RICHMOND, Va. – Governor Abigail Spanberger has issued a proclamation recognizing May 31 as Dam Safety Awareness Day in Virginia, highlighting the role dams play in protecting communities, supporting water supply, and providing recreation across the Commonwealth while emphasizing the importance of proper maintenance, operation, and public awareness.
National Dam Safety Awareness Day honors the lives lost during the catastrophic failure of the South Fork Dam in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, on May 31, 1889. The Johnstown disaster killed over 2,000 people and remains the worst dam-related disaster in the history of the United States. It serves as a reminder that dam infrastructure must be safely designed and maintained.
Virginia is home to more than 2,400 regulated dams, many of which are privately owned. These structures can provide benefits like flood control and water storage. However, aging infrastructure, changing weather patterns, and increased downstream development underscore the need for vigilance and proactive dam safety practices…