Surveillance practices for the next millennium

The difficulty of defining the term 'standard practice' for surveillance in dam safety management is highlighted. A good dam safety surveillance program needs to contain all the key parts embodied in the Canadian Dam Association's (CDA) Dam Safety Guidelines. They have a basic role in defining what standard practice is, but the present CDA guidelines require strengthening as surveillance practice evolves in the near future. Surveillance is mainly a means of providing an owner, or in the case of BC Hydro, the Director of Dam Safety, senior management and the Board of Directors with up-to-date performance information which is essential for the continuing risk control of the residual risks associated with the dams. Although automated systems are being more commonly applied in a proactive manner in special situations as a real time risk control process, surveillance practice today is reactive. The need is stressed for dam owners to go beyond today's standard practice, by utilizing proactive performance-based practice, and better integrating surveillance within dam risk management. The establishment of a good surveillance program and its ongoing success is dependent on a comprehensive dam safety management program. There is a commitment on the part of BC Hydro to moving from the standard practice of the past to new directions outlined herein, which includes a detailed and comprehensive, auditable surveillance management system, with a policy of continued improvement. 11 refs., 1 tab., 1 fig