Floating debris on lakes and rivers : effects on operation, use, and safety of lakes and dams

Floating debris on reservoirs can cause a variety of potential hazards to dam and lake safety. Debris-related hazards can adversely impact navigation, recreation, flood control, and safe operation of lakes and dams. Owners and agencies involved with damsafety often neglect the concerns associated with floating debris because the dam safety community generally does not view floating debris as an 'imminent danger.'This thesis emphasizes that floating debris represents a national concern to damsafety. It demonstrates the inconsistencies in federal and state administration of dam safety including a lack of inspection and dam maintenance regulation. The attitudes of state and federal agencies toward Ham safety further reinforce the negative effects and ramifications of current policy and practice relating to floating debris. This thesis also includes responses to a survey of federal and state dam safety representatives and analyses collected information, addressing federal and state requirements for maintenance and disposal of reservoir debris. It illustrates possible damage- and failure-scenarios, and presents historical dam incidents, which validate the hazards associated with debris. Finally, this thesis recommends strategies for addressing debris-related problems.