Description
The National Dam Safety Program (NDSP) supports state dam safety programs in the development and maintenance of dam safety programs. The program enables statutory state dam safety programs to take precautions that ensure the safety of the dams. Key aspects of the program include ensuring new and existing dams are safe, encouraging acceptable engineering policies and procedures, and developing mechanisms to provide federal technical assistance for dam safety. Some of the key tasks involved in this program include:
• Developing and maintaining regulatory authority for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of dams
• Conducting periodic inspections and evaluations of dams
• Developing emergency action plans for dams
• Educating dam owners and the public about the necessity of dam safety
• Providing federal technical assistance for dam safety
The program also involves reporting on performance metrics, such as the number of high hazard potential dams inspected, the percentage of high hazard potential dams with emergency action plans, and the percentage of high hazard potential dams with condition assessments entered into the National Inventory of Dams.