Please note: The webinar was held on Feb. 11, which was before the release of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).  The NOFO is the official statement of SCDES’ grant program policies and requirements, and if anything in the NOFO conflicts with anything said or displayed during the webinar, the NOFO reigns.  

Questions and Answers (Q&A)   

The Dam Safety Program has made available a Q&A document with grant-related questions received during the grant webinar and subsequent Q&A periods and corresponding SCDES answers to said questions. All potential applicants are strongly encouraged to review this Q&A document as they prepare their grant applications.  Only questions that are general in nature have been addressed – specifics of individual dams and grant applications have not been included. Please note that during the open application period, Dam Safety Program staff are not permitted to answer additional grant-related questions, and updates to the Q&A document have ceased. Applicants should refer to the NOFO document if they have questions about this grant opportunity, including eligibility, the application process, and grant management.  

Eligible Dams     

In order to be considered eligible for funding under this grant program, a dam must:   

• Be regulated by the SCDES Dam Safety Program;   

• Have a “High” or “Significant” Hazard Potential Classification  on date of application (see “Hazard Potential Classification” in Definitions) of ; and   

• Have either:   

• A SCDES Condition Assessment Rating on date of application  of “Poor” or “Unsatisfactory” (see “Condition Assessment Rating” in Definitions section of the NOFO), OR    

• A Dam Safety Deficiency identified by an Engineer (“Dam Safety Deficiency” and “Engineer” under Definitions section of the NOFO)    

 If your dam did not receive a Condition Assessment Rating of “Poor” or “Unsatisfactory,” your dam is not necessarily ineligible. For example, if you are able to provide evidence of a Dam Safety Deficiency identified by an Engineer for a dam with a “Fair” Condition Assessment Rating but meeting all other eligibility requirements, then the application may be eligible for funding.     

The following types of dams are not eligible for funding:      

• Dams exempt from state regulation under the Dams and Reservoirs Safety Act and Regulations; and,    

• Low Hazard Potential dams (see “Low Hazard Potential” in Definitions).      

A map of all SCDES state regulated dams is also available for reference.      

Funding Cycle 1 Notice of Intent to Award