The Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment’s Dam Safety Program plays an important role in public safety – people and property are at risk if a dam fails. That is why the program reviews engineering plans for and inspects regulated dams.

Nebraska has more than 2,900 regulated dams, which are used for irrigation, hydropower, flood risk management, and wastewater control from livestock and food processing facilities. Dams can also create reservoirs that are used for recreation. To be considered a regulated dam in Nebraska, a dam must be 25 feet or more in height or have a maximum storage capacity of 50 acre-feet or more. Most dams in the state are earthen dams, which are made from soil, rather than constructed from other materials.

Each regulated dam in the state is given a hazard classification. This classification is not based on the dam’s structural integrity, rather, it is based on the potential for loss of life and property that exist if the dam were to fail. If a dam’s failure has the potential to cause loss of life, it is given a high hazard potential and is inspected on a more regular basis. 

Of Nebraska’s 2,960 existing regulated dams:

• 5% are classified as high hazard potential
• 7% are significant hazard potential
• 77% are low hazard potential
• 11% are minimal hazard potential

The Dam Safety Program reviews engineering plans to construct, remove, or modify dams in the state – this work cannot be done until DWEE issues its approval. The program also keeps an inventory of dam ownership, dam hazard potential, and when each dam was last inspected. This information can be viewed on the agency’s interactive Inventory of Dams map. 

Because 57% of dams in the state are privately owned, the program provides training to engineers and dam owners about their responsibilities to safely build and maintain a dam. Publicly owned dams are owned by municipalities, natural resources districts, utilities, the state, or the federal government.

Dam Safety also plays a role in emergency preparations and responses and monitors weather conditions. If necessary, the program will ask dam owners to check the structural integrity of their dams – or the DWEE inspectors will check it themselves – to determine if the dam is operating properly during flooding. Those who own high hazard potential dams are required to have an emergency action plan to make sur they know what to do in case of an emergency. DWEE reviews the plans to ensure they are adequate and are updated regularly. 

By reviewing engineering and emergency action plans, inspecting dams, and working proactively with dam owners, DWEE's Dam Safety Program helps protect lives and property. More information can be found on the DWEE website: https://dnr.nebraska.gov/dam-safety.