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3 traverse rough terrain, steep slopes, remote locations, and long distances.  Keen observation skills.  Willingness and motivation to get dirty and wet!  Good documentation and report writing skills. Preparing for Your Inspection The inspection begins long before arriving on site. The well-prepared inspector begins by becoming familiar with site access, design features, construction history, inspection history, and even the type of weather that may be encountered during the inspection. Assemble Inspection Team – Review the previous inspection reports to see if an additional engineer with structural, geotechnical, or hydraulic experience may be needed to round out the inspection team. Contact Regulatory Agency – It is worth a quick phone call to the appropriate oversight agency to verify regulatory requirements for inspection (such as a mandatory outlet inspection or concrete condition survey). Review Recent Weather – Ponded water may not always be a sign of potential seepage. Knowing if the site has recently experienced precipitation events may give the inspector important clues during the inspection. Review Previous Checklists – Become familiar with what previous inspectors have identified, repairs that have been recommended, and status of completion. Review Drawings or Construction Documentation – Understanding how the dam was designed or constructed can help identify where potential problems may exist. Note the locations of drainage outlets and instrumentation. Review Potential Failure Modes – Reviewing the potential failure modes specific to your dam will help focus your efforts on specific components of the dam. Coordinate with Owner/Operator – Discuss with the owner in advance any activities that can be undertaken to make your inspection more efficient. Can a survey be performed to evaluate differential movement or settlement of structures? Does the stilling basin need to be dewatered? Can the owner operate through the full gate range? Do they need to notify water users of an impending gate closure? What about mandatory minimum releases – will someone get in hot water if you temporarily dewater the stream? Request seepage weirs be cleaned to collect accurate readings. Request that tall grasses and vegetation be removed prior to inspection. It’s a lot easier finding a crack or an animal burrow when you’re not staring through 3- to 4-foot tall grass (Photo 3)! Photo 3: The importance of mowing before an inspection. Review Instrumentation Data – Piezometers and seepage weirs are the first indication that something may have changed. Print out in advance a location map, simple plots, and key information for each piezometer to take with you. Having this information available will help you during the inspection. It’s a perfect opportunity to make sure that your survey points haven’t walked off with the public. Assemble Necessary Equipment – It is very important to plan out what equipment you may need for an inspection before you get there, especially if your dam is remote! Equipment may include all or some of the following (Photo 4): Photo 4: Typical inspection equipment.  Inspection form (click here for more information), notebook, clipboard, pencil  Camera, GPS, cell phone, rangefinder Before After