Dam Safety Program

 

Dam safety in Florida is a shared responsibility among the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), the regional water management districts, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the local government and private dam owners. Owete S. Owete, PhD, PE, Program Administrator in the FDEP Bureau of Mining and Minerals Regulation (BMMR), coordinates the activities of the State Dam Safety Program. As the State Dam Safety Officer, Dr. Owete, is the State Representative to the Association of State Dam Safety Officials.

 

Current Florida Regulations Regarding Dam Safety

Dam safety in Florida is regulated through several rules, which vary by activity and location.

• Chapter 373 Water Resources
• Northwest Florida Water Management District, Chapter 40A-4 F.A.C
• Suwannee River Water Management District
• St. John's River Water Management District
• Southwest Florida Water Management District
• South Florida Water Management District (See page 98)
• Phosphate Management Rule 62-672
• BMPs for Non-Clay, Phosphate Mining and Reclamation Berms and Impoundments

Dam Safety Program Activities

Information gathering and reporting are conducted by the BMMR to maintain the Florida database for over 850 non-federal dams. The dam data and the supporting statistics of the Dam Safety Program are periodically uploaded to the National Inventory of Dams (NID).

Dam safety training is provided by the BMMR for state, regional, and local regulatory agency personnel and dam owners, with the assistance of the ASDSO, in accordance with the performance requirements of the dam safety grant provided through the National Dam Safety Program led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Dam inspections in Florida are conducted by agency personnel at the state, regional, and local levels, as related to their respective regulatory programs, as well as by private dam owners. Oversight for phosphate mining and similar industrial impoundments is primarily the responsibility of the FDEP. Other dams generally fall within the purview of the USACE, the State’s five regional water management districts, or local government agencies.

For further information or to add a new dam to the Florida inventory, please contact Richard Musgrove, PE by telephone at (850) 488-8217, by facsimile at (850) 488-1254, or by email at Richard.Musgrove@dep.state.fl.us.

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Mining and Minerals Regulation Home
2051 E. Paul Dirac Drive (Collins Building) Tallahassee, FL 32310-3760  Phone (850) 488-8217  Fax (850) 488-1254