Damwatch, in conjunction with the owner, can develop a Dam Safety Management System (DSMS).
This is a programme of actions and activities to manage the safety of a dam through its entire life cycle.

Damwatch has expertise in wider dam industry to create benchmark studies.
A comparative benchmarking study of dam safety management practices would include:

• Assessment against various separate criteria for dam safety management.
• Statements of Obligations.
• Guidance notes by the regulator.
• NZSOLD, ANCOLD Guidelines.
• Good goverance, best practice from other jurisdictions.

Comprehensive Dam Safety Reviews are carried out on a periodic basis by an experienced dam inspection and surveillance team to confirm the dam's satisfactory behaviour and/or identification of deficiencies by a thorough on-site inspection (civil structures and mechanical components), evaluating data (i.e. surveillance, hydrological and seismological), application of current design criteria and standards.

The frequency of the CDSR depends on the Potential Impact Classification or Consequence category of the dam. Completion of the CDSR is a requirement under Dam safety legislation.

As a recognized dam expert in both New Zealand and Australia, Damwatch provides an independent and thorough review of the organisations asset and associated dam safety programme.
ref. NZSOLD_DamSafetyGuidelines.

Prioritisation of dam safety issues

Damwatch, in conjunction with the owner, has expertise in developing dam and system operating rules. This typically would form a Operations and Maintenance manual.
Components of this manual would include:

• The manual must be user friendly, kept in a place which is accessible to the people who are involved with the system.
• The manual is a living document, it is everyone who is involved with the system to contribute to the operations and maintenance manual.
• Each manual is unique, with thw contents not only unique to each system but also to the people who put it together, use it and review it. This is to ensure that the manual is used by the people who need it.

ref. Irrigator check list.

Damwatch can provide the following services to dam owners to assist in asset management:

• Preparing briefs for dam safety related works for engagement of consultants and tender processes.
• Consultant and contractor selection for dam safety related works including design, construction and contract supervision.
• Peer Review of design of general dam and dam safety related works.
• Advice to insurance companies for risk and financial evaluation purposes.
• Advice to owners for asset and budget management.
• Advice on monitoring instrumentation and collection of dam safety data.
• Advice on dam safety programmes.
• Audit of dam safety programmes.
• Dam surveillance observer training.
• Assistance with emergency preparedness planning.
• Interpretation of relevant legislation, consent conditions or voluntary dam safety guidelines for owners.

The NZSOLD Dam Safety Guidelines (Guidelines) have been prepared from the technical bulletins published by ICOLD and other internationally recognised references on dam engineering.
These Guidelines outline recommended practices that should be considered during the investigation, design, construction, commissioning, assessment, rehabilitation, and operation of large dams in New Zealand.

The Guidelines are not intended for use in the investigation, design, construction, commissioning, assessment, rehabilitation and operation of road and rail embankments not intended for water detention or storage, holes excavated below the surrounding natural ground surface, concrete tanks and pressure vessels (including penstocks and pipelines).
These Guidelines are also not intended as design specifications or an all-inclusive instruction manual. Specialists experienced in the design, construction and operation of dams are best qualified to judge the suitability of a guideline for a particular purpose.
It is incumbent on dam Owners to seek such specialist experience as appropriate.
ref. NZSOLD_DamSafetyGuidelines.

Damwatch, in conjunction with the owner can develop documents (emergency action plans), which contain or refer to procedures for dealing with various emergencies, as well as communication directories and inundation maps showing upstream and downstream water levels and times of arrival of floods which would result from the failure of the dam or its appurtenant structures
This is a requirement for classified dams under the NZ Building (Dam Safety) Regulations 2022.

Emergency action plans should detail the actions to be taken by the dam Owner and Operator, or Contractor if the dam is under construction, and all relevant agencies in response to a dam safety emergency.
Damwatch's engineering expertise would be available, if required, to assist with advice once the emergency action plan has been activated.
ref. NZSOLD_DamSafetyGuidelines.

Damwatch can provide guidelines for dam safety issue and deficiency management, risk informed decision making, the rehabilitation of dams, the decommissioning of dams, and change of use.
While the focus is primarily related to issues and activities that can directly affect dam safety, the document also provides guidance on the management of public safety around dams.
ref. NZSOLD_DamSafetyGuidelines.

Dam safety training and capacity building