Dam Safety Scheme - Guidance for regional authorities and owners of large dams: Glossary of terms
The Act refers to the Building Act 2004.
Artificial barrier is a human-made or modified structure causing the retention of liquid.
Appurtenant structure(s) means a structure that is integral to the proper functioning of the dam. This might include, but is not limited to, such facilities as intake towers, powerhouse structures, tunnels, canals, penstocks, low-level outlets, surge tanks and towers, gate hoist mechanisms and their supporting structures, and all critical water control and release facilities. Appurtenant structure(s) also include mechanical and electrical control and standby power supplying equipment located in powerhouses or in remote control centres.
Competency Assessment Board means the Competency Assessment Board appointed under Part 5 of the Chartered Professional Engineers of New Zealand Rules (No 2) 2002.
Confirmed dam safety deficiency exists when situations or conditions are identified which indicate that dam failure scenarios are possible such that dam safety acceptance criteria are not met.
Critical and major infrastructure includes power supply, water supply, gas supply, transportation systems, wastewater treatment, network telecommunications systems, emergency facilities, and large industrial, commercial, or community facilities, the loss of which would have a significant impact on a community. It also includes the dam, if the service the dam provides is critical to the community and that service cannot be provided by alternative means.
Dam Compliance Certificate is a dam compliance certificate as referred to in section 150 of the Act, and discussed in section 4.9 above.
A Dam Safety Assurance Programme is the requirement for medium or high potential impact dams to have a programme in place to maintain their integrity, ongoing monitoring, maintenance and repair. The Dam Safety Assurance Programme must be submitted to the local regional authority.
Department refers to the Department of Building and Housing.
Depth refers to the height of the reservoir at the base of the upstream dam wall or artificial barrier.
Emergency (in terms of dam operation) is any condition that develops naturally or unexpectedly, endangers the integrity of the dam and downstream property or life, and requires immediate action.
Emergency action plan is a document which contains procedures for dealing with various emergencies, as well as communication directories and inundation (flood) maps showing upstream and downstream water levels and times of arrival of floods that would result from the failure of the dam or its appurtenances.
Holding capacity refers to volume or peak flow of the flood that would cause the reservoir level to reach the crest of the dam with full use of the spillway(s) of the dam.
Liquid includes sediment and tailings that would be mobilised in the event of a dam failure.
PAR (population at risk) population at risk means the number of people likely to be affected by inundation greater than 0.5 metres.
PIC (potential impact category) as defined in Building (Dam Safety) Regulations 2008. Further information can be found in section 4.4 of this guide.
PIM (Project Information Memorandum), when referring to dams, is a document issued by both the regional and territorial authorities that includes information relevant to proposed building work.
Potential dam safety deficiency exists when situations or conditions are identified which indicate that dam failure scenarios are possible such that dam safety acceptance criteria may not be met.
Retain means to keep or hold in a particular place, condition or position.
Recognised Engineer means an engineer described in section 149 of the Act and section 4.10 above.
Regional authority means -
- (a) regional council; or
- (b) a unitary authority
Regional council has the meaning given to it by section 5 (1) of the Local Government Act 2002.
Sediment is any particulate matter that can be transported by fluid flow.
Specified categories are residential infrastructure, critical and major infrastructure (both damage caused and time to restore to normal operation), natural environment, and community recovery time.