Updates and Modernization Efforts for a New Low‐Head Dam Fatality Database and Website

ABSTRACT Fatalities occur each year at low‐head dams (LHDs) due to the powerful churning of submerged hydraulic jumps. LHDs are small structures that allow water to flow over the crest continuously from bank to bank and are ubiquitous in the United States. They are often used to increase the water depth in a river for irrigation and water supply or to produce hydropower. The purpose of this paper is to increase awareness, promote river safety, and inform remediation efforts at LHDs through an updated database and website documenting fatalities at these structures. The website and database are found at www.lowheaddamfatalities.org . The approach used is based on the work of Kern et al. utilizes modern software. A new method is presented for storing and displaying the LHD fatality data that allows for greater access and increases data reliability. The data are searchable and can be filtered by state, river, and other identifying properties. An additional table is featured on the website to highlight overall statistics by state as a tool for government officials and local groups. Google Sheets now hosts the data for easy updating and sharing to permit periodic updates. User input of fatalities not found in the database is facilitated by an incident report form linked to the database spreadsheet. Mitigation efforts include low‐head dam removal or modification using variations of a stepped spillway or vanes attached to the streambed downstream from the low‐head dam.