Dam Safety Awareness Day

By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:

WHEREAS, National Dam Safety Awareness Day was established to memorialize the South Fork Dam failure in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, that occurred on May 31, 1889; and

WHEREAS, the South Fork Dam failure was the worst dam-related disaster in our nation’s history, and more than 2,200 lives were lost; and

WHEREAS, National Dam Safety Awareness Day is intended to highlight potential dangers of improperly constructed or maintained dams across the United States; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation is the state agency responsible for regulation of dams in Virginia; and

WHEREAS, to ensure the protection of life and property, owners of regulated dams are required by state law to properly construct, alter, and operate their dams; and

WHEREAS, there are more than 2,600 regulated dams in Virginia, the majority of which are privately owned; and

WHEREAS, dams in Virginia range from low-to-high hazard depending on their size, location, and downstream development; and

WHEREAS, by 2025, according to the Association of State Dam Safety officials, seven in ten dams will be 50 years or older; and

WHEREAS, Governor Youngkin has prioritized addressing aging or deficient dams in Virginia and the risks they present to the public; and

WHEREAS, all owners, governmental officials, first responders, emergency management personnel, downstream residents, and citizens should be aware of the importance of dam safety and the need to properly maintain and operate dams;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize May 31, 2023, as DAM SAFETY AWARENESS DAY in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of our citizens.

Governor of Virginia

Proclamations