RESTORED 2/15/26 NEW SOURCEE OF INFORMATION ADDED AT THE END OF THIS POST.
The NID consists of dams meeting at least one of the following criteria: 1) High hazard potential classification – loss of human life is likely if the dam fails; 2) Significant hazard potential classification – no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss; environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns; 3) Equal or exceed 25 feet in height and exceed 15 acre-feet in storage; 4) Equal or exceed 50 acre-feet storage and exceed 6 feet in height. (There are many more dams across the nation that are privately owned and not inspected.)
15,498Dams Identified as High-Hazard – Another 11,882dams are currently labeled significant hazard potential, meaning a failure would not necessarily cause a loss of life but could result in significant economic losses. While these figures climb, the increase has slowed because more dams are inspected on a more regular basis, allowing for the identification of deficiencies before they lead to a failure.
Don’t let them kid you, this DAM issue is not organic. They built the Dams and they are bringing them down. It is part of AGENDA 2030, and it is totally orchestrated. If you don’t know by now that they have the ability to control the weather… you have not been listening. They have been telling you outright themselves for years now, and they had the ability long before that. DO YOUR RESEARCH. Anyway, they are using weather control to bring down the DAMs because that is a lot easier and cheaper for them. It also causes less public outcry. I mean, how can you blame them if it is an act of GOD, right??
I could just kick my self because some years back I was researching the removal of Dams across America. At that time I found a map of all the Dams in the US, one of the Dams that had been removed and were scheduled to be removed, one of all the Nuclear Power Sites across the US, and one of the Fault Lines across the US. When I compared them my mind was blown. It was like they deliberately were trying to create disasters. If they were printed on clear plastic, you could lay them on top of each other and they would line up perfectly. For a long time I saved those maps and showed them to friends. When my old laptop crashed and burned, I lost them.
Now you cannot pull up any maps that will show you all the locations of the dams across the US. If you dig a lot, which I do, you can find some that come close. I have included some maps below as well as the one I have place at the top of this article.
How many U.S. dams are at risk of a crisis like the one currently unfolding in California, as officials work to stave off disaster at the compromised Oroville Dam? The short answer is, we don’t really know—but probably quite a few.
Until this month, Oroville’s emergency spillway had never been used in its nearly 50-year history. After weeks of rain and a breach in the dam’s main spillway, officials turned to the auxiliary one to help prevent an overflow from the dam’s lake. The resulting hillside erosion threatened serious flooding and prompted the evacuation of some 188,000 people.
Environmental groups predicted the crisis in 2005 when they called for the emergency spillway to be reinforced with concrete, but state officials dismissed that request as unnecessary. Though cost wasn’t publicly cited as a factor, critics can reasonably contend it was a consideration.
If so, “it’s certainly not the only dam that put off upgrades because of upfront cost,” says Jenny Rowland, public lands research and advocacy manager for the policy think tank Center for American Progress.
Oroville is just one of more than 90,000 dams across the country, many of which are aging and underfunded, prompting the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) to give the nation’s dams a “D” grade in its last infrastructure report. In Minnesota, for example, repairs to the 107-year-old Byllesby Dam have been postponed for lack of funding.
Byllesby is one of more than 15,000 dams federally classified as “high hazard potential,” which says nothing about a dam’s actual condition, but indicates that a failure would result in “probable loss of life.” Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas have the highest concentrations of those dams, according to the infrastructure report—and there are at least a couple dozen in every state.
Heavy flows from the Oroville Dam spillway continue to push debris into the Feather River.
PHOTOGRAPH BY FLORENCE LOW, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES
The number of high hazard potential dams is increasing because many of them were built in rural areas where the risks to nearby residents didn’t need to be considered at the time. But as the population increases, many dams are subject to what’s known as “hazard creep.”
“Rural and urban population sprawl has created new development downstream of many existing dams,” Rowland writes in a report on U.S. dams released last fall, “putting more people at risk should a dam fail.”
The U.S. has a National Inventory of Dams, but that doesn’t track thousands of smaller dams that could still cause damage, Rowland says, and it doesn’t tell you a dam’s condition. About 64 percent of them are privately owned, and another 20 percent are operated at the local or state level, like Oroville.
“There’s a lot of different ownership going on and not really a comprehensive reporting database,” Rowland says, adding that there is no systematic identification of which dams need upgrades or should be removed altogether. The latter are increasingly targeted by activists who say such “deadbeat dams” that no longer provide useful functions should be taken down, to reduce risk and restore habitat for wildlife.
Water flows through a gaping hole in Idaho’s Teton Dam, which failed in 1976, killing 11 people.
PHOTOGRAPH FROM BETTMAN, CORBIS
Still, states have stepped up their inspection efforts in recent years, according to the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO). The average dam is more than 50 years old, and more than 4,000 of them have been deemed “deficient,” or needing repairs.
“At best, putting off repairs will likely cost the dam owner five to ten times as much, fifteen years down the road,” the organization says in a fact sheet. “At worst, it kills people.”
Eleven people died when Idaho’s Teton Dam failed in 1976. That and other catastrophic, deadly failures in the 1970s led to the creation of the National Dam Safety Program, which drove an increase in inspections and emergency plans.
Teton was a “milestone event” that led to a rethinking of dam safety, says John France, an expert with the ACSE. Now every state except Alabama has a safety program to handle inspections, training, and other precautions. France says the industry also has done a better job at factoring “everyday issues” such as erosion into safety risk, along with rarer events such as floods and earthquakes.
“Overall, dam safety in the country has improved in the last 30 years,” France says, “but we’ve got a lot more work to do.”
France notes that designers of older dams didn’t know as much as we do now about dams and how they perform when stressed, which can lead to design deficiencies. This, along with hazard creep and general wear and tear, means the number of dams susceptible to failure has more than quadrupled in the last 15 years, according to state safety officials.
But modernizing dams costs money, and funding hasn’t been sufficient. Some dams have seen critical repairs in recent years: Kentucky’s Wolf Creek and California’s Folsom are recent examples. Still, “for every high-hazard-potential dam repaired,” the ASDSO says, “nearly two more dams have been declared deficient.”
Rowland at the Center for American Progress argues for a federal fund to help subsidize upgrades and repairs at sites like Oroville—the kind of projects that wouldn’t necessarily attract the investors on which President Donald Trump’s infrastructure plan relies. Certainly, addressing all of the potential failure points in the current U.S. dam system will require a flood of cash: The ASDSO puts the figure at “well over $60 billion.”
The purpose of this section is to provide a summary of basic information related to the inventory of dams within the United States. This data is helpful for establishing new guidelines for the hydrologic safety of existing and new dams as it provides general information on the location, age, ownership, hazard classification and size of dams in the United States. This summary of dams is based on information cataloged and reported by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO), the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as described in the following paragraphs. Data from each of these entities does vary; therefore, there are inconsistencies in the data presented from various sources in this chapter.
National Inventory of Dams
The National Inventory of Dams (NID) is a database of dams in the United States which was developed and is maintained by the USACE. Congress authorized the USACE to inventory dams as part of the 1972 National Dam Inspection Act. Several subsequent acts have authorized maintenance of the NID and provided funding. The USACE collaborates with FEMA and state regulatory offices to collect data on dams. The goal of the NID is to include all dams in the United States which meet at least one of the following criteria: 1. High hazard classification – loss of at least one human life is likely if the dam fails 2. Significant hazard classification – possible loss of human life and likely significant property or environmental destruction 3. Equal or exceed 25 feet in height and exceed 15 acre-feet in storage 4. Equal or exceed 50 acre-feet storage and exceed 6 feet in height Low hazard dams which do not meet the criteria specified in number 3 or 4 are not included in the NID even if they are regulated according to state criteria. In some states, the number of these dams is several times the number of dams included in the NID.
Association of State Dam Safety Officials
In addition to using information collected as part of the NID, ASDSO annually collects additional information on dams in the United States by survey for their State Dam Safety Program Performance Information Report. ASDSO data focuses on dams within the jurisdiction of each state regardless of whether or not they are included in the NID.
American Society of Civil Engineers
Since 1998, ASCE has issued four reports titled “Report Card for America’s Infrastructure.” These reports depict the condition and performance of the nation’s infrastructure, including dams, and were prepared by an advisory panel of the nation’s leading civil engineers. This panel analyzed hundreds of reports and studies in the process of assigning grades as well as surveying thousands of engineers.
Federal Emergency Management Agency
As part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, FEMA also has an interest in dam safety in the United States. In their 2010 biennial report to Congress, “Dam Safety in the United States, A Progress Report on the National Dam Safety Program,” FEMA describes the achievements of the states, the federal agencies, and their partners in Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 and FY 2009 in meeting the vision, mission, and objectives of the National Dam Safety Program. This document contains many interesting statistics and graphics that are useful in summarizing the dam inventory of the United States.
2.2. Summary of Significant Statistics for Dams in the United States
Dam construction in the United States began in earnest in the second half of the 19th century and peaked with the surge in the American economy and population following World War II. The current NID contains data on nearly 84,000 dams. The average age of these dams is over 50 years. Figure 2.1 shows the relative construction date of dams based on data in the NID. The 2009 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure on Dams, prepared by ASCE, indicates that age has a two-fold effect on the determination of deficiency of a dam. First, the age of a dam contributes to deterioration. Second, design criteria and loadings which were considered appropriate at the time of design, may now be considered insufficient, leading to dams being considered unsafe or deficient. The same publication reports that the number of dams determined to be unsafe or deficient is rising and now stands at more than 4,400 dams. ASCE’s 2009 Report Card states, “Over the past six years, for every deficient, high hazard potential dam repaired, nearly two more were declared deficient.” Not only are dams in the United States aging and being declared deficient, but, at the same time, the number of high hazard potential dams is also increasing at a significant rate. According to statistics maintained by ASDSO, for the 10-year period from 2000 through 2009, the number of dams listed in the NID increased by about 9 percent. During this same period, the number of high-hazard, state-regulated dams increased by almost 14 percent. ASCE’s 2009 Report Card on Dams states that the trend of increasing number of high hazard dams is a result of higher consequences of failure spurred by new downstream development. Development both upstream and downstream of dams is a widespread concern. Within the United States, dams are owned and regulated by a variety of organizations. Most dams are privately or municipally-owned and are state-regulated. Figure 2.2 is a map of the United States showing the distribution of low, significant and high hazard potential dams. Figure 2.3 is a similar map showing only state-regulated high hazard potential dams.
Figure map showing only state-regulated high hazard potential dams.
According to the FEMA biennial report to Congress, the federal government owns or regulates approximately 6 percent of the dams in the United States, and many of these dams are considerable in terms of size, function and hazard potential. The rest of the dams are within the jurisdiction of state dam safety programs. A summary of dams by state and hazard classification are summarized in Table 2-1 and Table 2-2. Figure 2.4 is a map showing the location of dams reported to the NID by the federal agencies. Table 2-3 is a summary of federal dam ownership by hazard classification. Table 2-1 Dam Safety Statistics from the NID [USACE, 2009; ASDSO, 2008] Hazard Potential State Regulated Dams Listed in the NID Total State Regulated Dams High 10,856 10,993 Significant 11,163 10,931 Low 45,142 66,112 Total 67,161 88,036
Table 2-2 State Dam Safety Program Statistics [ASDSO, 2008]
Table 2-3 Dams Owned and/or Regulated by Federal Agencies1 [FEMA, 2010]
To use the interactive maps click the title link above to visit the site.
Explore Over 7,782 Dams Across the United States
Discover the complete landscape of America’s critical water infrastructure with our comprehensive interactive map featuring over 7,782 dams across all 50 states. This powerful visualization tool provides detailed information about every major dam in the United States, from massive hydroelectric facilities to local flood control structures, irrigation systems, and recreational reservoirs.
Find Dams Near You and Across America
Whether you’re searching for “dams near me” or researching water infrastructure in specific regions, our interactive map delivers precise location data and comprehensive facility details for dams in every state. From California’s massive Oroville Dam to Colorado’s hydroelectric facilities and Texas irrigation systems, explore the diverse water management infrastructure that supports America’s communities, agriculture, and energy needs.
Use your mouse to pan around the map by clicking and dragging
Zoom in and out using the mouse wheel or the +/- buttons
The map initially displays the entire United States with all dam locations marked
Step 2: Understanding Dam Categories Each dam is color-coded by its primary purpose:
Irrigation (Forest Green): Agricultural water supply systems
Hydroelectric (Royal Blue): Power generation facilities
Flood Control (Tomato Red): Flood prevention and management
Water Supply (Turquoise): Municipal and industrial water sources
Recreation (Gold): Recreational lakes and reservoirs
Navigation (Blue Violet): Waterway navigation support
Debris Control (Chocolate): Sediment and debris management
Tailings (Saddle Brown): Mining waste containment
Fish & Wildlife (Lime Green): Environmental conservation
Other (Gray): Multi-purpose and specialized functions
Step 3: Identifying Dam Safety Levels Dams are marked with colored borders indicating hazard classification:
Red Border: High hazard – failure would likely cause loss of human life
Orange Border: Significant hazard – failure may cause economic damage, environmental damage, or disruption of lifeline facilities
Green Border: Low hazard – failure results in no probable loss of human life and low economic damage
Step 4: Filtering Dams by Type
Click checkboxes in the legend to show/hide specific dam categories
Multiple categories can be selected simultaneously
Numbers in parentheses show the count of each dam type
Step 5: Viewing Detailed Dam Information Click on any dam marker to view comprehensive details:
Dam name and primary purpose
Safety hazard classification
Dam type and construction details
Height, surface area, and storage capacity
River or waterway location
Nearest city, county, and state
Year of completion
Owner and ownership type
Step 6: Understanding Marker Sizes
Larger markers indicate greater dam height
Marker sizes scale from small (under 25 feet) to large (over 200 feet)
Clustered markers automatically group nearby dams in dense areas
Dams by State: Complete Coverage of US Water Infrastructure
Major Dam-Building States
Dams in California California leads the nation with extensive water infrastructure including the massive Oroville Dam, Shasta Dam, and countless irrigation systems throughout the Central Valley supporting the state’s agricultural economy.
Dams in Texas Texas features thousands of dams serving irrigation, flood control, and water supply needs across the vast state, from East Texas reservoirs to Rio Grande Valley irrigation systems.
Dams in Pennsylvania Pennsylvania’s dam network includes flood control structures throughout Appalachian watersheds, hydroelectric facilities, and water supply systems serving major metropolitan areas.
Dams in Colorado Colorado’s mountainous terrain hosts numerous hydroelectric dams, irrigation systems supporting agriculture on the Eastern Plains, and water storage facilities crucial for the arid West.
Dams in North Carolina North Carolina features diverse dam infrastructure from Appalachian hydroelectric facilities to Coastal Plain flood control systems and recreational reservoirs.
Comprehensive State Coverage
Our interactive map provides complete dam location data for all US states:
Northeastern States: Dams in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania
Southeastern States: Dams in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana
Midwestern States: Dams in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas
Western States: Dams in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, and Hawaii
Additional Coverage: Dams in Oklahoma and Texas complete our comprehensive database
Dam Safety and Infrastructure Information
Understanding Dam Hazard Classifications
The National Dam Safety Program classifies dams based on potential consequences of failure:
High Hazard Dams pose the greatest risk, where failure would likely result in loss of human life. These structures require the most stringent inspection and maintenance protocols.
Significant Hazard Dams present moderate risk, where failure may cause economic damage, environmental harm, or disruption of critical infrastructure without probable loss of life.
Low Hazard Dams pose minimal risk, where failure would result in no probable loss of human life and minimal economic or environmental damage.
Dam Types and Construction Methods
Our database includes various dam construction types:
Earth/rockfill dams using compacted soil and rock materials
Concrete gravity dams relying on weight for stability
Arch dams utilizing curved design to transfer loads
Our map utilizes official data from the National Inventory of Dams (NID), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and state dam safety agencies to provide current and accurate information about US dam infrastructure. The database includes:
Active dam facilities across all ownership types
Detailed structural and operational characteristics
Safety inspection data and classifications
Geographic coordinates and watershed information
Historical construction and modification records
Interactive Clustering for Large Datasets
Areas with high dam density automatically group nearby structures to prevent visual overcrowding. Cluster markers display the total number of dams in each group, and clicking expands clusters to reveal individual facilities with their specific characteristics.
Mobile-Responsive Design
The map automatically adapts to different screen sizes, ensuring full functionality on desktop computers, tablets, and mobile devices. Touch gestures are fully supported for navigation on mobile platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions About US Dams
General Dam Information
Q: How many dams are there in the United States? A: Our database contains over 7,782 significant dams across all 50 states. The actual number of all water control structures in the US exceeds 90,000, but our map focuses on major facilities tracked in the National Inventory of Dams.
Q: Which state has the most dams? A: Texas leads with the highest number of dams, followed by Kansas, Mississippi, Georgia, and Missouri. However, distribution varies significantly by dam type and purpose based on regional water needs and geography.
Q: What’s the difference between high, significant, and low hazard dams? A: Hazard classification reflects the potential consequences of dam failure, not the likelihood of failure. High hazard means failure would likely cause loss of life; significant hazard means potential economic or environmental damage; low hazard means minimal consequences. This classification helps prioritize inspection and maintenance efforts.
Q: How do I find dams near my location? A: Zoom into your area on the map or use your device’s location services. You can also search by state, county, or city name. The map displays precise locations with detailed facility information available by clicking on dam markers.
Q: What does “acre-feet” mean in dam storage capacity? A: An acre-foot is the volume of water needed to cover one acre to a depth of one foot, equivalent to 325,851 gallons. This measurement helps understand the massive scale of water storage behind major dams.
Dam Safety and Engineering Questions
Q: How often are dams inspected for safety? A: High hazard dams typically require annual inspections, significant hazard dams every 2-3 years, and low hazard dams every 3-5 years. State dam safety programs and federal agencies coordinate these inspections based on established protocols.
Q: What causes dam failures? A: Common causes include overtopping during extreme floods, internal erosion (piping), structural defects, inadequate spillway capacity, poor maintenance, and earthquakes. Modern engineering and regular inspections have significantly reduced failure rates.
Q: Are older dams more dangerous? A: Age alone doesn’t determine safety, but older dams may require upgrades to meet current safety standards, handle updated flood predictions, or address material degradation. Many vintage dams have been successfully rehabilitated or replaced.
Q: How do engineers determine dam safety? A: Safety assessments evaluate structural integrity, spillway adequacy, seepage, instrumentation readings, visual conditions, and compliance with current engineering standards. Computer modeling helps predict performance under various scenarios.
Q: What happens if a dam is found to be unsafe? A: Depending on the severity, actions may include increased monitoring, public warnings, access restrictions, emergency repairs, reservoir level reductions, or complete removal. Dam owners are legally responsible for maintaining safety.
Dam Types and Purposes
Q: What’s the difference between irrigation and water supply dams? A: Irrigation dams specifically serve agricultural water needs, delivering water to farms and crops. Water supply dams provide municipal and industrial water for cities, businesses, and residential use. Some dams serve both purposes.
Q: How do hydroelectric dams generate power? A: Water flows through turbines connected to generators, converting the kinetic energy of falling water into electricity. The height of the dam and volume of water flow determine power generation capacity.
Q: Why are some dams built primarily for flood control? A: Flood control dams temporarily store excess water during storms and gradually release it downstream to prevent flooding. They’re strategically located to protect communities, infrastructure, and agricultural areas in flood-prone watersheds.
Q: What are tailings dams and why are they important? A: Tailings dams contain waste materials from mining operations, preventing contamination of surrounding water and soil. They’re critical for environmental protection in mining regions but require specialized engineering and monitoring.
Q: How do navigation dams work? A: Navigation dams maintain sufficient water depth for commercial shipping by creating a series of pools along rivers. Locks allow vessels to move between different water levels, facilitating inland waterway transportation.
State-Specific Questions
Q: Which states have the most hydroelectric dams? A: Washington, Oregon, California, and New York lead in hydroelectric generation, taking advantage of mountainous terrain and major river systems. The Pacific Northwest particularly relies on hydroelectric power.
Q: Where are the largest irrigation dam systems located? A: The western states, particularly California, Idaho, Colorado, and Nebraska, have extensive irrigation infrastructure supporting agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions where natural rainfall is insufficient.
Q: Which states have the most flood control dams? A: States with significant flood risks, including Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas, and Mississippi along major river systems, plus states with mountainous terrain prone to flash flooding, maintain extensive flood control infrastructure.
Q: Are there dams in all 50 states? A: Yes, every state has dam infrastructure, though the number and types vary significantly based on geography, climate, population, and economic needs. Even states with abundant natural water sources use dams for various purposes.
Q: Which states are removing the most dams? A: Pacific Northwest states, particularly Oregon and Washington, lead dam removal efforts, often to restore salmon habitat. Northeastern states also actively remove obsolete dams to restore river ecosystems.
Environmental and Recreational Questions
Q: How do dams affect fish populations? A: Dams can block fish migration routes, alter water temperature and flow patterns, and change river ecosystems. Many modern dams include fish ladders or other passage systems, and some older dams are being modified or removed to restore fish habitat.
Q: Can I fish or boat on dam reservoirs? A: Many dam reservoirs are popular recreational destinations offering fishing, boating, swimming, and camping. However, access rules vary by owner and location. Always check local regulations and safety restrictions before visiting.
Q: How do dams impact water quality? A: Dams can improve water quality by allowing sediment to settle and providing treatment opportunities, but they can also cause thermal stratification and alter natural flow patterns. Modern dam operations increasingly consider environmental impacts.
Q: Are there restrictions near dams? A: Yes, most dams have restricted areas for safety reasons, particularly near spillways and outlets where dangerous currents exist. Swimming, boating, and fishing restrictions are common immediately upstream and downstream of dam structures.
Q: How do dams help during droughts? A: Storage dams capture water during wet periods for use during droughts, providing crucial water supply reliability. Reservoir management balances competing needs including water supply, flood control, and environmental flows.
Technical and Operational Questions
Q: How long do dams last? A: Dam lifespan varies by type, materials, and maintenance. Concrete dams can last over 100 years with proper maintenance, while earthen dams may require more frequent rehabilitation. Many US dams are approaching or exceeding their original design life.
Q: What’s the tallest dam in the United States? A: Oroville Dam in California stands 770 feet tall, making it the tallest dam in the US. Other notably tall dams include Dworshak in Idaho and Glen Canyon in Utah.
Q: How much water can the largest US reservoirs hold? A: Lake Mead behind Hoover Dam has a capacity of about 26 million acre-feet when full. Other massive reservoirs include Lake Powell, Lake Sakakawea, and Lake Oahe, each holding millions of acre-feet.
Q: Who owns and operates US dams? A: Dam ownership includes federal agencies (Bureau of Reclamation, Army Corps of Engineers), state and local governments, utility companies, and private entities. Ownership often determines operational priorities and public access.
Q: How are dam emergencies handled? A: Emergency Action Plans outline procedures for dam incidents, including evacuation routes, warning systems, and response coordination between dam owners, emergency management agencies, and local authorities.
Economic and Policy Questions
Q: How much does it cost to build a dam? A: Costs vary enormously based on size, type, and location. Small dams may cost millions, while major projects can exceed billions. Hoover Dam cost $49 million in 1935 (over $1 billion in today’s dollars).
Q: Who pays for dam maintenance and safety? A: Dam owners are responsible for maintenance costs, which can be substantial for large facilities. Federal dams are funded through congressional appropriations, while private and local government dams rely on their owners’ financial resources.
Q: Are old dams being replaced or removed? A: Both options are pursued depending on circumstances. Some aging dams are rehabilitated or replaced to continue serving important functions, while others are removed when costs exceed benefits or environmental restoration is prioritized.
Q: How does climate change affect dam operations? A: Climate change brings more extreme weather patterns, affecting both flood risk and drought conditions. Dam operators increasingly must balance competing demands while adapting to changing precipitation patterns and temperature effects.
Q: What regulations govern dam safety? A: Dam safety regulation primarily occurs at the state level, with federal oversight for dams on federal lands or affecting interstate commerce. The National Dam Safety Program provides coordination and technical assistance across jurisdictions.
Understanding America’s Critical Water Infrastructure
This comprehensive dam map serves engineers, emergency managers, researchers, environmental scientists, outdoor enthusiasts, and concerned citizens seeking to understand America’s critical water infrastructure. By visualizing the location, purpose, and characteristics of thousands of dams, users gain insight into how these structures support communities, agriculture, energy production, and flood protection.
The aging of America’s dam infrastructure presents both challenges and opportunities. Many dams built in the mid-20th century require significant investment in rehabilitation or replacement, while evolving environmental understanding drives considerations of fish passage, river restoration, and ecosystem health.
Whether you’re researching dams in Alabama, analyzing flood control systems in Iowa, or exploring hydroelectric infrastructure in Washington, our interactive map provides the detailed, accurate information needed to understand America’s complex water management landscape. Explore the facilities that provide water security, flood protection, and renewable energy across all 50 states and discover the ongoing evolution of US water infrastructure.
