Dam Owner Responsibilities

Getting Help with an EAP

There are many resources available to dam owners to help pull together the extensive information required for a thorough EAP.

The best way for a dam owner to begin work on an EAP is by drawing on the expertise of state and county officials who will be part of the EAP team. To learn more about EAPs, the dam owner should download the EAP template used by CalOES and review other information on the CalOES Dam Safety Program website. The website includes staff to contact and inform that the EAP will be created. To avoid confusion, remember that as part of a realignment plan, the California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA) changed its name to the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) effective July 1, 2013. Some state dam safety websites and information may still show the CalEMA name or logo during the transition.

The CalOES Dam Safety Program's Emergency Services Coordinators (EMCs) help dam owners connect with county and local Emergency Management Directors (EMDs) or Coordinators. The CalOES EMCs and local EMDs will know how and where to gather much of the emergency contact information needed, and where to gather technical information on the dam. They also will know other professionals who can be called upon for help, and precisely which details are most important to gather first. Priorities can be established, and a reasonable timetable for completion of the EAP can be developed. CalOES provides an online directory of county websites and social media that can be used to reach an EMD.

At the national level, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) provide educational materials for dam owners. The ASDSO provides several documents helpful to dam owners in understanding and working on EAPs. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service also provides help with EAPs for dams that included NRCS (or its predecessor Soil Conservation Service) funds or involvement.