In this subchapter, the following definitions apply:
(1) Board The term Board means a National Dam Safety Review Board established under section
467f (f) of this title.
(2) Dam The term dam
(A) means any artificial barrier that has the ability to impound water, wastewater, or any liquid-borne material, for the purpose of storage or control of water, that
(i) is 25 feet or more in height from
(I) the natural bed of the stream channel or watercourse measured at the downstream toe of the barrier; or
(II) if the barrier is not across a stream channel or watercourse, from the lowest elevation of the outside limit of the barrier;
to the maximum water storage elevation; or
(ii) has an impounding capacity for maximum storage elevation of 50 acre-feet or more; but
(B) does not include
(i) a levee; or
(ii) a barrier described in subparagraph (A) that
(I) is 6 feet or less in height regardless of storage capacity; or
(II) has a storage capacity at the maximum water storage elevation that is 15 acre-feet or less regardless of height;
unless the barrier, because of the location of the barrier or another physical characteristic of the barrier, is likely to pose a significant threat to human life or property if the barrier fails (as determined by the Director).
(3) Director
The term Director means the Administrator of FEMA.
(4) Federal agency
The term Federal agency means a Federal agency that designs, finances, constructs, owns, operates, maintains, or regulates the construction, operation, or maintenance of a dam.
(5) Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety
The term Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety means the FEMA publication, numbered 93 and dated June 1979, that defines management practices for dam safety at all Federal agencies.
(6) FEMA
The term FEMA means the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(7) Hazard reduction
The term hazard reduction means the reduction in the potential consequences to life and property of dam failure.
(8) ICODS The term ICODS means the Interagency Committee on Dam Safety established by section
467e of this title.
(9) Program The term Program means the national dam safety program established under section
467f of this title.
(10) State
The term State means each of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other territory or possession of the United States.
(11) State dam safety agency
The term State dam safety agency means a State agency that has regulatory authority over the safety of non-Federal dams.
(12) State dam safety program The term State dam safety program means a State dam safety program approved and assisted under section
467f (e) of this title.
(13) United States
The term United States, when used in a geographical sense, means all of the States.
