of this technology in their working practices, and to adapt more effectively to new regulations and management systems.

The key to efficient and safe dam management is the constant updating and integration of technology with the practical know-how of operators. It is about combining the best of both worlds: the precision and responsiveness of modern systems with the deep knowledge and adaptability of the people who ensure the smooth operation of these vital infrastructures every day.