Dam Safety and Inspections

Recent Highlights:

May 14, 2025

• Upcoming Webinars - See the Meetings, Workshops and Conferences page for webinar information and how to register.
  • PFMA and L2RA Observations and Lessons Learned - Date TBD - 12:00-3:00PM EDT

Hydropower is one of the project types in which FERC regulates both the construction and operational phase of a project. Dam safety is a critical part of the Commission's hydropower program and receives top priority. Before projects are constructed, the Commission staff reviews and approves the designs, plans, and specifications of dams, powerhouses, and other structures. During construction, Commission staff engineers frequently inspect a project, and once construction is complete, Commission engineers continue to inspect it on a regular basis.

• 2023 Annual Letter to Licensees and Exemptees - Reminder of Responsibilities 
  • Annual Letter
  • Reminder of Responsibilities
• Sanford, Secord and Smallwood Dams
• Anderson Dam
• Oroville Dam Service Spillway (P-2100)

Regulations, Guidelines, and Manuals

• 18 CFR Part 12 - Safety of Water Power Projects and Project Works (Effective April 11, 2022)
• 18 CFR Part 12 - Safety of Water Power Projects and Project Works (Pre April 11, 2022)
• Engineering Guidelines for the Evaluation of Hydropower Projects
• Emergency Action Plan (EAP) Program
• Security Program for Hydropower Projects
• Safety Signage at Hydropower Projects Report
• Dam Safety Performance Monitoring Program (DSPMP)/Potential Failure Modes Analysis (PFMA)
  • Previously Approved Independent Consultants
  • Potential Failure Mode Analysis (PFMA) Facilitator
• Guidelines for Public Safety at Hydropower Projects
• Tips Developing and Submitting GIS Inundation Map Files
• About Drilling at Embankment Dams
• Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety
  • Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety Risk Management, FEMA P-1025 
  • Glossary of Terms for Dam Safety, FEMA 148 
  • Hazard Potential Classification Systems for Dams, FEMA 333 
  • Selecting and Accommodating Inflow Design Floods for Dams, FEMA 94 
  • Inundation Mapping of Flood Risks Associated with Dam Incidents and Failures, FEMA P-946
  • Emergency Action Planning for Dam Owners, FEMA 64 
  • Earthquake Analyses and Design of Dams, FEMA 65 
  • Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety, FEMA 93

Meetings, Workshops, and Conferences

Initiatives

• Spillway Assessments and Inspections
• Owners Dam Safety Program (ODSP)
• Time Sensitive EAP Initiative
• Extension of Potential Failure Mode Analyses at Significant and Low Hazard Potential Dams
• Tips for Developing and Submitting GIS Inundation Map Files
• Pumped Storage Technical Guidance Initiative
• Reviewing and Revising Potential Failure Modes

Risk-Informed Decision Making (RIDM)

Security - Cyber & Physical

Case Histories

• Taum Sauk Pumped Storage Project (P-2277), Dam Breach Incident
• Swinging Bridge Dam (P-10482) Dam Safety Remediation Project
• Saluda Dam (P-516) Remediation Project
• Dead River Project (P-10855), Silver Lake Incident

Tainter Gates

• Testing and Reporting on Spillway Gate Operations
• Annual Spillway Gate Operation Certificate [DOC] [PDF]

Last updated April 26, 2021