The Camará Dam, situated near Alagoa Grande, Paraíba state, in northeastern Brazil, suffered a catastrophic failure in 2004 during the initial filling phase. Built for water supply between 2000 and 2002, the Camará Dam is a rare example of the failure of a Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC) dam. In the months following its completion, the dam showed several signs of distress that were dismissed, but ultimately resulted in failure of the dam. The resulting flood along the Mamanguape River claimed five lives, displaced over 3,000 individuals, and caused damage to over 800 buildings.
A subsequent investigation brought to light deficiencies in the design, contracting process, construction methods, field supervision, and dam surveillance. In 2013, the Brazilian Federal Court attributed the failure to the State of Paraíba, emphasizing the importance of recognizing procedural and practical shortcomings among engineers and contractors.
Since the failure, Brazilian legislation regarding dams has seen a significant change, including a national policy on dam safety that was implemented in 2010. Camará Dam's reconstruction was initiated in 2012, two years after the legislation, and was completed in 2016. It included modifications to the design and mitigation actions for the remaining dam portion.
This paper summarizes the original design, construction, and failure for context and accentuates how key lessons learned impacted a rapidly evolving dam safety practice in Brazil. It explores how these lessons influenced the design and construction of the new Camará Dam, highlighting improvements in dam safety governance across the industry and by the owner/operator. The Camará Dam serves as a compelling case study, illustrating the ability to overcome adversity and achieve predefined objectives in the realm of dam safety.
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