Resources for Dam Owners and Operators
On this page:
- Being a Responsible Dam Owner
- Dam Owner Academy — ASDSO's Dam Owner Education Program
- Find Workshops, Fact Sheets, and Guidance
- Next Steps - Meeting Knowledgeable Dam Owners and Regulators
- External Resources
Being a Responsible Dam Owner
One of the most important components of dam safety is owner education. As a dam owner, you are legally responsible for maintaining your dam in a safe manner, and you could be found liable should your structure fail and cause loss of life or damage to the property of others.
A responsible owner must be aware of:
- State and/or federal dam laws and regulations;
- Proper operation and maintenance practices;
- Rehabilitation needs;
- Emergency action planning, and;
- How to hire qualified dam engineers.
Through education, owners can take steps to:
- Reduce the likelihood of incidents and failures;
- Reduce their own liability;
- Improve the safety of dams;
- Help to reduce the risk to communities
This site serves as a tool to make it easy to access guidance information and understand what each step entails.
Dam Owner Academy — ASDSO's Dam Owner Education Series
ASDSO’s Dam Owner Academy offers dam owners, operators, and others interested in the basics of dam ownership and operation a self-paced training program. These courses are designed for non-engineers and focus on a basic understanding of dams.
There are two courses available, but more courses will be offered in the future. Since they are self-paced, a user can complete them over time and at their convenience. Both courses are free-of-charge although users will have to register. The user will have one year to complete each course once the registration is received. After registering, be sure to check your email for detailed instructions on how to access.
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Course 1: Dam Owner Academy Self-Paced Training: Basic Awareness The training is focused on the ASDSO Dam Owner Academy video series and related fact sheets to provide guidance on specific issues that many dam owners face. The videos and fact sheets concisely present the critical basics of owner responsibilities. When the course is completed, a certificate of completion is available. Topics include: -Dams 101 There are no Professional Development Hours for this product. |
Course 2: Dam Owner Academy Self-Paced Training: Intermediate Awareness This product is recommended for those responsible for day-to-day oversight of dam operations and maintenance; for instance, Home Owners Association (HOA) maintenance person or company, or county/city staff responsible for dam maintenance. This training includes introductory topics from ASDSO’s previously recorded technical webinars. Participants will view videos and take a short quiz on each topic. If the user completes each section and passes the quiz for each topic, a certificate of completion is available. Topics Include: -History of Dam Safety Governance in the US There are no Professional Development Hours for this product |
Basic videos are also available on ASDSO’s YouTube Channel for the general public to view individually.
Find Workshops, Fact Sheets, and Guidance
Attend a Dam Owner Educational Workshop
From time-to-time, ASDSO partners with State Dam Safety Programs to conduct one-day workshops for dam owners. Click here to learn more.
Watch ASDSO's Educational Webinars
ASDSO's webinar Introduction to Inspecting Dams for Owners and Operators (2013) is available for free as part of its dam owner education program.
Go to https://portal.damsafety.org/asdso-webinars to find a list of all ASDSO On-Demand Webinars. Many of the webinars address dam owner needs.
View Dam Ownership Fact Sheets
ASDSO maintains a booklet of fact sheets that provides guidance on specific issues many dam owners face. Click the topics listed below to download individual fact sheets or view the information on a webpage. You can download the full Dam Ownership Fact Sheet Booklet here.
- Ownership Responsibility and Liability
- Funding for Dam Rehabilitation
- How to Procure the Services of an Engineer
- Emergency Action Planning
- Dam Security
- Earth Dam Failures
- Embankment Instabilities
- Seepage through Earthen Dams
- Internal Erosion of Earth Dams
- Ground Cover
- Trees and Brush
- Rodent Control
- Spillway Conduit System Problems
- Open Channel Spillways
- Outlet Erosion Control Structures (Stilling Basins)
- Lake Drains
- Design and Maintenance of Trashracks
- Upstream Slope Protection
- Common Problems with Concrete Channel Spillways
- Inspection of Concrete Structures
- Problems with Concrete Materials
- Concrete Repair Techniques
- Problems with Metal Materials
- Problems with Plastic (Polymer) Materials
- Concrete Gravity Dam Failures
- Dam Removal
- Public Safety at Dams
Next Steps - Meeting Knowledgeable Dam Owners and Regulators
- Your state dam safety program will be aware of the specific requirements and regulations for your dam and can put you in contact with qualified personnel to help you manage the needs of your dam. Locate Your State Dam Safety Program Office
- Consider joining the Association of State Dam Safety Officials to take full advantage of training, resources, a collaborative community, and industry access for managing your dam.
External Resources
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides extensive information on dam ownership in the United States, federal guidelines for dam safety, and many other resources.
These resources are accessible at the FEMA website by navigating to their dam safety web portal at https://www.fema.gov/dam-safety.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) considers dams to be one of the 16 critical infrastructure sectors that form the core of the DHS security mission.
The DHS website provides resources regarding maintaining site security at dams and offers many online training courses for dam owners and professionals. The resources can be accessed at https://www.dhs.gov/cisa/dams-sector.
In support of conservation efforts across the nation, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) works with landowners in the disciplines of hydrology and hydraulics. Tools and models here, as well as significant technical information, can be accessed at the NRCS website. Training material is also available. In each of the 50 states, NRCS has a hydraulic engineering contact person.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has an extensive dam portfolio it maintains across the nation. The USACE website has a large archive of engineering-focused publications and technical manuals, among many other resources.
The USACE dam safety program website is accessible by navigating to their dam safety portal at https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Dam-Safety-Program/.
