Innovations & dam safety | A vision for the future


The Association of State Dam Safety Officials says it is working towards the vison of a future where every one of the US’ dams is safe. Here we take a look at some of the topical areas of interest within this section of the industry


Below: Dam Owner Academy Video Preview. ASDSO launched this YouTube series a few years ago. Grady Hillhouse from Practical Engineering is the host


Bottom: Dam Model Competition Winners at Dam Safety 2023, Wyoming Indian Elementary School


THE US’ NATIONAL DAM Safety Programme plays a critical role in preventing and protecting downstream communities from the effects of dam failure, reducing dam operating costs, and making sure that dams across the country continue to provide critical water management services. The dam safety community’s federal legislative priority for 2024 is to reauthorise and amend the National Dam Safety Programme Act. As such, on 10 January 2024, Representatives Edwards and Kuster introduced the new House bill H.R. 6931. This is almost identical to its Senate companion, S. 3111, introduced in October 2023, with the difference being the House version introduces a limit on how much a state can receive through the State Assistance Grant programme – to US$4 federal dollars to every US$1 a state spends on its own dam safety programme. This means no state can receive more than four times its own dam safety programme budget through this grant. Although an improvement over current law, which the Federal Emergency Management


Agency interprets as limiting the grant to no more than 50% of a state’s dam safety budget, the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) did advocate for a complete removal of the maximum amount of allocation, as is the case with S. 3111. However ASDSO believes that should it pass, it would not have a significant impact on how much states can receive through the state assistance grant programme. In addition to the five-year reauthorisation, the other amendments sought through these companion bills are:


Addition of a definition of small, underserved community which is defined as a community of 50,000 or less with a median income of no more than 80% of the median income for the state where the community is located. Communities fitting this description would be exempt from the current 35% federal cost share requirement. Further clarification of what a floodplain management plan should be and removal of the requirement to provide one for dam removal projects funded through the High Hazard Potential Dams Rehabilitation Grant Programme. Clarification of operation and maintenance responsibility for owners of high hazard potential dams.


Low-head dams Congressman Chuck Edwards represents North


Carolina’s 11th district which is home to more than 750 dams, many of which are in poor or unsatisfactory condition. Along with the National Dam Safety Programme Amendment Act, Edwards also introduced the Low-Head Dam Inventory Act supported by Congressman Patrick Ryan. “Western North Carolina, with its many lakes and rivers, must remain at the forefront of dam safety,” says Congressman Edwards, “and the Low-Head Dam Inventory Act and National Dam Safety Program Amendment Act would make sure of that. To prevent catastrophic dam failures and protect downstream communities, we must provide federal support for the nearly 92,000 dams that serve critical functions across our nation. By improving dam safety efforts, we can protect lives and make sure that dams continue to provide the services that Americans depend on.” Low-head dams are manmade structures built in rivers or stream channels, spanning from bank to bank, to direct the flow of water or change the height of water levels. There is currently no process in place to keep track of the quantity, condition, or location of these structures across the US. The Low-Head Dam Inventory Act would require that low-head dams be added to the National Inventory of Dams to keep track of their location and condition, specifically high-hazard ones, and make


22 | March 2024 | www.waterpowermagazine.com


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