DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS, ENERGY & INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY

DAMSAT: DAm Monitoring from SATellites

Project disclaimer

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Description

Water storage dams serve multiple functions for a society such as drinking water supply, flood protection, and hydroelectricity generation, among others. Tailings dams are embankments of compacted earth used to store toxic mining waste. The likelihood of failure of tailings dams is higher than that of water storage dams although, in both, the consequences of failures are catastrophic for communities and ecosystems downstream, which can cause loss of numerous lives, destruction of infrastructure, pollution of the environment, drinking water sources and the food chain. There is a need for a cost effective service to monitor dams and other tailings deposits, especially those in remote locations, to help reduce the risks of potentially catastrophic failures. Through developing a monitoring system the projects aims: • to provide an operational system to support early decision making that reduces the economic, social and environmental impacts downstream of potential failures of water storage dams, tailings dams and other tailings deposit areas in specific sites in the regions of Cajamarca and Pasco; • promote greater awareness of risks in remote areas, helping prioritise the use of resources and promoting coordination between the different organisations involved; • support the establishment of advanced monitoring techniques based on geospatial information. The project supports the reduction of damage to population and ecosystem services downstream of dam infrastructure upon which many vulnerable communities rely for both their source of water and their livelihoods.

Objectives

Tailing dams are earth embankments used to store toxic mine waste and effluent which can be more than 100m high. Their rate of failure is high, due to poor design regulations and less rigorous construction methods than for normal water-retaining dams, especially in low-income countries. This project will use Earth Observation and Global Navigation Satellite System technologies to allow for more effective monitoring of the dams and therefore quicker action can be taken to avoid the tailings dams failures. The project will help to reduce damage to ecosystem services downstream of mines upon which many vulnerable communities rely for both their source of water and their livelihoods.

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Location

The country, countries or regions that benefit from this Programme.

Peru

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