What is an Emergency Action Plan

An Emergency Action Plan, or EAP, is a formal document that identifies potential emergency conditions at a dam and prescribes procedures to be followed to eliminate the loss of life and minimize property damage.

An emergency in terms of dam operation is identified as any condition which develops unexpectedly, endangers the structural integrity of the dam, and might result in the dam's failure producing downstream flooding, requiring immediate action. Every EAP must be tailored to site specific conditions, to the requirements of the owner, agency, or organization that operates or regulates use of the dam, and to the emergency response organizations that will implement the EAP.

Why must you have an EAP?

An EAP is needed for three reasons:

1. To plan the coordination of necessary actions by the dam owner and the responsible local, state, and federal emergency organizations and provide for timely notification, warning, and evacuation in the event of an emergency at the dam.
2. To eliminate the loss of life and reduce the risk of property damage in downstream areas which may result from a dam failure. The design, construction, operation, maintenance, and inspection of dams are intended to minimize the risk of future dam failures. Despite the adequacy of these efforts, unique situations do sometimes develop that might result in dam failure. Therefore, it is necessary for a dam owner´s engineer to identify conditions which could lead to a failure and recommend emergency measures that could prevent or minimize the consequences to life and property.
3. In Wisconsin, "It´s the law!" Wisconsin Administrative Code mandates emergency action plans. Administrative Code NR 335.07 requires an adequate emergency action plan for all new and existing dams which meet the large dam criteria or pose a threat to life or property. The plan must be prepared for the area downstream of the dam in consultation with the local unit(s) for government and concurred in by the division of emergency government.

Your responsibilities as the dam owner include the following:

1. Operation - quarterly inspections of the dam by the owner or operator with a written dated log of conditions.

2. Maintenance - cutting of vegetation on embankments and below the toe of the dam, checking the dam's appurtenances and operating valves, plus timely repairs when needed.

3. Development of the EAP - with assistance by your engineer, local emergency personnel, and county emergency management office, you must develop an acceptable EAP and update it every two years. The EAP will be reviewed and must be approved by the WDNR. A sample EAP is available at the Sample EAP, IOM and Plans section of the Owner/Consultant Info page.

4. Review and update EAP - every two years the owner need not totally rewrite the EAP, but it must be thoroughly reviewed, then revised in those areas where needed, including the inundation map, and new concurrence signatures must be obtained. The WDNR reviews and approves all updated EAP´s.

5. Partnering with WDNR - the department has the responsibility to issue dam permits and enforce compliance with dam regulations. Owner/department partnering is the key ingredient to a safe dam.

For more information contact:
Department of Natural Resources
Dam Safety Program, WT/3
101 South Webster Street
PO BOX 7921
Madison, WI 53707-7921
(608) 266-8030

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