Technical Manual for Dam Owners - Impact of Animals on Earthen Dams

Course Summary:

In 1999, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) jointly conducted research and a workshop to shed light on the national problem of animal intrusion damage to earthen dams and the resulting safety issues. The FEMA/ASDSO survey and workshop united dam owners, engineers, state and federal regulators, wildlife managers, foresters, and academia to form an educated and experienced front against the growing problem of earthen dam damage and failures due to animal intrusion. The information generated by roundtable discussions and survey answers indicates that while most states recognize animal intrusion as a problem, only a handful know of guidance on dams and wildlife management practices available to the dam professionals and owners. Based on input from the dam communities, FEMA/ASDSO’s mission to develop a guidance manual on the proper management of nuisance wildlife in the earthen dam environment became clear.

Learning Objective:

• Introduction to Radio-Frequency Communications
• Introduction and Purpose of Manual
• Impacts of Wildlife on Earthen Dams
• Dam Inspection From Two Perspectives: Engineering Function and Biological Potential
• Overview and Identification of Nuisance Wildlife
• Dam Repair and Intrusion Prevention Through Design
• Mitigating Damaging Wildlife
• Fiscal Considerations for Managing Animal Damage on Earthen Dams

Review the quiz before studying the course.

Course Content

Course Author: Federal Emergency Management Agency