DENVER – FEMA Region 8 has awarded Wyoming $444,804 in National Dam Safety State Assistance Grant Program funds to enhance dam safety efforts. This announcement comes in advance of National Dam Safety Awareness Day on May 31.
Dams come in all shapes and sizes from the largest like Hoover Dam to the earthen embankment at your local pond. They play a vital role in the nation’s overall infrastructure, providing water, power, flood control, recreation, and economic opportunities.
National Dam Safety Awareness Day seeks to encourage individual and community responsibility and best practices for dam safety, promote the benefits dams offer to communities, as well as what steps can be taken to prevent future dam failures.
In the United States, the average age of dams is 61 years. While the age of a dam is not necessarily a direct indicator of its condition, it could indicate that it was not built to today's standards. This funding is meant to address some of these concerns. To learn more about the dams in your area, visit the Wyoming Dam Safety page.
The National Dam Safety State Assistance Grant Program is available for any state or territory with an enacted dam safety program. These grants establish and maintain effective state programs to ensure dam safety and protect communities from increasing threats.
This investment for the National Dam Safety State Assistance Grant Program is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This infrastructure funding will strengthen local resilience, avoid disaster costs, and help protect communities from flooding. This release aligns with the FEMA Year of Resilience theme to build local capacity to withstand tomorrow’s hazards.
National Dam Safety Awareness Day was established to commemorate the failure of the South Fork Dam in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
Visit FEMA’s dam safety webpage on FEMA.gov.