Dam break scenario in steep terrain watershed-the case of Ambuklao Dam in Benguet Province, Luzon Island, Philippines

Dam is located at Benguet province, an earthen core embankment dam, encloses a reservoir of normal depth 740 meter above sea level. Ambuklao Dam is in a steep slope area considered as major potential threat to the safety of those living in the lower areas of Agno River. The study deemed to provide a dam break analysis to generate the simulations in the condition of breach considered normal flow conditions and probability of maximum flood scenario. This study aims to focus on dam break as future occurrence and sought to provide acceptable predictions based on specific conditions that the dam would be experienced. These conditions are limited by the restrictions of programs used, availability of site data and capability of the researchers to declare the conditions used as accurate data. The result of the study is an inundation map which located critical downstream areas and illustrated the way flood would develop from the initial stages of the dam breach up to its final development. The results were used to make inferences on plausible actions during the event of dam break and compared the flood behaved on the steep watershed to a normal gentle-sloped watershed.