Since 2000, more than 45 U.S. dam failures have resulted in loss of life and millions of dollars in damages. To protect its residents, Kansas requires owners of significant (class b) and high (class c) hazard dams to prepare Emergency Action Plans, which are to be done in coordination with local emergency management departments.
Emergency Action Plans can help save lives and reduce property damage during a dam safety emergency. Plans increase preparedness by organizing emergency contact information and evacuation procedures into an official document and by providing enhanced communications between dam owners and local emergency management officials. These plans are filed with the Division of Water Resources emergency management departments, and others that may be involved in a dam emergency.
These plans include:
- Guidance for evaluating emergency situations occurring at a dam
- Notification charts and emergency contact information
- List of residents, businesses and entities within the downstream inundation zone.
- List of resources available for responding to a dam emergency.
- Inundation zone map (estimated boundary of the maximum water surface elevation resulting from a dam breach
- Basic physical and geographical data for the regulated dam
For additional information, see Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety: Emergency Action Plans for Dam Owners.
Forms
Significant Hazard Emergency Action Plan
High Hazard EAP Template - Developed by Natural Resources Conservation Service, this sample form also can be used to fulfull the EAP requirement for high hazard dams.