National Dam Safety Awareness Day is an opportunity to take action and be prepared
WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency reminds communities to know their risks in commemoration of National Dam Safety Awareness Day. FEMA doesn't own or regulate dams or levees, but advises owners, state and local emergency managers, and the public about dam and levee safety issues. This is a day to raise awareness of the dams in communities, help those communities understand the responsibilities of local governments and dam owners, and learn how to reduce potential risks associated with high hazard dams. The construction of homes and other structures downstream from dams has led to a dramatic increase in downstream risks and consequently raised the number of high-hazard potential dams, which are dams whose failure would cause loss of human life.
“Lessons learned from catastrophic dam disasters continue to prove that there is no substitute for pre-disaster mitigation and pre-disaster planning," said FEMA Deputy Administrator Dr. Daniel Kaniewski. “Dams are a vital part of American infrastructure and provide many economic, environmental, and social benefits, however, they can also present risks,” said Kaniewski.
The majority of dams in the U.S. are privately owned, but 85 to 90 percent of those dams are regulated by state dam safety programs. States and local governments have primary responsibility by protecting their populations from dam failure. The focus of National Dam Safety Awareness Day is to empower residents as the primary stakeholders in safe dams, and to sustain the public’s interest in becoming active participants in local emergency action plans.
For more than 30 years, the federal government has worked to protect Americans from dam failure through the National Dam Safety Program (NDSP). The NDSP is a partnership of the states, federal agencies, and other stakeholders that encourages and promotes the establishment and maintenance of effective Federal and state dam safety programs to reduce the risks to human life, property, and the environment.
National Dam Safety Awareness Day was established in memoriam of the 2,220 people who lost their lives in the 1889 South Fork Dam failure near Johnston, Pennsylvania. The collapse of the South Fork Dam was a tragedy, but by no means was it an isolated incident. There are several other notable historical dam failures in the U.S. including:
· The Willow Creek Dam failure of 1903, which killed 250 people and almost destroyed the town of Heppner, Oregon.
· A coal slurry dam in Buffalo Creek Hollow, West Virginia, collapsed in 1972, killing 125 people residing in several coal towns.
· The Teton Dam failure in 1976 that sent 20 billion gallons of water rushing down Teton Canyon towards several small towns in Idaho, killing 11 people.
Readying the nation for catastrophic disasters is a cornerstone of the FEMA 2018-2022 Strategic Plan. FEMA is responsible for coordinating the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Water is one of the most powerful natural forces to shape the American landscape and one of our most precious resources. Over the years, dams, levees, reservoirs, and other water control structures, were built to manage water for societal benefit. In the event of a dam failure, the potential energy of the water stored behind even a small dam is capable of causing loss of life and significant property and environmental damage.
For additional information on dam safety, please visit FEMA’s Dam Safety Page for an overview on National Dam Safety Day and the National Dam Safety Program.
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