Owner's responsibility for professional inspections
Large dams require periodic inspection by a professional engineer (PE) licensed in the state of Wisconsin. Some dam owners have a PE as part of their staff, but generally this means that the dam owner needs to hire an engineering consultant to perform the inspection. For information on finding a professional engineer, visit the Directory of Consultants webpage.
For a professional inspection, a PE will complete the tasks outlined in the Consultant Inspection Process which contains detailed information on the process and what must be included in the inspection report submittal. The general tasks are as follows:
- Notify Department of inspection date
- Conduct dam file research
- Conduct field inspection
- Review Emergency Action Plan (EAP)
- Review Inspection Operation and Maintenance Plan (IOM)
- Submit inspection report and checklist
Notifications about upcoming inspections, requests for information about a specific dam, and submittals of inspection reports and related documentation discussed should be made to the Department's Water Management Engineer who covers the county where the dam is located. Contact information is available here: DNR Water Management Engineer assignments by County
To document aspects of the dam and appurtenant structures observed during the field inspection, DNR Dam Safety maintains an editable spreadsheet with tabs that correspond to specific dam components – and strongly encourages its use. Email DNR Dam Safety to request a copy of the inspection checklist.
Per s. 31.19(2)(ag)3, Wis. Stats., the owner of a dam shall submit a report of the results of the inspection. The report shall include information on any deficiencies in the dam, recommendations for addressing those deficiencies, and recommendations on improving the safety and structural integrity of the dam. Together, a completed inspection checklist, a cover letter summarizing the deficiencies and recommendations, and representative photographs can be considered an “inspection report” and is expected to meet the statutory requirement. The inspection report must be submitted to the Department no later than 90 days after the date of the inspection.
Contact information
DNR Dam Safety
DNR Dam Safety Program, WT/3
101 S Webster St
PO Box 7921
Madison WI 53707–7921
