The Implementation of the National Dam Inspection Act of 1972

To date, the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has made no actual inspections of dams pursuant to the National Dam Inspection Act of 1972. After the rejection, in December 1972, by the Office of Management and Budget of a dam inspection budget proposal, no appropriation was made under the Act except for collecting inventory on dams. Inventory data were collected that concentrated on location, size, and type of dams. There were inaccuracies and inconsistencies: some dams were listed more than once; some had incorrect descriptive information; and some dams which should have been listed in the inventory were not. The Corps' recommendations for a national dam safety plan would require the States to voluntarily make important and expensive improvements to their programs. Some proposal for financial or other incentives would be necessary. The estimated cost of the Corps program would be about seven times the amount currently spent for dam safety across the country. Sizeable costs would also be involved in remedial actions and assistance after dam failures. Alternatives for carrying out a dam safety program include: establishing a national dam safety insurance program; formulating uniform minimum inspection guidelines; encouraging Federal and State cooperation; making a safety program prerequisite to Federal funding; selecting a private agency to perform inspections; adopting zoning laws to prevent building dowmstream from dams; and devising warning systems for existing communities.