Satellite data for dam safety monitoring

The use of datasets from satellites to aid the monitoring of dams has been possible for many years. Within the last five years there has been a rapid development in the type and accuracy of the data available, led by an influx of new satellites and improved access to these datasets. This paper gives an overview of the different types of satellite datasets and satellite infrastructure relevant to dam safety that are currently available, explains the complex processes of converting raw satellite data into useable information and summarises the advantages and disadvantages of each data type along with indications of the level of accuracy and cost. The information presented by the authors is based on experience gained undertaking a 3 year, £4 m, UK-government-funded research project to investigate and combine many types of space data to improve the monitoring of dams

DAMSAT - An operational system for tailings dam monitoring by bringing together remote sensing, meteorological and on-site observations

Tailings dams and storage facilities store toxic mine waste and effluent. Failure of a tailings storage facility can cause dramatic local ecosystem damage, water contamination and, if a tailings dam fails, loss of life due to inundation of the downstream area. The failure rate of tailings dams is known to be significantly greater than that of conventional water retention dams, but monitoring all tailings dams and storage facilities through frequent site visits could be an expensive and resource-demanding task. Monitoring tools based on remote sensing and internet of things (IoT) sensors have the potential to reduce the risk from tailings storage failures by enabling the organisations responsible to conduct some monitoring remotely, and hence direct their resources for detailed monitoring more efficiently. We present an overview of DAMSAT (Dam Monitoring from SATellites), an operational tool for monitoring tailings dams, tailings deposit areas and water dams. The tool consists of several different modules. Radar and optical satellite remote sensing data, and in situ internet of things (IoT) sensors are used to monitor surface movement and indicators of pollution at tailings storage sites. Meteorological forecasts are coupled to hydrological models in order to forecast changes in water level at the dams. DAMSAT presents the monitoring information together with risk information from hazard, consequence and evacuation models of possible dam failures in one integrated platform. The project is a partnership between UK and Peruvian organisations. This approach, alongside proactive user engagement activities and user requirements analysis, is designed to ensure that the system is developed with the needs of the user community in mind

A controlled examination of the flow model

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:7769.09282(UW-SHAPE-RR--9) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo