Engineering Division, Dam Safety

Hazard potential refers to the possible adverse incremental consequences that result from the release of water due to dam failure or misoperation.  It does NOT give any indication of how likely the dam is to fail or the current condition of the dam (including safety, structural integrity, or flood routing capacity).

Hazard Potential Classification Definitions

• High Hazard – means the dam failure will result in probable loss of humane life.
• Significant Hazard – means the dam failure will probably not result in loss of human life, but can cause major economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns.
• Low Hazard – means the dam failure will probably not result in loss of human life and have low economic loss or environmental loss, or both.  Economic losses would be principally limited to the owner’s property.

Hazard Potential Classification for Regulated Dams in Hawaii

Most of the regulated dams in Hawaii are classified as High Hazard because their inundation areas cover areas where people work, live, or recreate. The interactive map below shows the location of the regulated dams in Hawaii and their Hazard classification.