Governor of California, Jerry Brown, has signed legislation that will require annual inspections for high hazard dams, with new standards set for inspection.
The legislation, AB 1270 by Assembly member James M. Gallagher (R-Yuba City), comes following the Oroville Dam incident of February 2017. It implements several of the recommendations put forward by experts who analyzed the incident.
The legislation would require inspections every year for dams that are considered significant, high or extremely high hazards, with inspections every two years for low hazard dams. It also calls for periodic reviews of design and construction records, and yearly testing of spillway functions.
