WAC 173-175-010. Purpose and authority

These regulations provide for the comprehensive regulation and supervision of dams in order to reasonably secure safety to life and property pursuant to chapters 43.21A , 43.27A, 86.16, 90.03, 90.28, and 90.54 RCW. The purposes of these regulations are to: (1) Designate the types of dams to which these regulations are applicable; (2) Provide for the design, construction, operation, maintenance, and supervision of dams in a manner consistent with accepted engineering practice; (3) Establish and administer a program for permitting of construction work for new dams and for modifications of existing dams; (4) Establish a fee schedule based on dam size that will reflect the actual cost to the department of engineering review of plans and specifications and for construction inspections; (5) Establish the requirements and owner responsibilities for developing and executing plans for operation and maintenance, owner inspection and emergency actions; and (6) Establish a program for the periodic inspection by the department of existing dams, and a fee schedule for these inspections based on downstream hazard classification and frequency of inspections. This fee schedule will reflect the actual cost to the department.