There are at least 14,726 High-Hazard Potential (HHP) dams in the U.S. according to the February 2013 National Inventory of Dams compiled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) with data from state dam safety officials and other sources.
Of those 14,726 HHP dams, 3,172 dams do not have Emergency Action Plans to guide emergency response. Another 2,700 HHP dams are not required to have an EAP, primarily because they fall outside state laws and regulations that often are inadequate to properly safeguard public health and safety in the event of a dam breach.
Learn more about the dam safety and EAP regulations in these states. If you are a dam owner, you can find out how to complete an EAP. And if you are a citizen who may be at risk, learn how you can become involved in helping get more EAPs completed.
Georgia has 5,132 dams, of which 4,053 are state-regulated and 474 of those are HHP. Of the HHP dams more than 440 do not have an EAP, and current state law does not require them to have EAPs.
Source: National Inventory of Dams, February 2013 and the George Safe Dams Program.
Kentucky has 1,114 dams, of which 967 are state-regulated, and of those 164 are HHP. Of the HHP dams approximately 125 now have an EAP although current state law does not require them to have EAPs. The remaining HHP dams still need EAPs to protect lives.
Source: National Inventory of Dams, February 2013 and the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection, Division of Water.
Indiana has 1,085 state-regulated dams, and of those 245 are HHP. Of the HHP dams more than 230 do not have an EAP, and current state law does not require them to have EAPs.
Source: National Inventory of Dams, February 2013 and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water.
California has 1,594 dams, 1,248 of which are state-regulated and of those 684 are HHP. Of the HHP dams more than 340 do not have an EAP, and current state law does not require them to have EAPs.
Source: National Inventory of Dams, February 2013 and the California Departement of Water Resources, Division of Safety of Dams.
Texas has more than 7,170 dams, of which 1,083 are HHP dams and 690 are Significant-Hazard Potential (SHP) dams, all classified as putting human lives at risk. As of October 2013, more than 800 of the HHP dams and 396 SHP dams had EAPs. The state Legislature permanently exempted 210 SHP dams from EAP requirements.
Source: National Inventory of Dams, February 2013 and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
North Carolina has 5,647 dams, of which 3,684 are state-regulated and 1,337 are HHP. Of those HHP dams, 875 do not have an EAP and current state law does not require them to have EAPs.
Source: North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources Inventory of Dams September 2013.
Missouri has 5,099 dams, of which 1,588 are HHP, and of those 468 dams Missouri has now achieved EAPs on more than 330 through award-winning state initiative.
Source: Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
Federal Guidelines for Inundation Mapping of Flood Risks Associated with Dam Incidents and Failure
Geospatial Dam Break, Rapid EAP, Consequence and Hazards GIS Toolkit
