# Washington — Dam safety hazard classification, inspection frequency, and owner obligations by US state

For Washington, hazard classification is High; classification criteria is located in areas where dam failure poses a risk for loss of life; inspection frequency is every five years; mandatory is yes; inspector qualification is dam safety engineers, recorded from its source on 2026-08-18.

- **State:** Washington _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Hazard classification:** High _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Classification criteria:** located in areas where dam failure poses a risk for loss of life _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Inspection frequency:** every five years _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Mandatory:** yes _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Inspector qualification:** dam safety engineers _(verified: appears in the quote below)_

## What the source says

> Periodic inspections are conducted on existing "significant hazard" or "high hazard" dams — those located in areas where dam failure poses a risk for loss of life. The inspections are intended to identify deficiencies and to reasonably assure safe operation and confirm that maintenance is being adequately performed. Our dam safety engineers perform these inspections every five years.

## Source

- https://ecology.wa.gov/water-shorelines/water-supply/dams/info-for-dam-owners/inspections

Last verified: 2026-08-18. Review by: 2027-08-18.
Part of [Dam safety hazard classification, inspection frequency, and owner obligations by US state](https://referencesource.org/state-dam-safety-classification/).