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How to select a dam safety engineer

Owners of public and private dams will occasionally need to hire a professional engineering design consultant. Dams regulated under Part 315, Dam Safety and Part 307, Legal Lake Levels are required to be inspected by a licensed engineer. Dam reconstruction, repair, modifications, and removal projects require design plans and specifications prepared by a licensed engineer.

Michigan’s Dam Safety Consultants Registry is a list of engineering consultants that do dam safety work in Michigan.

One established method often used by public agencies for hiring a technical consultant for project work is the Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) process. This selection process is straightforward and easy to implement, and can be modified to be used by private dam owners.

It’s important to hire a dam safety professional that is qualified, knowledgeable, and who can be a trusted resource throughout the duration of the task or project.

The dam owner should start with a preliminary scope of work and a desired time frame. When contacting a prospective engineering consultant, the dam owner should ask questions to understand the consultant’s qualifications and their ability to complete the work within the desired timeframe and budget.