Ohio dam safety requirements
ODNR Division of Water Resources — what a private owner actually has to do, and when.
Frequently asked questions
When is an Ohio dam owner's annual deadline?
30 June every year — either an annual dam-safety fee for Class I/II/III owners (ORC §1521.063(A)), or an annual Liability Certification for exempt owners (Class IV, or any class separately granted an inspection exemption). Both land on the same fixed statewide date; which one applies to you depends on your dam's classification. Look up your dam to confirm its classification and current status.
Is my Ohio dam exempt from regular inspection?
Class IV dams are exempt by rule; a dam in another class can also be granted a separate inspection exemption. Either way, exemption doesn't remove the 30 June deadline — it changes what's due from a fee payment to a Liability Certification instead.
What happens to an Ohio dam-safety certification when the dam changes hands?
It doesn't carry over. Ohio's Liability Certification is explicitly non-transferable — a new owner has to re-file, one of the clearest, most explicitly codified ownership-transfer triggers of any state Dam-Sure covers.
How often must an Ohio dam owner inspect their own dam?
ODNR's own guidance sets a hybrid schedule: the state inspects regulated dams on up to a 5-year cycle, while the owner's own inspection frequency runs daily to monthly depending on class. Dam-Sure's inspection tool captures this with GPS-tagged checkpoints from your phone — crest, both slopes, spillway, toe, outlet, seepage — building a dated record between state visits.
How to self-inspect a small dam
Dam-Sure's inspection tool walks through six checkpoints, the same order a formal engineer inspection follows:
- Crest — walk the full length of the crest, checking for cracking, settlement, or unusual vegetation.
- Upstream slope — check the upstream slope for erosion, slumping, or animal burrows.
- Downstream slope — check the downstream slope for seepage, wet areas, or sinkholes.
- Spillway — confirm the spillway is clear of debris and vegetation and free to pass flow.
- Outlet works / drains — check outlet works and drains for blockage, damage, or unusual flow.
- Instrumentation — read and record any installed instrumentation, such as piezometers or staff gauges, where present.
Sourced from ORC §1521.063(A), OAC 1501:21-19-02(B)(3)(a), and ODNR's own Inspection Exemption and Owner Inspection Frequency guidance. See Ohio DNR Dam Safety Program for the primary source. This page is informational, not legal advice — verify current requirements with ODNR directly.
Requirements for other states: Connecticut · Georgia · Massachusetts · North Carolina · New York · Pennsylvania · Wisconsin