Law Commons^™

The spectacular nature of the Teton Dam break emphasizes the basic problem of Dam Safety in this country. Nevertheless, it took several dam breaks and near-misses before the Federal Dam Safety Inspection Act was passed in 1972. It took another series of dam breaks and close-calls for meaningful implementation of the Act to result. Accordingly, this article sets forth a number of critical measures which are essential to a viable dam safety program. Using this model, the author evaluates the Federal Dam Inspection Act, the proposed model codes, and the existing state regulatory procedures and makes appropriate recommendations.