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Abstract: In most countries, owner responsibility exists under Common Law to manage and maintain dams according to current standards. However, farm dam safety in Australia is being flouted and the sustainability of farming businesses compromised because of the potential and severe consequences of dam failure. This paper explores management and policy issues associated with safety of farm dam water storage through a comparison of developments in two Australian states against international benchmarks. Historical review and a longitudinal study over a 12-year period provides the basis for case analysis and demonstrates the application of the benchmarked model policy selection guidelines. Research results show South Australia is lagging international best practice in a number of ways whilst Tasmania provides leadership. The contribution of this paper is a regulatory mix analysis approach, incorporating a cost-effective spillway safety engineering/accounting tool, developed and demonstrated through Australian case studies, that can be applied by any jurisdiction wanting to check and/or improve its farm dam safety management and provide a clearer analysis of the social and environmental costs and threats associated with on-farm dam safety issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We examine safety data pertaining to ten dams in Vietnam and we conduct interviews with stakeholders to determine their perceptions of the adequacy of dam safety policy. All ten dams in our study were rated as ‘high’ hazard and face a high risk of failure due to both physical and management inadequacies. The responsibility and accountability for dam safety has been poorly implemented, leading to low levels of assurance for the communities affected. The evidence suggests that policies pertaining to dam safety accountability and assurance in Vietnam do not yet satisfy international benchmarks. The established policy benchmarks and their key elements provide guidance on both aspirational and essential policy reform in Vietnam; the minimum practice benchmark representing a baseline expectation for developing countries. The original contribution of the paper is two-fold: (i) we assess for the first time the adequacy of dam safety policy and practices in Vietnam and (ii) our process of assessment can be replicated in other similar developing countries for testing the adequacy of dam safety policy against international standards and for identifying any necessary policy reforms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]