About EAPs

Steps in the Missouri EAP Process

When to Start Making Your Emergency Action Plan

As a dam owner or manager, you can start developing your Emergency Action Plan now. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has a preferred form available on the Web. You can use it to get started. The sections of the form are color-coded to show what information should be completed by the dam owner, what information can be added by the local city or county Emergency Management Director, and what information DNR can provide.

While you are working on your dam's EAP form, DNR will be completing breach inundation maps on a county-by-county basis. When those are completed for a county, DNR will have workshops with dam owners and emergency managers to provide the maps. At that time DNR will provide partially filled-in EAP forms for each dam in the county, and you can use the information to complete or update your EAP. Counties have been prioritized based upon population and the number of regulated dams within regions of the state, so your county may be months or even a year or more later. In the meantime, you can largely complete your EAP and even have it on file with the county and DNR. These plans should be updated regularly, so the addition of the inundation maps for your dam will be one way to provide that update.

Missouri EAP Development Process

As you download or obtain a mailed copy of the EAP form and begin working on it, there are several phases of the project to keep in mind. Unless you are in a high priority county, you may want to go to step 2 while DNR is working on Step 1 on your behalf.

1. The Dam and Reservoir Safety Program begins work on the Emergency Action Plan form specific for your dam. This includes developing an inundation map and filling in technical, physical and geographical data for your dam.
2. Your local emergency management director or staff may be able to supply part or all of the information needed to complete the notification sheets, emergency contact information and assistance in identifying structures located within the downstream inundation area.
   • If local Emergency Management Directors are able to provide that information: The department will send the form to the Emergency Management Director, then the form with that information will be sent to the owner for final review and completion.
   • If local Emergency Management Directors are not able to provide information: The department will send the form directly to the dam owner to complete that information.
3. For an Emergency Action Plan to be completed, the owner is required to fill out the incomplete portions of the Emergency Action Plan form. On completion, a copy of the final plan for your dam should be provided to the Water Resources Center Dam and Reservoir Safety Program and appropriate county and local emergency responders.

If you have any questions or are interested in getting your Emergency Action Plan form started contact DNR Dam and Reservoir Safety at 573-368-2175.