Spotlight | From D to D+
America’s infrastructure earns best grade yet in 2025 ASCE report card, with dams moving from D to D+, but challenges remain
FOR THE FIRST TIME since the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) began issuing its Infrastructure Report Card in 1998, the nation’s infrastructure has received an overall grade of C. The 2025 assessment, released on March 25, marks a modest but meaningful improvement over the C- assigned in 2021. While the latest evaluation highlights progress, it also underscores persistent challenges, particularly in critical sectors such as dam safety, where aging infrastructure and underfunded programs pose serious risks to communities across the country.
A mixed bag: where infrastructure
Below: In May 2020, a section of the embankment to the left of this spillway on the Edenville Dam gave way, sending a surge of water downstream that overtopped and destroyed the Sanford Dam. (Courtesy of EGLE Water Resources Division)
stands in 2025 The ASCE’s grading system evaluates various infrastructure categories based on condition, capacity, funding, and resilience. The 2025 report found that eight sectors improved their grades, seven remained unchanged, and two experienced a decline. While the incremental improvements reflect increased investment from recent federal initiatives, experts caution that continued funding shortfalls could erode progress in the coming years. One of the most scrutinized categories in the report is the nation’s dams. Although the grade for dams improved slightly from a D to a D+, the funding and maintenance backlog remains alarming. The cost of bringing these structures to a state of good repair is estimated at over $165 billion, yet current federal investment levels fall far short of meeting this demand.
The state of America’s dams The US is home to over 92,000 dams, which play
a crucial role in generating hydroelectric power, supplying drinking water, and protecting communities from flooding. However, nearly 17,000 of these dams are classified as high hazard potential, meaning that failure could result in significant loss of life and property damage. Despite their importance, America’s dams are aging rapidly. The average dam is over 60 years old, and by 2025, seven out of ten will have surpassed the half-century mark. Many of these structures were not designed to withstand modern-day challenges, including climate change-driven extreme weather events, growing downstream populations, and increased flood risks. Moreover, climate change has exacerbated these vulnerabilities. According to meteorological data, heavy rainfall events have increased in both frequency and intensity, leading to higher stress levels on dam structures. The failures of the Edenville Dam in Michigan in 2020 and the Rapidan Dam in Minnesota in 2024 serve as stark reminders of what can happen when dam maintenance is deferred.
Funding gaps and legislative shortfalls The financial needs for dam rehabilitation are
staggering. Between 2024 and 2033, the ASCE estimates that $185 billion is needed to maintain and upgrade the country’s dam infrastructure. However, only $20 billion in funding has been allocated for this period, leaving a $166 billion gap that could leave many dams vulnerable to failure. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), passed in 2021, provided a much-needed boost with approximately $3 billion earmarked for dam safety programs. However, $364 million of that funding was later redirected for other purposes, highlighting the ongoing struggle to secure dedicated resources for infrastructure upkeep. Additionally, federal dam safety programs continue to receive annual appropriations well below their authorized funding levels. “The trend is in the right direction,” said Darren Olson, P.E., BC.WRE,
M.ASCE, the chair of ASCE’s Committee on America’s Infrastructure, which produces the report card. “I think we’ve been very successful since (1998) in working with our elected officials to talk to them about how poor the condition of our country’s infrastructure had gotten after decades of underinvestment and just how important it (is) — whether you talk about the public welfare, our national economy, public safety — to invest in (it).” The Association of State Dam Safety Officials
(ASDSO) also weighed in on the report. “ASDSO endorses the 2025 ASCE Report Card for America’s Infrastructure released on March 25, 2025. New grades focus on recent improvements across the board reflecting the once-in-a-generation investment
10 | April 2025 |
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