Art. 5

(Art. 5 para. 1 WRFA)

1. Any person who wishes to build, modify or operate a water retaining facility must ensure the safety of the dam, the safety-relevant auxiliary installations and the reservoir under normal, extraordinary and extreme loading cases.
2. Normal loading cases are combinations of actions that stress the water retaining facility continuously or regularly, especially when the reservoir is full and empty. No damage to the water retaining facility is permitted under these loading cases.
3. Extraordinary loading cases are temporary combinations of actions, such as may arise in particular in an extraordinary flood situation, due to avalanches or debris flows, due to ice pressure or due to pore water pressure conditions as a result of the construction process or rapid drawdown. Under these loading cases, minor damage to the water retaining facility is permitted.
4. Extreme loading cases are in particular an extreme flood situation and earthquakes. Damage to the water retaining facility is permitted under these loading cases; however, these must not cause any uncontrolled, damage-causing water release from the reservoir.
5. The SFOE shall develop guidelines and other technical resources for normal, extraordinary and extreme loading cases. It shall take particular account of the special features of water retaining facilities for protection against natural hazards.