Dam safety compliance

North Carolina dam safety requirements

NCDEQ Dam Safety Program (DEMLR) — what a private owner actually has to do, and when.

Frequently asked questions

When is a North Carolina dam's Emergency Action Plan due?

Within 90 days of a dam being classified High or Intermediate hazard, then resubmitted annually on the anniversary of its approval — a rolling, per-dam date, not one statewide deadline. See N.C.G.S. §143-215.31(a1)(3). Look up your dam to see its actual next-due date, not a generic calendar reminder.

Does a North Carolina dam's compliance obligation transfer when it's sold?

Yes. EAP and inspection obligations transfer to the new owner on sale of title, not to whoever originally filed them — the state's public record often lags the actual sale, which is exactly the gap Dam-Smart's ownership-transfer tool exists to close.

How often must a North Carolina dam owner inspect their own dam?

Routine visual inspection at least quarterly, with additional walkovers after significant rainfall — separate from the state's own periodic engineering inspection cycle. Dam-Smart's inspection tool captures this with GPS-tagged checkpoints from your phone: crest, both slopes, spillway, toe, outlet, seepage.

How to self-inspect a small dam

Dam-Smart's inspection tool walks through six checkpoints, the same order a formal engineer inspection follows:

  1. Crest — walk the full length of the crest, checking for cracking, settlement, or unusual vegetation.
  2. Upstream slope — check the upstream slope for erosion, slumping, or animal burrows.
  3. Downstream slope — check the downstream slope for seepage, wet areas, or sinkholes.
  4. Spillway — confirm the spillway is clear of debris and vegetation and free to pass flow.
  5. Outlet works / drains — check outlet works and drains for blockage, damage, or unusual flow.
  6. Instrumentation — read and record any installed instrumentation, such as piezometers or staff gauges, where present.

Sourced from N.C.G.S. §143-215.31, the 1967 Dam Safety Law, and NCDEQ's own EAP FAQ. See NCDEQ Dam Safety Program Overview for the primary source. This page is informational, not legal advice — verify current requirements with NCDEQ directly.

Compare filing deadlines in all eight states

Requirements for other states: Connecticut · Georgia · Massachusetts · New York · Ohio · Pennsylvania · Wisconsin