National Dam Safety Program Publications
The National Dam Safety Program provides a variety of publications, including:
- Research Needs Workshop Reports
- Technical Manuals, Guides and Reports
- Technical Advisories
- Safety Series Fact Sheets
- Response and Recovery (R&R) Dam Response Operations Matrices
- Dam Safety & Risk MAP/Flood Mapping Studies Fact Sheet Series
- DSS-WISE Fact Sheets
- FEMA P-1015, Technical Manual: Overtopping Protection for Dams (ZIP, 410MB)
Search for Dam Safety Publications
Search for documents below, or view our pages on Federal Guidelines, National Dam Safety Program Information, Resources for the General Public, or Resources for States.
You can order publications from the FEMA Distribution Center.
This is a catalog of all the print publications that have been developed by FEMA for the National Dam Safety Program.
This is a summary of how states are using Decision Support System for Water Infrastructure Security™ Lite (DSS-WISE™ Lite), a web-based, automated two-dimensional dam-break flood modeling and mapping capability, as a dam risk management tool. DSS-WISE™ Lite was developed by the National Center for Computational Hydroscience and Engineering (NCCHE), the University of Mississippi. Its development, operation, and maintenance are supported by FEMA. DSS-WISE™ Lite has been used extensively during numerous dam incidents and emergencies. FEMA reached out to several states asking for case studies of their experience with DSS-WISE and received over 100 examples. </p>
The purpose of this policy, inclusive of FEMA’s Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams Grant Program Guidance (June 2020), is to establish the framework and requirements to implement the HHPD grant program.
The purpose of FEMA’s Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams Grant Program Guidance is to establish the framework and requirements to implement the HHPD grant program. This Guidance document is incorporated by reference as part of FEMA Policy 104- 008-7 as FEMA’s official policy on, and interpretation of, the requirements for implementation of FEMA’s HHPD grant program.
Decision Support System for Water Infrastructure Security Human Consequence Module (DSS-WISETM HCOM) is an analytical module for automated assessment of the human consequences of dam-break floods. The National Center for Computational Hydroscience and Engineering (NCCHE) and the University of Mississippi developed the module with funding provided by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through a contract with Argonne National Laboratory.
DSS-WISE™ Lite is a web-based, automated two-dimensional dam-break flood modeling and mapping capability developed by the National Center for Computational Hydroscience and Engineering (NCCHE), the University of Mississippi. The development of the web-based tool and its operation and maintenance is supported by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
DSS-WISE™ Lite is a web-based, automated two-dimensional dam-break flood modeling and mapping capability developed by the National Center for Computational Hydroscience and Engineering (NCCHE), the University of Mississippi. The development of the web-based tool and its operation and maintenance is supported by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
From October 1 through 5, 2015, heavy rainfall over parts of South Carolina resulted in the failure of 49 state-regulated dams, one federally regulated dam, two sections of the levee adjacent to the Columbia Canal, and many unregulated dams. In support of recovery efforts, FEMA Mitigation deployed a team to assist in the assessments of dams and provide expertise and insights to the State of South Carolina, FEMA Headquarters, FEMA Region IV, and Joint Field Office leadership.
In coordination with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) to ensure accuracy and consistency with their regulations and procedures, Recovery Advisories were developed to help dam owners in the post disaster recovery. The advisories were provided to SC DHEC for distribution to dam owners.