Program Mission

The mission of Arizona's Dam Safety program is to maximize protection of human life and property against dam failure.

The Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.) §45-1201 assigns the responsibility for supervision of the safety of dams to the Arizona Department of Water Resources.   Our objective is to maximize the protection of the public against loss of life and property by reducing the likelihood of catastrophic failure of dams within the Department’s jurisdiction. 

The Dam Safety program provides regulatory oversight over non-federal dams in the State through the review of applications for proposed new dams and modifications to existing jurisdictional dams, and monitoring construction of new dams and repairs for existing structures.  Program personnel inspect and evaluate operating dams for compliance and safety.