Colorado rethinks dam safety as climate change heightens risk for state´s 27 `unsatisfactory` structures
(WorldNews Environment)

A climate-driven shift toward extreme storms has compelled Colorado officials to rethink the safety of hundreds of dams across the state that hold water and mine waste, including 27 high-hazard structures near people that already are listed as deficient. They’re trying to calculate the potential for sudden hard rain resulting in flooding and accelerated erosion that could trigger fatal collapses. It comes down to physics: Climate scientists project temperature spikes by at least 2 degrees Fahrenheit in Colorado before 2070, and warmer air holds more moisture. New rules taking effect Jan. 1 require tougher dam designs “to account for expected increases in temperature and...