The Construction of Wivenhoe Dam

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Based on the events that lead to the devastating floods in Queensland and the eventual case that was brought against the engineers of the dam, there have been views from both sides of the divide as to whether or not the actions taken by the engineers were actually ethical or otherwise. We have explored this avenue and have found that both sides of the divide have good reasons to justify their actions. Firstly, we shall explore the avenue that the engineers decisions were appropriate and ethical. It can be said that the engineers did employ act utilitarianism in their decisions and actions, hence causing these decisions to be ethically correct. Act utilitarianism is essentially doing the right thing, which would benefit the majority of people, based on the situation that is currently taking place. One of the reasons that explains why the actions taken could be considered as ethically fine, was that if the dam was not opened, there would have been no other way to solve the increasing water levels in the dam. If no action was taken, there could have been seriously devastating effects, like the dam wall eroding due to water spilling over the dam wall, thus weakening the structure, or a loss of water flow control. Professor Hubert Chanson, a professor in hydraulic engineering in the University of Queensland, mentioned that the Wivenhoe Dam was actually designed as an embankment dam, hence it should not be overtopped, that is water should not be allowed to flow over the limits of the dam (Andersen 2011). Despite there being a secondary spillway, however it is recommended that spillway is not put to use, as the use of that spillway would mean that there would be a surge of water leaving the dam, and a loss of control of the water flow, w...

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... doctors quick decisions had saved the patient, but the patient was now unable to walk, for example. This is a very real situation, and has occurred many times in the healthcare field. When we look at it in this perspective, we would say that the doctor had done his or her job correctly based on the demanding situation that needed a quick decision or else the patient may not even survive. As we relate this healthcare concept back to the Queensland floods and the Wivenhoe dam engineers, the rising water in the dam would have been the illness, while the engineers would have been the medical professionals and the patient would have been the citizens of Queensland. It is in this perspective that we feel that the actions were actually correct. If it was not for the quick decisions made during the floods, there would have been possibly significantly worse damage.

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