R655-11-2. Purpose and Scope

A. The following minimum design requirements will serve as a guide to the owner's engineer. It should be noted that these are minimum requirements for general conditions and may be changed when dealing with a specific structure. Designs below the minimum requirements must be approved in writing by the State Engineer prior to final design submittal of the project. The design requirements are quite rigid, allowing little latitude in the utilization of new materials and unproven construction methods. The burden to show adequate protection of public interests with the use of new materials or unproven methods rests with the owner's engineer.

B. The following minimum design requirements apply to all proposed dams where applicable. Since the vast majority of dams in the state are earthfill or rockfill dams, the focus of the design criteria is on these dams. Specific structural design criteria for concrete dams is not given. The State Engineer, upon approval in writing, will accept structural design criteria for concrete dams developed by other dam regulatory or dam design agencies, providing it reflects state-of-the-art criteria for the design of concrete dams and does not conflict with the following rules.