UK - Whaley Bridge dam collapse: Evacuation over Toddbrook Reservoir fears, Derbyshire, 1 Aug 2019

[Keine Engel]

From pictures it does not look like the dam was well maintained. What gets me is that they cannot drain the dam "because it would require a full fish rescue." I would like to believe the average British citizen is of more value than many fish.

It might be overkill, but better safe than sorry.

I'm not sure it's an actual priority right now.

I doubt it's any real consideration for engineers or any of the emergency services involed in the immediate plans?
(unless they'd cause further problems i.e. blocking pipes, pike swimming around Salford Quays )

Flooding

Whaley Bridge residents refusing to evacuate put lives at risk, says police chief​

About 400 mainly local people packed a school hall to discuss the damaged dam...

Derbyshire chief fire officer, Terry McDermott, told the meeting that specialist engineers have monitored the dam wall with lasers 24 hours a day.

​

He said: “There has been no significant deflection in the dam wall according to the feedback we’ve had so far, which gives us some reassurance.”

​

McDermott said the sluice channel around the reservoir was “coping well” with both the water being pumped out by 22 pumps and the inflow to the lake, which has been blocked off by Chinook drops...

Emergency services are working to reduce the level down to eight metres, leaving the reservoir 25% full.
It is currently 56% full.
Swann said they would not empty the reservoir completely due to the fish, mainly pike, in the lake.
Whaley Bridge residents refusing to evacuate put lives at risk, says police chief | Flooding | The Guardian

 

[Keine Engel]

It is an absolute scandal this dam has been allowed to get in this state.

I'm more perplexed how anyone ever thought this whole set-up would be a good idea to begin with..

 

[FrostOwl]

I'm more perplexed how anyone ever thought this whole set-up would be a good idea to begin with..

The reservoir was opened in 1838, and at that time the town had a population of only 853 in 1841. So the people living there now have moved in after the reservoir was there.​

 

[Keine Engel]

The reservoir was opened in 1838, and at that time the town had a population of only 853 in 1841. So the people living there now have moved in after the reservoir was there. ​

Well Exactly!
An entire community continued to grow & build in the valley directly below the actual dam wall?
Yet in all that time nobody envisioned the possibility of ANY future problems with this

*Note: I don't particularly include this current crisis, it seems due to pretty extreme circumstances - but it does make me wonder...