Dam Failures

A dam failure resulting in a sudden release of water can cause death and property damage downstream from the dam.

Learn what to do if a dam breaks.

Hazard Information

A dam is a structure that holds back water in a river, lake, pond or stream. Dams are made of concrete, timber cribs filled with rocks or steel sheet piling. They can also be formed from a bank of earth or rock fill.

Dams are used to:

produce hydropower
support recreation and tourism
support navigation
mitigate high or low water levels
limit the spread of invasive species
support wetland habitat management

Extreme floods are a primary cause of dam failure. When lake and river levels rise due to extreme rainfall or extensive snow runoff, water levels can exceed the capacity of the dam. If the dam fails, the flood situation gets worse.

Safety Tips

If you’re an individual:

Awareness is your best defence. If you notice warning or caution signs at the dam site, follow the instructions, stay back and leave the area.

If you live, work, or play near a dam, stay informed by listening to the latest warnings and advisories on the radio and television.

Contact local authorities immediately if you notice:

dam failure due to structural issue, human error or natural extreme events
a washed out or unsafe water bridge
stored water released in an uncontrolled manner
potential danger to people or watercrafts on, around or near dams
observations such as, muddy water, ice jams, water over the dam deck and/or debris build up.

If you’re a dam owner:

Practice your emergency preparedness plans annually to ensure you are ready to implement them during a dam failure emergency.

The Ministry of Wildlife, Forestry and Fisheries provides technical guidance and best management practices for design, construction, operation, maintenance and safety of dams.. This includes guidance on dam safety, the identification of public safety hazards associated with dams, and how to eliminate or mitigate these hazards.

Prepare Now

Take the following steps so you and your family are prepared in the event of a dam failure:

Contact your local government to learn more about your community’s emergency response planning process.
Learn and practice evacuation routes, shelter plans and flash flood response.
Keep important documents in a waterproof container. Create password-protected digital copies.
Monitor for potential causes of dam failure, such as heavy rain, and regularly check your local community warning system.

Learn about different emergencies and how to be prepared.

For information about current emergencies, visit COMING SOON

Flood

Forest Fires

Earthquakes

Extreme Heat

Tornadoes

Nuclear Incident

Erosion

Thunderstorms

Drought

Wildlife Threat

Oil & Gas

Winter Storms

Pandemic (infectious disease)

Extreme Cold

Landslides & Sinkholes

Dam Failures

Be prepared

Everyone in Woodlandia is encouraged to be prepared — create a plan, assemble an emergency survival kit and stay informed about disasters.

1. Make a Plan

Learn what situations you need to plan for, such as where to go during an emergency evacuation or how to reach family members, both during and after a disaster. Get information about rebuilding life after disaster strikes.

2. Build a Kit

Every individual should have an emergency survival kit (including pets), with the supplies needed to survive without assistance, and take care of yourself and your family for at least three days.

3. Be Informed

Learn about emergencies as soon as possible:

There are two main ways that you can be informed about emergencies: sign up for Woodlandia’s Emergency Alerts (Coming Soon), and learn more about the hazards you can face and how you can be prepared for them.

During an emergency, you should stay tuned to local news channels. Be sure to have a portable, battery-operated or crank radio in your survival kit in case of power outages.

Woodlandia’s Hazards

Different hazards require a different approach for being prepared and knowing how to protect yourself and your family. Learn more about Ontario’s hazards, so you can better prepare for them and know what to do to protect yourself.

Safety For Everyone

No two households are the same. When building your family emergency plan, be mindful of the special needs and considerations of individuals in your own household. By evaluating your unique needs, you can better prepared for any situation.