How does climate change impact dams?
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Climate change impacts dams in various ways. It can lead to an increase in extreme precipitation events and floods, resulting in the need for larger spillway capacities to handle higher peak flows . In some cases, climate change can also cause a decrease in runoff despite an increase in rainfall, leading to water scarcity in reservoirs . Rising water levels in reservoirs due to climate change can pose a significant risk to dam safety, especially for aging earthen dams that may not meet current design standards . Additionally, the construction of small dams for water interception and storage as an adaptation strategy to water scarcity can affect catchment water balance and streamflow dynamics . To evaluate the impact of climate change on dam safety, procedures involving statistical tests, climate modeling, and flood discharge calculations can be used .
Answers from top 4 papers
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| Papers (4) | Insight |
|---|---|
| The paper proposes a procedure to study the impact of climate change on the safety of gated spillway dams, but it does not provide specific details on how climate change impacts dams. | |
1 Citations | The paper discusses the impacts of climate change on dams, specifically focusing on the increase in reservoir levels and safety threats to earthen dams. |
22 Jun 2023 | Climate change can impact dams by altering precipitation patterns, increasing temperatures, and changing solar radiation, which can lead to reduced inflow to reservoirs and affect water availability downstream (as mentioned in the paper). |
| The paper discusses a methodology to assess the impact of climate change on hydrological dam safety, specifically in terms of increased maximum reservoir water levels and overtopping probability during flood events. |
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