Dam Safety Fee
In 2009 the Oregon Legislature enacted Senate Bill 788, which authorized the Oregon Water Resources Department to charge an annual fee for dams/reservoirs. This fee is used to support Oregon’s Dam Safety Program. Dam owners have the responsibility to maintain their structures so they are not hazardous to life and property and this program provides information and technical support to them. Fees are based on the hazard rating of each dam, and are assessed each year.
Dam Inventory
The Department maintains an inventory of dams regulated by the State. There are many dams that are owned or regulated by the Federal government and information on these dams can be found at the
National Inventory of Dams. Information in the
state inventory includes dam height, storage capacity, dam name, location, permit number and hazard classification.
Emergency Action Plans (EAP)
An
Emergency Action Plan is required for all high hazard dams. These must be completed by owners of high hazard dams and copies must be sent to the Dam Safety Program and to the Oregon Department of Emergency Management.
Dam Safety Rules
Construction of dams requires a reservoir storage permit from the Department. For dams that are 10 feet or more and store at least 9.2 acre feet of water, approved designs, drawings, and specifications are also required prior to construction and must be approved by the Department. These documents must be prepared by a qualified professional engineer registered in Oregon.