Seepage and Leakage from Dams and Impoundments

All major dams and impoundments are usually analyzed to determine the magnitude and location of seepage that can occur under, around or through the structure. More often than not, seepage protection elements within the dam or impoundment, in the form of geotextiles, natural filters and drains, are included in the design in order to control, collect and safely discharge the collected fluids. Darcy's Law has been successfully used by civil engineers for many decades for problems involving saturated flow, especially for the design of water retention dams. More recently, however, a new class of problems that deal with partially saturated leakage from waste impoundments has evolved. This latter class of problem can pose a serious environmental hazard if the leachate is toxic and it is not effectively collected and treated.