An Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is a formal document used to assist dam owners in identifying unusual or emergency conditions at their dam and providing a plan of action should an emergency situation arise. A current EAP is required for all high and significant hazard dams, however any dam owner can benefit from having one.  The document prescribes specific actions to reduce the potential for downstream loss of life and property damage in the event of a dam failure and serve as comprehensive guides for potentially hazardous conditions.

Upon requests sent to DESresponse@des.sc.gov, Program staff will draft pre-populated EAPs containing inundation maps, lists of downstream impacts, and call trees for responding to various levels of threat severity. SCDES-provided partially-completed EAP drafts include general recommendations and practices for EAPs but are not comprehensive. EAPs should be tailored to the unique characteristics of each dam. Dam owners should review FEMA’s Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety-Emergency Action Planning for Dams (FEMA 64) for additional guidance.  Dam owners may provide revisions as they are completed or as part of a full submittal. Signatures may only be submitted as part of a full submittal or after all other proposed revisions have been submitted.  The Program will review proposed revisions and provide comments as needed. Once all requirements are met, the Program will sign a final version of the EAP and provide it back to the dam owners.  The EAP is not considered official until the Program has approved it. The Program will then ensure the plan can be accessed by county emergency management officials, but dam owners are responsible for distributing the approved plan to other parties, if necessary.  

Dam owners are responsible for updating their EAPs to keep them current. EAP updates can be submitted to the Program at any time for review. The Program will not verify downstream hazard contact information but will provide updated inundation models (if available).  Staff will meet with owners to discuss these EAPs at length and will also run through these plans via tabletop exercises upon request.