Dams in the USA: Is there an action plan for dams where an accident could have major consequences?
This Figure Friday highlights data on dams in the United States.
The dataset includes information such as ownership and hazard classifications, which are categorized as “High,” “Significant,” “Low,” or “Undetermined.” These classifications indicate the potential consequences if a dam were to fail.
- A “High” hazard rating means there is a risk of fatalities.
- A “Significant” rating might indicate that infrastructure, such as roads, could be affected.
It’s important to note that these classifications do not reflect the current condition or integrity of the dam itself.
For dams classified as “High” hazard, an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is mandatory. Whether such a plan is actually in place could depend on the type of owner.
ChatGPT
I consulted ChatGPT to gain a clearer understanding of the dam hazard classification system and the associated Emergency Action Plan (EAP) requirements.
Result
The app enables users to drill down into specific hazard classifications and examine attributes such as ownership, purpose, and the extent to which the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) requirement is being fulfilled. This provides insight into which owner types tend to show lower levels of compliance.
Example includes
- Subplots
- Clickdata interactivity
Figure Friday is an initiative from the Dash/Plotly community. Every friday a new dataset is made available with some basic code to show a visual and an explanation of the subject. People are invited to adjust the code and improve the visual or create a small app. The next friday a zoom session takes place where some explain why they made what they made and others can give feedback, all in a constructive and respectful atmosphere. In the thread on the community site people share their visual, code and a demo if possible.