Technical Manuals and Guides

The following manuals, guides, and reports provide procedures and guidance for dam specialists and dam owners responsible for the design, construction, inspection, maintenance, and repair of dams.

• Pocket Safety Guide for Dams and Impoundments (FEMA P-911)
  This guide was developed as a quick reference to help dam owners and others assess low hazard dams and impoundments (2016).
• Evaluation and Monitoring of Seepage and Internal Erosion (FEMA P-1032)
  This document addresses evaluation and monitoring of seepage and internal erosion in an effort to collect and disseminate information and experience that is current and has a technical consensus (2015).
• Selecting Analytic Tools for Concrete Dams Address Key Events Along Potential Failure Mode Paths (FEMA P-1016)
  The purpose of this document is to stress the importance of understanding the sequences of events leading to failure of concrete dams and selecting analysis methods that address these specific events (2014).
• Technical Manual: Overtopping Protection for Dams DVD (FEMA P-1015) 
  The National Dam Safety Program sponsored the development of a technical manual, in conjunction with the Bureau of Reclamation, to collect and disseminate useful and relevant information regarding the design, construction, and performance of overtopping protection alternatives for embankment and concrete dams (2014).
• Overtopping Protection for Dams Brochure (FEMA P-1014)
  A brochure that describes best practices for design, construction, problem identification, maintenance, renovation, and repair (2014).
• Federal Guidelines for Inundation Mapping of Flood Risks Associated with Dam Incidents and Failures (FEMA P-946)
  The purpose of this document is to provide dam safety professionals with guidance on how to prepare dam breach inundation modeling studies and conduct mapping that can be used for multiple purposes including dam safety, hazard mitigation, consequence evaluation, and emergency management including developing Emergency Action Plans (EAPs). This guidance is intended to provide a consistent approach that can be applied across the country (2013).
• Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety: Emergency Action Planning for Dams (FEMA P-64)
  This document is an update of the 2004 version and provides guidance to help dam owners, in coordination with emergency management authorities, effectively develop and exercise EAPs for dams (2013).
• Technical Manual: Plastic Pipe Used in Embankment Dams (FEMA P-675)
  Procedures and guidance for best practices associated with embankment dams (2007).
• Emergency Action Planning for State Regulated High-Hazard Potential Dams: Findings, Recommendations and Strategies (FEMA 608)
  An EAP developed to help prevent loss of life from dam failure (2007).
• Final Report on Coordination and Cooperation with the European Union on Embankment Failure Analysis (FEMA 602CD)
  An integration of the European Community and U.S. Research findings over a 3-year period (2007).
• Technical Manual for Dam Owners: Impacts of Plants on Earthen Dams (FEMA 534)
  A manual that advances awareness of dam safety problems associated with impacts on earthen dams (2005).
• Technical Manual: Conduits through Embankment Dams (FEMA 484)
  Procedures and guidance for best practices associated with conduits through embankment dams (2005).
• Technical Manual for Dam Owners: Impacts of Animals on Earthen Dams (FEMA 473)
  A manual that provides guidance to dam specialists (2005).
• Conduits through Embankment Dams Brochure (FEMA L-266) 
  A brochure that summarizes the procedures and guidance for best practices associated with conduits through embankment dams (2005).
• Dam Owner’s Guide to Animal Impacts on Earthen Dams Brochure (FEMA L-264)
  A brochure to help dam owners manage and reduce wildlife and wildlife damages at earthen dams (2005).
• Dam Owner’s Guide to Plant Impact on Earthen Dams Brochure (FEMA L-263)
  A brochure that describes the dangers of problem vegetation on earthen embankment dams (2005).

Many publications can be ordered from the FEMA Publications Warehouse by calling 1-800-480-2520 (Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST) or sending a fax to 1-240-699-0252. You can also email a request to FEMA-Publications-Warehouse@dhs.gov. Please provide the title, FEMA publication number, and the quantity of each publication along with your name, address, zip code, and daytime telephone number.