A new audit from the New York State Comptroller’s Office has identified significant gaps in the Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) oversight of dam safety, raising concerns over public safety and regulatory compliance.
The audit, which reviewed DEC’s management of dam safety from January 2020 through October 2024, found that many dam owners across the state have failed to submit required safety documentation, including Emergency Action Plans, Engineering Assessments, and Annual Certifications. The report warns that without stricter enforcement, the risk of dam failures—and their potentially catastrophic consequences—remains high.
Among the audit’s key findings:
- Lack of Emergency Action Plans: Of the 843 Hazard Class B and C dams evaluated, 158 (19%) did not have an Emergency Action Plan on file. Even among the dams that did have plans, 67% lacked recent updates, with some plans being more than a decade old.
- Deficient Engineering Assessments: Nearly a third (33%) of these high-risk dams did not have a required Engineering Assessment on record, while 15% of those that did were outdated.
- Missing Annual Certifications: Fourteen percent of dams had no Annual Certification on file, and over a third (34%) had not submitted a recent certification.
DEC is responsible for regulating approximately 6,500 dams across New York, ensuring that they meet safety standards to prevent flooding and structural failure. Hazard Class B and C dams—those that pose the greatest risk to lives and property if they fail—are subject to stricter regulations, but the audit found that enforcement has been inconsistent.
The report also highlights that 26% of the state’s most hazardous dams have not been assigned a condition rating, a critical step in evaluating their structural integrity and determining necessary repairs. Furthermore, DEC has fallen behind in conducting timely inspections, with some inspections delayed by over a year.
In response, the audit recommends that DEC strengthen enforcement measures, increase the frequency of inspections, and establish clear timelines for completing inspection reports. The agency has acknowledged the findings and indicated it will take steps to improve oversight.
With aging infrastructure and increasing extreme weather events, the audit underscores the urgency of addressing these deficiencies before they lead to potential disasters.
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