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Virginia Administrative Code
Title 4. Conservation And Natural Resources
Agency 50. Virginia Soil And Water Conservation Board
Chapter 20. Impounding Structure Regulations
9/12/2024

4VAC50-20-220. Unsafe conditions.

A. No owner shall maintain an unsafe impounding structure. Designation of an impounding structure as unsafe shall be made in accordance with § 10.1-607.1 of the Code of Virginia.

B. Imminent danger.

1. If an owner or the owner's engineer has determined that circumstances are impacting the integrity of the impounding structure that could result in the imminent failure of the impounding structure, temporary repairs may be initiated prior to approval from the board. The owner shall notify the department within 24 hours of identifying the circumstances impacting the integrity of the impounding structure. Such emergency notification shall not relieve the owner of the need to obtain an alteration permit as soon as may be practicable, nor shall the owner take action beyond that necessary to address the emergency situation.

2. When the director finds that an impounding structure is unsafe and constitutes an imminent danger to life or property, he shall immediately notify the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and confer with the owner who shall activate the Emergency Action Plan or Emergency Preparedness Plan if appropriate to do so. The owner of an impounding structure found to constitute an imminent danger to life or property shall take immediate corrective action to remove the imminent danger as required by § 10.1-608 of the Code of Virginia.

C. Nonimminent danger. The owner of an impounding structure who has been issued findings and recommendations, by the board, for the correction of deficiencies that may threaten life or property if not corrected, shall undertake to implement the recommendations for correction of deficiencies according to a schedule of implementation contained in that report as required by § 10.1-609 of the Code of Virginia. A dam owner may submit to the board his own plan, consistent with this chapter, to address the recommendations for correction of deficiencies and the schedule of implementation contained in the department's safety inspection report. The board shall determine if the submitted plan and schedule are sufficient to address deficiencies.

Statutory Authority

§ 10.1-605 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR625-01-00 § 4.5, eff. February 1, 1989; amended, Virginia Register Volume 18, Issue 14, eff. July 1, 2002; Volume 24, Issue 25, eff. September 26, 2008; Volume 27, Issue 6, eff. December 22, 2010.

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