Intelligent Satellite Dam Monitoring

The dam industry in the UK is in changing, interesting and challenging times. The incident at Toddbrook Reservoir in 2019 has led to the drafting of new guidance for Undertakers (dam owners and operators), Reservoir Engineers and others, as well as the potential for legislation change. This will shape future UK dam industry requirements and is challenging the way we undertake reservoir safety.

Developing technology of the 21st century can assist us in managing our historic assets going forward, whilst complementing our existing data sets, processes and activities. The Intelligent Dam Monitoring System (iDMS) harnesses the power of satellite technology to proactively manage reservoir safety and address these challenges. It enables dam owners to understand their assets, improve risk management, deliver strategic objectives and realise operational and commercial benefits, bringing long term resilience to dam safety strategy.

By establishing a detailed understanding of the basal rhythm of the dam the system can provide early detection of anomalous change. It will allow for a better-informed analysis of risk across a portfolio of assets and will allow owners to demonstrate a duty of care by avoiding potentially catastrophic incidents through long-term planning and proactive risk management.

The system is currently being piloted by the Canal and River Trust (CRT) at two of their reservoirs. This paper will outline the practical implementation and operation of the system, some of the findings and ongoing developments, which include tailoring the system to the CRT’s own individual requirements.

This article summarises a presentation given at the British Dam Society conference and is written by M Coombs of Binnies UK, a Rezatec partner, and their customer D Windsor of Canals and Rivers Trust.