AlabamaSB3782026 Regular SessionSenate

Dam Safety Program; Emergency Management Agency required to administer, agency approval of participating dam construction, modification, or removal required

Sponsored By: Clyde Chambliss (Republican)

Enacted

Buildings, Construction & Infrastructure

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.

Hazardous dams require emergency safety plans

Beginning October 1, 2026, small barriers remain covered by the dam safety law when classified as high hazard. Otherwise, barriers no more than 6 feet high or holding no more than 15 acre-feet are excluded. Participating owners of high- or significant-hazard dams and reservoirs must file emergency action plans with the Alabama Emergency Management Agency. An engineer must prepare each plan with the Director of Emergency Management or the Director’s chosen representative. Owners must periodically test and update plans, put them into action, and notify the agency when they determine an emergency exists.

Alabama centralizes dam safety oversight

Beginning October 1, 2026, the Alabama Emergency Management Agency runs the Alabama Dam Safety Program. It must seek federal, state, and private funds, including federal emergency management grants; no funding amount is guaranteed. It must work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to include relevant Alabama dams in national dam inventories. Before the 15th legislative day of the 2027 Regular Session, it must submit an implementation plan aligned with the National Dam Safety Program. The Governor, Legislature, and House and Senate general fund committee chairs must receive the plan and a statement of operational, financial, and legislative needs.

Public access to dam records limited

Beginning October 1, 2026, dam and reservoir records kept under this law by state or local emergency management agencies are not public documents. This limits public access to those records. Local agencies must transfer their records and information to the Alabama Dam Safety Program before January 1, 2027. They may keep copies for emergency response.

Dam owners face reviews and fees

Beginning October 1, 2026, participating owners need Alabama Emergency Management Agency approval before building, rebuilding, enlarging, changing, repairing, or operating dams or reservoirs, or breaching, abandoning, or removing them. Owners must submit plans signed and sealed by the design engineer. The agency must adopt program rules and may charge fees needed to cover its costs; no amount is set. Local emergency management agencies must also adopt implementation rules, including approval procedures and cost-covering fees. An engineer must inspect participating dams and reservoirs at least every 4 years, certify completion to the state agency, and give owners the inspection record. For state-owned dams and reservoirs, inspections are required only while owners have obtained enough legislative funding or relevant grants. The law also sets ownership-transfer procedures and leaves owners’ and operators’ legal duties, liabilities, and immunities unchanged.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Clyde Chambliss
Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 160 • No: 0

House vote • 4/9/2026

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1328

Yes: 94 • No: 0 • Other: 5

Senate vote • 4/2/2026

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1123

Yes: 33 • No: 0