Georgia Dam Safety Requirements
What the Georgia Safe Dams Act of 1978 and Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-3-8 (Rules for Dam Safety) actually require of a dam owner in Georgia — which dams are regulated, how they are classified, when approval is needed, and who has to file an emergency action plan. Every requirement tied to the statute or rule that imposes it.
Georgia regulates dams under O.C.G.A. §§ 12-5-370 et seq. (Georgia Safe Dams Act of 1978) and Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-3-8 (Rules for Dam Safety), administered by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, Safe Dams Program.
Georgia regulates only Category I dams. A dam below the loss-of-life threshold is not lightly regulated in Georgia — it is outside the program.
Georgia by the numbers
| Measure | Count |
|---|---|
| Total dams | 5,412 |
| High hazard | 556 |
| — with no EAP recorded | 60 (10.8%) |
| High hazard rated Poor | 189 |
| High hazard rated Unsatisfactory | 4 |
The three things an owner has to get right
1. Is the dam regulated?
The threshold test, the exemptions, and the approvals needed to build, repair, alter or remove. Permits and exemptions →
2. What is its hazard classification?
Classification turns on downstream consequence rather than dam size, and it drives design criteria and filing duties alike. Classification criteria →
3. Does it need an emergency action plan?
Who must file, when, and what the recurring duty is. EAP requirements →
Dams by county
| County | Dams | High hazard | Poor/Unsat. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fulton | 144 | 35 | 16 |
| Cobb | 114 | 30 | 8 |
| Harris | 111 | 9 | 3 |
| Carroll | 107 | 20 | 4 |
| Gwinnett | 103 | 32 | 4 |
| Cherokee | 90 | 17 | 9 |
| Coweta | 85 | 9 | 1 |
| Irwin | 81 | 0 | 0 |
| Fayette | 80 | 13 | 6 |
| Tift | 76 | 1 | 0 |
| Henry | 75 | 13 | 3 |
| Colquitt | 74 | 1 | 1 |
Scope. General information about Georgia dam safety regulation, read from primary sources and current as of 2026-08-28. Not an engineering opinion about any specific structure and not legal advice. Requirements change when the legislature amends the Georgia Safe Dams Act of 1978 or the rules are revised — confirm against the current text of O.C.G.A. §§ 12-5-370 et seq. and Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-3-8 (Rules for Dam Safety), and contact the Georgia Environmental Protection Division for a determination that binds.