A material defect or load capacity limit that, if left unaddressed, could lead to a dam failure (from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers).
Dam Safety Deficiency
A physical condition capable of causing the sudden uncontrollable release of reservoir water by a partial or complete failure of a dam, appurtenant structure, or facility (from the Bureau of Reclamation Library Glossary).
A dam safety deficiency is defined as a load capacity limit or another issue that can result in a failure of the dam or appurtenant structure. It is a characteristic or condition that does not meet the applicable minimum regulatory criteria (from the National Inventory of Dams Data Dictionary).