The Malaysian Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) introduced the Malaysia Dam Safety Management Guidelines (MyDAMS) in September 2017, marking the country’s inaugural set of national guidelines for the secure governance of dams and the protection of communities surrounding these structures. Although these guidelines comprehensively delineate best practices for dam safety management, a significant gap remains in their actual implementation within the dam industry.
MyDAMS addresses various aspects of topics such as:
- Introduction
- Legal Requirements
- Potential Hazards of Dam and Safety Principles
- Dam Safety Management System
- Investigation & Design
- Construction & Commissioning
- Dam & Reservoir Operation and Maintenance
- Surveillance And Safety Review
- Dam Rehabilitation
- Emergency Action Plan
- Changes And Decommissioning of Dams
The preparation of the Malaysia Dam Safety Management Guidelines (MyDAMS) has relied on the dam safety guidelines and technical bulletins issued by the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) and other globally acknowledged references in dam engineering. MyDAMS delineates recommended practices to be considered throughout the various stages of dam projects, including investigation, design, construction, commissioning, maintenance, operation, safety surveillance, safety review, emergency preparedness, rehabilitation, and the overall life cycle management of dams.
MyDAMS is applicable to all dams that are:
- 10 meters or more in height with a storage capacity of more than 20,000 cubic meters or
- dams with storage capacity of 50,000 cubic meters or more and are higher than 5
However, this term is not intended to be applied to tailings dams, aquifer recharge dams and check dams.
MyDAMS outlines technical procedures required for dam safety management and the roles and responsibilities of the key players involved. This includes the importance of a Dam Owner’s commitment to safety programs, risk management, and the provision of adequate financial and human resources. Dam Owners are encouraged to view proper dam safety management as a key element of their overall risk and asset management strategies. Dam safety management should encompass throughout the life cycle of a dam from planning and investigation to decommissioning of the dam.
Download MyDAMS here.