Working Group #2
Advocate for Improved U.S. Dam Safety
Fewer than 10% of U.S. dams are federally regulated, either by agencies such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which oversees non-federal U.S. hydropower dams or by the federal agency owners of U.S. government dams. Instead, most U.S. dams are regulated by states under individual dam safety programs, which are often understaffed and underfunded. While many of these dams are properly staffed, funded, and maintained, some have safety issues that need to be addressed.
The objectives of Working Group 2 are to:
- Advocate for greater state dam safety authority over non-federally regulated high hazard and significant hazard dams by encouraging states to avoid broad exemptions of these dams from state safety regulation. States should ensure that their dam safety regulators have adequate authority to require key elements of dam safety such as emergency action plans, prescribed inspection schedules, and penalties for violations of dam safety requirements.
- Encourage the federal government to provide its substantial expertise and resources to states to support improved safety at state-regulated dams. Such dams should be expected to achieve a similar level of safety as expected of federally regulated dams. FEMA, given its national dam safety responsibilities under the 1996 NDSP Act, is important to this effort and should receive increased direction and funding from Congress.
Working Group 2 Deliverables
Dam Safety and Removal Concept Paper (December 2024)
This concept paper outlines a shared vision for transforming the U.S. dam safety framework to better protect communities, ecosystems, and infrastructure in a changing climate. Recognizing the aging state of over 90,000 U.S. dams, many of which are high hazard and privately owned, the paper calls for a proactive, risk-informed approach that prioritizes equitable and transparent governance, consistent national standards, and robust federal leadership. It emphasizes the importance of coordinating across federal, state, tribal, and local jurisdictions to strengthen dam safety oversight and facilitate targeted investment in rehabilitation, decommissioning, and removal where appropriate. The paper proposes actionable strategies, including creating a national inventory of dam risk and condition, modernizing regulatory tools, supporting capacity-building in under-resourced communities, and ensuring better public engagement. It advocates for integrating environmental restoration, public safety, and climate resilience into dam decision-making and underscores the need for sustained funding, improved data-sharing, and community-centered planning.
Working Group 2 Co-Chairs:
- Brian Graber, American Rivers
- Chris Hayes, National Hydropower Association
- Thomas Fitzgerald, Schnabel Engineering