Board staff warn of dam-safety funding gap; FEMA grant requires county sponsorship or other government partnership

Division staff updated the board on dam-safety grant funding, projected projects, and recent developments with a FEMA grant intended to supplement state dam-safety funds.

Tom Cox and Ben Merritt outlined funding projections and an inventory of high-hazard dams. Tom said the legislature has provided ongoing dam-safety funding ($3.8 million per year) and periodic one-time appropriations; the most recent one-time appropriation was $25 million in fiscal year 2024, leaving an approximate balance of $12.9 million in the one-time pot and about $9.6 million in ongoing funds as of the briefing projection. Cox noted that a single large project can exceed the annual ongoing appropriation and that, given construction timelines, projections are inherently…