• If you own a dam with a reservoir that provides public benefits, DNRC will consider sharing the costs of completing your Five-Year Dam Evaluation. DNRC has been cost-sharing these inspections since 2024 and has allocated all remaining funds for dams with 2026 inspections. We are excited to announce that the Montana Legislature passed, and Gov. Gianforte signed, HB 924, which provides state funds for inspection assistance. This program will be administered by CARDD and is expected to be running by July 1, 2027. 
• DNRC has hired an engineering contractor to develop improved Operation & Maintenance (O&M) Manual guidance and templates. Phase I is nearly complete. For Phase II, we will hire engineering contractors to work one-on-one with dam owners to produce quality dam Operation & Maintenance (O&M) Manuals.
• The Montana Association of Dam and Canal Systems (MADCS) is an important resource for dam owners. Comprised mainly of irrigators and small municipalities, financial support is needed to continue their mission. DNRC will use the grant to ensure continued success of the organization. For more information, please go to MADCS.org
• Dam owners are responsible for inspecting their dams between five-year inspections. During the listening session, dam owners asked for Improved Owner Inspection Tools to assist with this task. DNRC plans to hire a contractor to produce improved inspection forms and templates. In addition, DNRC will purchase outlet conduit cameras and confined space entry equipment, locating these in regional offices for dam owners to borrow. 
• There is broad agreement that Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) need improvement. Many dams have old, hard to read inundation maps, and the federal template used to develop the EAPs is too complex to be practical in an emergency. In the EAP Modernization Project, for Phase I, DNRC has hired a contractor to develop modernized EAP templates and guidance applicable to the unique characteristics of Montana dams. These are available here: https://dnrc.mt.gov/Water-Resources/Dam-Safety/Emergency-Action-Plans. Our contractor also prioritized dams for EAP updates. For Phase II, DNRC will hire engineering contractors to work one-on-one with dam owners and county emergency managers to produce EAPs specific to the dam, the county, the downstream area, and the dam owner.

• DNRC will hire engineering contractors to complete much of the work funded with this grant. DNRC can contract with engineering firms who have been prequalified to do work for us through the 2025 - 2027 biennium. DNRC will hire contractors for each of the following porjects. For additional information, please read the "Grant Projects" portion of this webpage.
• Five-Year Dam Evaluation Project: DNRC will contract directly with the engineering firm to support work on the Five-Year Engineer's Safety Evaluation.
• For the O&M Enhancement Project and EAP Modernization Project, DNRC has hired contractors to develop updated templates and guidance for both projects. For Phase II of these projects, engineering firms will work one-on-one with dam owners to update their O&M manuals and EAPs. DNRC will contract directly with these engineering firms.
• For the Dam Owner Tools, DNRC will contract with an engineering firm to develop updated inspection and photo forms. We will also purchase additional outlet inspection sleds for engineers and dam owners to use across the state.
• The Montana Association of Dam & Canal Systems also provides valuable training opportunities to engineers! This grant funding assures continued financial support of the MADCS annual workshop.

• Dam Emergency Action plans will be improved to reflect resources available within the county to respond to dam emergencies.
• Inundation maps will be modernized and improved in collaboration with county emergency managers.
• DNRC facilitated dam emergency exercises will be available to counties, upon request.

If you own a DNRC regulated high hazard dam with a reservoir that provides public benefits, DNRC will consider sharing the costs of completing your Five-Year Dam Evaluation. 

To request assistance, please email or mail a letter to DNRC Dam Safety Program Manager Brent Zundel (bzundel@mt.gov) describing the public benefits of the reservoir and details of the planned Five Year Evaluation.  Instructions and other important information are contained in the following document: 

Five Year Dam Evaluation Expense Assistance Request Instructions

• The goal of this program is to provide financial assistance to owners of DNRC-regulated high hazard dams with Five Year Evaluation expenses, as set forth in the Administrative Rules of Montana ARM 36.14.6 Five Year Dam Evaluations. Funding is through a FEMA grant to DNRC.

• To be eligible for the funding, the dam/reservoir must provide clear public benefits. Wildlife habitat without associated public access does not qualify as a public benefit for this program.

• Dam owners are responsible for expenses related to the visual inspection and other components of the Operation Permit Application (EAP & O&M update). DNRC will pay for expenses related to the Engineer’s Evaluation & Report.

• DNRC will contract directly with your engineer. Your engineer must accept the standard contract language in the State of Montana’s contracts. For more information and example contracts, please go to: https://dnrc.mt.gov/Water-Resources/WOB/Contracting_DNRC_WOB

• In order to be eligible for inspection assistance funding, dam owners must select contractors who have been pre-qualified through DNRC's procurement process. DNRC has a list of qualified contractors that has been distributed to dam owners with inspection due in 2025 and is available upon request.

• The DNRC contract will require engineers to use the Safety Evaluation Report Template available at: https://dnrc.mt.gov/Water-Resources/Dam-Safety/Engineer-Evaluations

• The limit of billable hours that can be contracted with DNRC has been increased compared to 2024, based on feedback from dam owners and engineers who participated. The new limit depends on the type of dam:
  
  

  Dam Type	Maximum Billable Hours
  Low-Consequence Dam[1]	40
  High-Consequence Dam[1]	50
  Reservoir System or Flood Control System[2]	70

  [1]According to a 2022 credible risk analysis performed for DNRC, dams with less than 100 population at risk (PAR) during a normal pool failure are classified as low consequence, and dams with greater than 100 PAR during a normal pool failure are classified as high consequence.
  [2]For the purposes of the Inspection Assistance Program, DNRC will treat a Reservoir System as one reservoir with multiple dams or dikes. DNRC will also group multiple dams that consist of a Flood Control System.

• Funds are limited and DNRC reserves the right to prioritize requests. Submitting a request does not guarantee funding will be available. This assistance is provided using federal funds and is therefore subject to continuing availability of those federal funds.

• An engineer’s failure to perform does not relieve the dam owner of their responsibility to provide an adequate Five-Year Evaluation report. It is important for dam owners to verify your engineer has the knowledge, skills, and abilities to complete a Five-Year Evaluation. For more information on hiring an engineer, please refer to: https://dnrc.mt.gov/Water-Resources/Dam-Safety/For-Dam-Owners

Questions?  Please refer to: Questions you may have about the Five Year Evaluation Expense Assistance Program.  You may also contact any Dam Safety Program staff member; our contact information is listed at the bottom of this page.

DNRC has templates and information available to help dam owners conduct their annual inspections on the following web page: For-Dam-Owners

Dam Owners have requested improved resources for documenting the inspections, including easier to use inspection and photo forms, the ability to customize the forms according to the dam and developing apps for tablets and phones that make recording an inspection easier. Other requests include developing improved methods for archive and documenting photos and providing confined space entry forms and information. 

To Dam Owners:  What are your requests?  What can DNRC do to make your annual owner inspections more efficient?   Please email us your ideas (contact info below).  

Doug Brugger, PE - Interim Water Operations Bureau Chief (406) 444-1300

Brent Zundel, PE - Dam Safety Program Manager                 (406) 556-4508

Chad Hill - Dam Safety Engineering Specialist                       (406) 444-1358

Sam Johnson, PE - Dam Safety Construction Engineer        (406) 247-4423

Mickey Navidomskis, PE - Engineering Services Supervisor  (406) 542-5885

Linda Winn - Billings Regional Engineer                                    (406) 256-7660

Peri Turk, PE - Helena Regional Engineer                                 (406) 444-1872

Ryan Murphy, PE - Lewistown Regional Engineer                    (406) 535-1926

Larry Schock - Missoula Regional Engineer                            (406) 542-5885

Mickey Navidomskis, PE - Havre Regional Engineer              (406) 542-5885