Water Resources Department Oregon Dam Safety Program

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Water Resources Department

Oregon Dam Safety Program


2013 Oregon Dam Safety Conference
Evaluation Form (to earn PDH, form is 3 pages) - please submit to arla.l.heard@wrd.state.or.us
Conference Presentations - Morning Session

Introduction	Norris	PDF 2.5 MB
Major Historical Dam Failures with Modes of Failure	Mills	PDF 4.2 MB
Seismic Hazards for Oregon Dams	Wang	PDF 7 MB
Probable Maximum Precipitation - Oregon Storms	Kappel	PDF 8.4 MB
Peak Flows, from the 100 Year to the Probable Maximum	Robison	PDF 763 KB
Potential Failure Modes for Piping and Internal Erosion	Blackett	PDF 9.7 MB
Dam Break Floods - Understanding Innundation Analysis	Goodell	PDF 5.2 MB

Conference Presentations - Afternoon Session A
Tools for Dam Owners

FEMA's Role in Dam Safety	Perkins	PDF 2.9 MB
Control of Vegetation on Dams	Keys	PDF 8.9 MB
Monitoring Program for Dams	Craig	PDF 2.2 MB
Replacing Conduits by Slip Lining Case Studies	Martig	PDF 17MB
Remote Underwater Inspection of Conduits & Inaccessible Features	Hedrick	PDF 7 MB
Replacing Conduit by Boring & Grouting at Freshwater Creek Dam	Shaver	PDF 17.6 MB

Conference Presentations - Afternoon Session B
Seismic-Newport Big Creek Dams

Unexpected Results from an Ordinary Boring - Big Creek Dams / Developing Seismic Parameters - the Big Creek Dams /Big Creek Seismic Assessment - A Phased Approach	Winters / Carpenter / Hannan	PDF 15.3 MB
Repair of Embankment Dams with Seepage Problems	Robison	PDF 14.8 MB
Maintenance of Repair at Silver Creek Dams	Fisher	PDF 4.1 MB
Repair of a Dam with an Un-compacted Embankment	Urstadt	PDF 7.2 MB

New Dam Safety Program Fees

The 2009 Legislature passed Senate Bill SB 788 which contains the authority to charge an annual recurring Dam Safety fee based on a dams “hazard” rating. The Department inspects dams subject to the fee on and inspection frequency based on this hazard rating. Results of the inspection are sent directly to the dam owners.

Dam Safety in Oregon Guide

Dam Safety in Oregon

Booklet [PDF 1.46 MB]

Dam Information

Dam Information - The Dam Safety Program maintains an inventory of large Oregon dams. Information available includes dam height, storage, dam name, location, permit number and hazard classification.

Dam Design Plans and Specifications - Statutory size dams require design approval prior to construction. See link for more information.

Dam Safety Inspection Form

Dam Safety Inspection Form
May 2012 (PDF 56 KB)

Emergency Action Plans

Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) are very important where the failure of a dam would likely cause loss of life. For any dam that has homes or human infrastructure downstream, an inundation analysis should be done to determine the degree of flooding that would occur if the dam fails. If this analysis indicates significant flooding in homes, schools or any other human habitation, an EAP should be developed to properly plan actions in case a dam failure occurs.

EAP's are needed in the unlikely event of an incident that might lead to severe flooding. The need is not based on the condition of the dam but rather the population at risk downstream.

Dam safety staff at the Department review and approve EAPs as part of the application process and also review/approve EAPs for existing dams as a peer review to help ensure they work properly.

We are currently offering $5000 assistance grants for owners of high hazard dams to assist in completion of inundation analyses and EAP's.

Invitation to Apply for EAP Assistance Grant [PDF 48KB]
Application for Emergency Action Plan Assistance Grant [PDF 21KB]
EAP Application Grant Process [PDF 54KB]

Several aids in creating and maintaining EAPs are available here:

Basic Steps in Creating an Emergency Action Plan [PDF 12KB]
OWRD Reviewers Checklist for EAPs [PDF 26KB]

Some links are also available to publications that may be useful in preparing an EAP:

Hydrologic Engineering Center

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