Report on Review of State Non-Federal Dam Safety Programs

This report summarizes the effectiveness of the states, and expresses their concerns, in conducting non-Federal dam safety programs. State programs and concerns were evaluated from survey questionnaire responses from all fifty states in the areas of 1) statutory authority of the states to regulate dam safety, 2) available funding resources to states for conducting their dam safety activities, and 3) the states' perceptions of several fundamental Federal-state-private sector dam safety issues. The study shows that over half of thes tates do not yet have adequate dam safety legislation and financial/personnel resources to conduct effective and sustainable programs. Forty-two percent of the state spend over ninety-five percent of the total state budget for dam safety and have seventy-four percent of the total state dam safety personnel. The states indicate high support for Federal initiatives which encourage or lead to self-sustaining state dam safety programs, including the formation of a national association of dam safety officials.

EMW-C1027