That incident prompted passage of a Federal law on dam safety, but the law covers only the largest, government-owned structures.

During construction the dam design has been modified to allow it to withstand a 1:10,000 year flood and to improve dam safety.

About 800 employees work in activities like dam safety and licensing that do not have counterparts in other regulatory agencies.

In 1984, the dam was modified to reinforce dam safety and to ensure better flood protection.

Requires the FEMA to implement a dam safety improvements implementation plan, provide assistance to States for dam safety programs, and provide training for dam safety.

Some of the incidents involved criminal activities, like theft; others appeared to stem from brazen negligence, like an inspector's repeated photocopying of the same weekly report on dam safety.

"We've got a situation that could be very bad," said Richard L. Konsella, the chief of dam safety and flood control projects at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Behind the News - The disaster highlighted the problems of dam safety in Hawaii and throughout the United States.

We would like specific provisions on dam safety which directly address these accidents.

He is calling on officials to lobby against a federal designation the city needs to avoid building a $10 billion filtration system unless the city satisfactorily addresses dam safety and flood control issues.