FLOOD03849

• County: Statewide
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: Institute on Legal Issues of Flooding, Urban Drainage and Wetlands
• Date: 3/25/1982
• Prepared For: FEMA
• Prepared By: CWCB
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

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DIUI IAPI'l't a PITSICAL UD LIIGlL ASPSC'l'S

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Donald o. Doehring, C.P.G.,'Co1orado State Oni.ersity
Wayne A. Charlie, P.I., COlorado State oni.er.ity
Dennis M. Montgo.ery, laq., Colorado Attorney General'. Office

I. Ilft'RODUC'l'IOR

'lhe purpose of th18 paper 18 to acquaint the reader with
the types of d..s, coaaon causes of failure, techniques for
mitigation of damage and liability. Although this is intended
to be a regional a.ses..ent, .uch of the information contained
herein is directly applicable to the entire country. Data
apecific to Colorado was generously provided by Mr. Alan
Pearson of the Colorado State Ingineer's Office.

'lhe earliest records of d.. con.truction in this country
date back to tbe 1620's. 'lheae in.ta11ations were used as an
energy source to power gri.taills and aavai1ls. In tbe
semi-arid West, dam building was used by the early aettlers
for purposes of aining and irrigation. 'lhe earliest regula-
tion of dam building in Colorado r.sulted from an 1879 act
that required county approval of plans for dams exceeding 10
feet in height. 'lhe Act of 1881 created the Office of state
Bydraulic Engineer and in 1899 the regulatory authority was
transferred to the State Ingineer. In 1919 the legislature
passed tbe Registration Law for Ingineers whicb requires that
a registered engineer prepare tbe plans for dams. A 1925
ammendment to the Act of 1899 redefined the dams that fall
under the jurisdiction of the State Engineer to include those
structures over 10 feet in height, or impounding water cover-
ing 20 acres or more, or i.pounding more than 1,000 acre feet
of water.

Today there are over 20,000 water retention dams in
Colorado with approximately 2,250 coming under the jurisdiC-
tion of the state Engineer. Prom 1890 to 1978, approximately
92 dam failures and accidents occurred in Colorado. With
continued resource development and concommitant population
growth of the Mountain States, it is reasonable to expect
continued dam construction and failures.

II. 'lYPES OP DAIIS

Rumerous classification scbemes are applied to dams.
.evera1 of the .ore prominent and u.efu1 .ethods are listed
below.

A. Classification by Purpose

1. Storaae d.m. iapound water during periods of
surplus for u.e in periods of deficient supply.
'lhe water bebind the.e dams..y be used for