RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Gov. Glenn Youngkin has signed a proclamation recognizing May 31 as Dam Safety Awareness Day in Virginia.

Virginia’s Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) reports that there are over 2,500 dams across the Commonwealth, with 527 classified as high-hazard or likely high-hazard dams.

“Although these dams could pose significant risks to life and property if they failed, most high-hazard dams are well-maintained,” stated a DCR release on Thursday. “They are essential for flood control, water supply, fisheries, and recreational purposes.”

The safety of dams can be affected by several factors, such as heavy rainfall, inadequate maintenance, and aging infrastructure. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ National Inventory of Dams, the average age of dams in Virginia is 76 years.

“Dam Safety Awareness Day serves as a reminder of the critical importance of dam safety and the collective responsibility of individuals and communities to ensure the integrity of dams,” said DCR Director Matthew Wells.

The chosen date memorializes the historic failure of the South Fork Dam in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in 1889.

To learn more about dams and dam safety in Virginia, visit the DCR website.