The licensee of any dam or other project work classified as having a high or significant hazard potential, as defined in § 12.3(b)(13)(i) and (ii), is required to submit an Owner's Dam Safety Program to the Regional Engineer.

For purposes of this subpart F:

(a) Chief Dam Safety Engineer means the designated individual, who is a licensed professional engineer with experience in dam safety, who oversees the implementation of the Owner's Dam Safety Program and has primary responsibility for ensuring the safety of the licensee's dam(s) and other project works.

(b) Chief Dam Safety Coordinator means the designated individual, who is not required to be a licensed professional engineer, who oversees the implementation of the Owner's Dam Safety Program and has primary responsibility for ensuring the safety of the licensee's dam(s) and other project works.

(a) The Owner's Dam Safety Program shall designate either a Chief Dam Safety Engineer or Chief Dam Safety Coordinator, as defined in § 12.61. Any Owner's Dam Safety Program that includes one or more dams or other project works classified as having a high hazard potential, as defined in § 12.3(b)(13)(i), shall designate a Chief Dam Safety Engineer.

(b) The Owner's Dam Safety Program must be signed by the Owner and, as applicable, the Chief Dam Safety Engineer or the Chief Dam Safety Coordinator.

(c) The Owner's Dam Safety Program must be reviewed and updated on a periodic basis as described in § 12.64 and, if applicable, must undergo an independent external audit or peer review as described in § 12.65.

(d) The Owner may delegate to others, such as consultants, the work of establishing and implementing the Owner's Dam Safety Program and the role of Chief Dam Safety Engineer or Chief Dam Safety Coordinator, as applicable.

(1) If the role of Chief Dam Safety Engineer or Chief Dam Safety Coordinator is delegated to an outside party who does not oversee the day-to-day implementation of the Owner's Dam Safety Program, the Owner must designate an individual responsible for overseeing the day-to-day implementation.

(2) Any delegation made in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section must be documented in the Owner's Dam Safety Program.

(3) The Owner retains ultimate responsibility for the safety of the dam(s) and other project works covered by the Owner's Dam Safety Program.

The Owner's Dam Safety Program shall contain, at a minimum, the following sections:

(a) Dam safety policy, objectives, and expectations;

(b) Responsibilities for dam safety;

(c) Dam safety training program;

(d) Communication, coordination, reporting, and reports;

(e) Record keeping and databases; and

(f) Continuous improvement.

The Owner's Dam Safety Program, and the implementation thereof, shall be reviewed at least once annually by the licensee's dam safety staff and discussed with senior management of the Owner's organization. The licensee shall submit the results of the annual review, including findings, analysis, corrective measures, and/or revisions to the Owner's Dam Safety Program, to the Regional Engineer.

(a) Applicability. For licensees of one or more dams or other project works classified as having a high hazard potential, as defined in § 12.3(b)(13)(i), an independent external audit or peer review of the Owner's Dam Safety Program, and the implementation thereof, shall be performed at an interval not to exceed five years.

(b) Qualifications. A statement of qualifications for the proposed auditor(s) or peer review team that demonstrates independence from the licensee and its affiliates shall be submitted to the Regional Engineer for review, and written acceptance thereof must be obtained from the Regional Engineer prior to performing the audit or peer review.

(c) Reporting. (1) The auditor(s) or peer review team shall document their findings in a report.

(2) The report on the audit or peer review shall be reviewed by the Owner, Chief Dam Safety Engineer or Chief Dam Safety Coordinator, and management having responsibility in the area(s) audited or reviewed.

(3) The report on the audit or peer review shall be submitted to the Regional Engineer.