USDA works with partners and local communities to reduce the risk to human life, property and the environment from dam-related hazards

May 31 was Dam Safety Awareness Day. On this day, we commemorate the tragic failure of the South Fork Dam in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, that occurred on May 31, 1889. This was the worst dam failure in United States’ history and resulted in the loss of more than 2,200 lives, leaving thousands homeless.

Dams provide a reliable water source, improve productivity for local farms, reduce drought vulnerability and offer flood control to downstream communities. There are nearly 92,000 dams in the National Inventory of Dams that serve to safeguard lives and property – 11,870 were designed and built by NRCS.

Everyone lives near a dam, and many are unaware. Dams are silent sentinels that require regular inspections to ensure they meet current dam safety criteria and performance standards as land use changes downstream.

May 31 serves as a reminder to encourage individual and community responsibility for dam safety and to provide information on steps that can be taken to prevent catastrophic dam failures and highlight the benefits dams offer to their communities.