Seite - 1344 - in Book of Full Papers - Symposium Hydro Engineering

27 years of dedicated registrations by the DSO to double the amount of registrations to the current 5 462 dams. However, when considering classification, it is clearly evident from Fig. 1 that all the effort in the beginning was spent on the registration of dams and the classification of dams lagged significantly behind especially the first 2 years after implementation. So, in comparison only 1 692 dams were classified within the first 5 years. This lag was basically eliminated in 2012 with the implementation of the revised dam safety regulations in 2012 with an increased focus on the so-called dirty water dams as the lag was mostly made up of the so-called dirty water dams. Fig. 1 Number of dams registered and classified since inception of dam safety regulations Fig. 2 provides more detail on the distribution of completion dates of the dams registered during each year since the first implementation of dam safety legislation. It can therefore be concluded that to effectively implement a Dam Safety regulatory system takes time and effort even for the most basic things like registration and classification of a dam with a safety risk. The building of dams in South Africa went through a boom period from the 1950’s to the 1990’s, peaking during the 1980’s for both small as well as large dams. Since the 1990’s the number of dams constructed has drastically reduced. One of the main reasons can be attributed to a change in the water related legislation in South Africa in 1998 [8]. The old system based on riparian rights changed to a system that recognizes water for the environment and for human consumption as a basic right. Authorization for all other water uses has to be 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 - 1 000 2 000 3 000 4 000 5 000 6 000 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 Time (years) Total registered Total classified Annual registered Annual classified 1344