Tens of thousands of large dams across the globe are reaching the end of their expected lifespans. These deteriorating structures pose a serious threat to hundreds of millions of people living downstream.
Water Warning: The Looming Thread of the World’s Aging Dams
![Workers assess damage following the collapse of a spillway at the 50-year-old Oroville Dam in California in 2017. FLORENCE LOW / CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES](https://i0.wp.com/openrivers.lib.umn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/FL_Oroville-7745_03_03_2017_web2.jpg?fit=1050%2C701&ssl=1)