Virginia Dam Safety Requirements
What the Dam Safety Act and Virginia Impounding Structure Regulations, 4VAC50-20 actually require of a dam owner in Virginia — 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.
Virginia regulates dams under Va. Code §§ 10.1-604 et seq. (Dam Safety Act) and Virginia Impounding Structure Regulations, 4VAC50-20, administered by the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board, administered by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).
Virginia can regulate a six-foot dam, and puts a number on what counts as a major roadway: more than 400 vehicles AADT.
Virginia by the numbers
| Measure | Count |
|---|---|
| Total dams | 2,712 |
| High hazard | 452 |
| — with no EAP recorded | 37 (8.2%) |
| High hazard rated Poor | 59 |
| High hazard rated Unsatisfactory | 7 |
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. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albemarle | 164 | 21 | 10 |
| Loudoun | 98 | 16 | 4 |
| Bedford | 97 | 13 | 3 |
| Hanover | 91 | 4 | 1 |
| Goochland | 88 | 5 | 2 |
| Pittsylvania | 87 | 7 | 3 |
| Caroline | 81 | 6 | 12 |
| Fauquier | 80 | 8 | 4 |
| Chesterfield | 76 | 11 | 1 |
| Fairfax | 75 | 29 | 1 |
| Powhatan | 71 | 2 | 4 |
| Halifax | 63 | 0 | 1 |
Scope. General information about Virginia 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 Dam Safety Act or the rules are revised — confirm against the current text of Va. Code §§ 10.1-604 et seq. and Virginia Impounding Structure Regulations, 4VAC50-20, and contact the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board for a determination that binds.