A Deviance Accountability Report (DAR) is a tool used to identify and review material changes from design and
performance expectations that occur throughout the lifecycle of the dam. The primary goal of the DAR is to assess
the cumulative impact that identified deviances may have on dam safety through transparency and accountability.
The requirement to complete a DAR was introduced in the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management for
tailings dams which typically undergo periodic raises (or other construction scopes) to achieve the ultimate design
configuration throughout its operational period. However, the DAR is also applicable to dams which are not
constructed in the same fashion (e.g., concrete dams, embankment dams), with consideration that a significant
number of existing dams are beginning to undergo engineering upgrades (e.g., seismic retrofit, spillway
improvements, upgrades to generating components).
In the mining industry, the DAR has aided operators in various risk-related scopes (e.g., credible failure mode
assessments, risk register development, dam breach assessments), and in establishing a proactive safety culture and
risk-informed decision making. This paper discusses a practical workflow for completing an effective DAR, with
recognition that specific processes/steps will vary depending on the type of dam, frequency of construction/
upgrades made to the dam, and the dam owner’s internal change management process.