President’s Statement
Sharon K. Tapia, P.E. President
The mission of the association is to “Improve the condition and safety of dams and reduce the consequences associated with dam incidents through education, support for state dam safety programs, and fostering a unified dam safety community.”
Over this last year, the association, its Board of Directors, and a vast number of dedicated volunteers made great strides in advancing and completing nearly 94 percent of projects and initiatives to support Year 2 of the 20222027 Strategic Plan. This work would not have been possible without the financial support of the membership and our federal partners, especially the National Dam Safety Program.
As you review the FY24 Annual Report, please take note of the continued accomplishments made to educate dam owners, who are typically the ones first to recognize an imminent dam safety condition, and to reduce gaps in training and proficiency in the dam safety profession. Some highlights include new videos in the Dam Owner Academy, the rollout of the Dam Safety Toolbox, and the numerous trainings offered through webinars and classroom courses. These accomplishments and many others could not have been achieved without the hard work and time commitments of committees, task forces, and interest groups over this last year. I also want to give a special
acknowledgment to all the volunteers over the last four decades who built solid foundations for us to grow and expand upon today.
I am excited to think about the growth of the association into the next decade in continuing to serve the needs of the dam safety community and preparing us to take on unknown challenges in the future. As we all know, dam failures continue to occur year after year. I encourage everyone to volunteer at any level to support the association. Together, we can continue developing more proactive and comprehensive approaches to dam safety aimed at preventing dam failures and minimizing their impacts on people and the environment.
A Letter to Our Members
I’m happy to present this Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24). If I had to summarize or give a moniker to this past year, it would be The Year of the Volunteer. We have nearly 100 projects underway or completed within our FY24 Action Plan, and most would not be possible without the work, expertise, and dedication of many of you.
Within this Annual Report, you will get a snapshot of these projects and how we are measuring success.
Highlights of the year include the completion of several more dam owner education videos, which will be added to our Dam Owner Academy YouTube™ channel. The new Dam Safety Toolbox is gaining interest with more users and contributors. Our Dam Failures and Incidents Committee is heading up an ambitious project to publish a book, which will be distributed at Dam Safety ’24. The 300plus page book is entitled Dam Failures and Incidents—Essential Lessons for Dam Safety Practitioners. And our Training Programs continue to grow. We continue to advocate for federal and state laws that improve dam safety. Work started in FY24 and continuing into the new fiscal year will hopefully see the reauthorization and improvement of the National Dam Safety Program.
From a financial standpoint, we were able to improve our financial position due to a successful annual conference in Palm Springs – our largest ever – training income,
a growing membership, and the generosity of our sponsors and donors. This enabled us to look at our wish list of projects and add funding for those projects into both the FY24 and FY25 action planning cycles. Thank you, in particular, to the National Dam Safety Program for sponsoring many projects.
Please take a moment to review our work together, and thank you for providing us with your membership dues, volunteer time, and overall support for the mission.
Lori Spragens Executive Director
Directors & Officers
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
President Sharon Tapia, P.E. California
President-Elect
Mia Kannik, P.E. Ohio
Treasurer Everett Taylor, P.E. Utah
Secretary John Roche, P.E. Maryland
Immediate Past President David Griffin, P.E. Georgia
ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES
Chair
Tony Nokovich, P.E. American Water
Vice-Chair
Jennifer Williams, P.E. AECOM
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
Keith Conrad, P.E. Nevada
Jon Eggen, CFM Indiana
Tim Gokie, P.E. Nebraska
David Griffin, P.E. Georgia
William McKercher, P.E. Mississippi
Terry Medley, P.E. Kansas
John Roche, P.E. Maryland
William Salomaa Massachusetts
Ryan Stack, P.E. Missouri
William Vinson, P.E., CPM North Carolina
Ben Wagner, P.E., PMP Alaska
TRANSITIONS
OUTGOING (2023)
Charles Thompson, P.E. New Mexico (Retired)
Benjamin Green, P.E. Vermont
2023-2024 Board of Directors
Tony
Willie
Tim
Jon
Terry
Toby
Keith
Jennifer
Lori
Mia Kannik
David
John
Measuring Our Progress
ASDSO’s yearly activities are planned and tracked using a yearly action plan. The action plan is developed each year using the framework established in ASDSO’s 5-year strategic plan.
The 2022-2027 Strategic Plan is available at DamSafety.org/SP-22.
2022-2027 Strategic Plan: A Roadmap to Success
VISION
A future where all dams are safe.
MISSION
Improve the condition and safety of dams and lower the risk of dam failures through education, support for state dam safety programs, and fostering a unified dam safety community.
GOAL 1 GOAL 2 GOAL 3 GOAL 4 GOAL 5
Improve state dam safety programs.
Develop a cohesive and collaborative dam and levee safety community committed to the ASDSO mission.
How Do We Get There?
Hold forums for information exchange among the states.
Encourage state dam safety programs to move toward Risk Informed Decision Making.
Grow and Retain Membership.
Advance and expand the technical expertise of dam owners and dam and levee safety practitioners.
Develop a communication and membership involvement plan that describes intent and rationale for a progressive approach to addressing ASDSO role in levee issues.
Manage an effective technical training program designed to meet the changing needs of dam owners and dam and levee safety professionals.
Increase public awareness of the role of dams in society, the risks they present and the importance of both dam safety and preparedness for dam failures.
Maintain and update the program of study as a collective resource for dam and levee safety education in the U.S.
Improve public awareness of the risks associated with dams.
Increase the interest & awareness by federal and state lawmakers and administrators so that laws, policies, funding, and programs are in place to reduce the risks associated with dams.
Engage the media to create a proactive and effective partnership to communicate relevant facts about dams and levees and dam and levee risk management policies.
Increase federal funding, support, and leadership to advance dam safety and create effective federal programs by educating and lobbying key lawmakers and policymakers.
Increase the successful implementation of the National Dam Safety Program including the High-Hazard Dam Rehabilitation Grant Program, the successful distribution/use of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds and the successful implementation of other federal loan/grant programs that can be used for non-federal dam rehabilitation.
GOAL 1 GOAL
2 GOAL 3 GOAL 4 GOAL 5
Develop and disseminate best practices to move states toward more comprehensive risk assessment and management.
Provide more detailed clarification on consistent definitions/way of conducting condition assessments to seek eventual consistency among states and with relevant federal programs.
Perform annual benchmarking of state dam safety programs by supporting the annual national state dam safety program performance data call, which collects available data about the performance of state regulatory programs including number of inspections, EAPs, dam repairs, enforcement actions, staffing and budgets, etc.
Use state dam safety performance data to help “tell the story” of the dam safety outlook.
Provide benefits to members enabling them to increase their professional careers and interest in volunteering and maintaining membership.
Complete research projects to identify/rank state program gaps and weaknesses.
Provide peer reviews for state programs annually and upon request.
Improve the Model State Dam Safety Program and provide forums for discussion, training and delivery of best practices to mirror each chapter/appendix of the Model State Dam Safety Program.
Promote dam and levee safety engineering as a career choice to students.
Coordinate with other organizations that provide training in dam safety, security, and emergency management and promote the Program of Study as a collective resource.
Serve as the primary collective resource (onestop shop) for dam and levee safety information.
Maintain strong partnerships with owners and organizations to increase awareness and to advocate for strong dam safety policies.
Ensure the continuity (growth and development) of the organizational leadership (active participants, not always the same people, succession of staff within states).
Recognize individuals and organizations contributing to the advancement of ASDSO or improving dam safety in the U.S.
Serve as the primary collective resource (onestop shop) for dam and levee safety information.
Create and implement a program to increase the awareness of the dangers of recreating around dams.
Promote innovative approaches to funding dam rehabilitation and removal at the state and federal level.
Assist with completion of the national ASCE Report Card on Dams.
Educate and lobby state lawmakers and policymakers about the importance of supporting and strengthening state dam safety programs.
Manage an effective education program for dam and levee owners/ operators to educate them in reducing the risk associated with their dams/ levees.
Manage an effective peer review program for dam owners and non-state regulators.
Assist with completion of state-specific ASCE Chapter Report Cards on Dams.
Increase cooperation and maintain a leadership role on the U.S. Levee Safety Coalition to advance levee safety at state and national levels.
Support continued funding and implementation of the National Levee Safety Program.
Promote the importance of strong state dam programs and coordinate inter-governmental coordination by maintaining lines of communication with the administrators of national/ federal programs that affect dam risk and flood risk management.
GOAL 1 GOAL 2 GOAL 3 GOAL 4 GOAL 5
Provide tools, guidance and forums to assist states with FEMA grant applications, collaboration, and reporting.
Educate states about all federal funding sources for dam rehab.
Support state programs with the implementation of the National Levee Safety Program.
Maintain a leadership program to ensure effective governance of ASDSO over the next 5 years.
GOAL 1: 34 Projects
Improve state dam safety programs.
GOAL 4: 19 Projects
Increase public awareness of the role of dams in society, the risks they present and the importance of both dam safety and preparedness for dam failures.
GOAL 2: 45 Projects
Develop a cohesive and collaborative dam and levee safety community committed to the ASDSO mission.
GOAL 3: 51 Projects
Advance and expand the technical expertise of dam owners and dam and levee safety practitioners.
GOAL 5: 18 Projects
Increase the interest & awareness by federal and state lawmakers and administrators so that laws, policies, funding, and programs are in place to reduce the risks associated with dams.
* Note:
Some Projects are Mapped to More Than One Goal.
Membership
HOW ASDSO SUPPORTS ITS MEMBERS
ASDSO works side-by-side with its members to build a unified community of dam and levee safety experts through the creation of industry standards and best practices. This joint effort provides members with educational opportunities to help build upon their knowledge of core foundational topic areas and the latest technology and practical trends impacting the profession. Additionally, it provides opportunities to educate the general public on issues of concern for dam and levee safety. The community also provides a catalyst for advocacy of legislative policy matters that impact the dam and levee safety community, strengthening its vision and mission. Furthermore, support for future growth in the profession through outreach to students in grades K-12, as well as at collegiate institutions, showcases the benefits of a career in dam and levee safety.
New Podcast Coming Soon
“A Dam Conversation With…”, a new podcast from ASDSO, was developed during FY24 and launched in September 2024. The podcast will be a conversation with industry leaders where stories of career development, lessons learned, industry history, and more will be shared. Thank you to Nicole Chiles, Matt Marquis, Brianna Crotty, Silas Sanderson, and Cory Miyamoto for their hard work developing the new ASDSO Podcast this year.
Download and listen to “A Dam Conversation With…” on your favorite podcast platform!
3430 MEMBERS
Member Benefits
GROW YOUR CAREER
• Professional development through paper publication and presentation forums.
• Gain career knowledge and opportunities from relationships with peers and mentors.
• Opportunities to volunteer for ASDSO task groups, interest groups, and committees.
FORM A PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY
• Collaborate, ASDSO’s professional networking site, provides an opportunity to connect with nearly 3,000 professionals through shared interests and advice.
• Build relationships with members in different sectors of the community, including owners, regulators, educators, and more.
• Opportunities to join or start interest groups.
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE & PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
• Discounted access to ASDSO’s robust training program, including conferences, technical classroom courses, and webinars. New memberships include a complimentary On‑Demand webinar to help you get started.
• Free access to an enormous amount of resource information through the ASDSO’s Dam Safety Resource Database. This includes all past and current ASDSO conference papers and journal articles.
• Keep up to date on current news and trends through the ASDSO member newsletter.
• Receive a subscription to the quarterly Journal of Dam Safety.
• Access to the new Dam Safety Toolbox website, including ability to edit and create pages.
BUILD A SAFER FUTURE
• Support knowledge sharing between different state dam safety programs, federal regulators, designers, and owners.
• Assist in developing outreach and best practice materials, including videos, guides, handouts, and webpages.
• Measure success by requesting a Peer Review of your dam safety program.
• Advocate for legislation and policies that strengthen national and state dam safety programs.
In
Memory
Former ASDSO President Michael Johnson passed away in 2023. He represented Arizona on the Board of Directors from 2011-2015 and served as the president from 2014-2015.
Jason “Jay” Thom passed away in May 2024. Jay was an active ASDSO member and volunteered as part of the Advisory Committee and the former Dam Design and Construction Committee.
President Sharon Tapia Speaks with Western Legislators on the Evolution of Dam Safety
In November 2023, Sharon Tapia represented ASDSO at the Council of State Governments West Annual Meeting. At the meeting, western legislators gathered to share ideas and discuss issues facing the region. Sharon's presentation, Evolution of Dam Safety in the United States, provided policymakers insight into the history of dam safety regulation and the importance of supporting strong state dam safety programs.
State Membership
In FY23, the ASDSO Board of Directors approved new membership tiers for all state programs. The new structure, endorsed by the state voting members, provides a higher level of support by the states and a stronger pledge that assures the mission is carried out going into the future. The new membership tiers first went into effect in July of 2023.
TIER III
• CA Department of Water Resources
• NC Department of Environmental & Natural Resources
• OH Department of Natural Resources
TIER II
• KS Department of Agriculture
• LA Department of Transportation & Development
• MA Department of Conservation & Recreation
• MD Department of the Environment
• NH Department of Environmental Services
• NJ Department of Environmental Protection
• PA Department of Environmental Protection
• SC Department of Environmental Services
TIER I
• AK Department of Natural Resources
• AR Natural Resources Commission
• AZ Department of Water Resources
• CO Division of Water Resources
• CT Department of Energy & Environmental Protection
• DE Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control
• FL Department of Environmental Protection
• GA Department of Natural Resources
• HI Department of Land & Natural Resources
• IA Department of Natural Resources
• ID Department of Water Resources
• IL Department of Natural Resources
• IN Department of Natural Resources
• KY Division of Water
• ME Emergency Management Agency
• MI Department of Environmental Quality
• MN Department of Natural Resources
• MO Department of Natural Resources
• MS Department of Environmental Quality
• MT Department of Natural Resources & Conservation
• ND Department of Water Resources
• NE Department of Natural Resources
• NM Office of the State Engineer
• NV Division of Water Resources
• NY Department of Environmental Conservation
• OK Water Resources Board
• OR Water Resources Department
• RI Department of Environmental Management
• SD Department of Agriculture & Natural Resources
• TN Department of Environment & Conservation
• TX Commission on Environmental Quality
• UT Division of Water Rights
• VA Department of Conservation and Recreation
• VT Department of Environmental Conservation
• WA State Department of Ecology
• WI Department of Natural Resources
• WV Department of Environmental Protection
• WY State Engineer's Office
Stay Connected
JOURNAL OF DAM SAFETY
The Journal of Dam Safety remains one of ASDSO's most popular member benefits. The Technical Journal Editorial Committee produced four issues of The Journal of Dam Safety in FY24, and 30 authors contributed to the journal through technical articles. Each journal issue includes technical articles, a volunteer spotlight, a regional spotlight, and ASDSO news.
NEWSLETTERS
Member Newsletters are emailed at the middle and end of each month. Newsletters contain the latest on ASDSO resources, membership news, and industry announcements. Newsletters also often contain updates directly from the Board of Directors and ASDSO staff, including comments on current events, news coverage, and legislative updates.
Training newsletters are emailed monthly and contain the latest information on ASDSO’s training program, including upcoming webinars, workshops, seminars, and conferences.
ASDSO COLLABORATE
ASDSO Collaborate is an online networking community for dam safety professionals. The site provides an opportunity to connect through sharing ideas, discussing challenges, posting questions, and searching for ASDSO volunteer opportunities. News from the ASDSO Board of Directors, staff, and committee leaders is also often shared through Collaborate. Visit Collaborate.DamSafety.org
Not Receiving Emails or the Journal?
Make sure your contact information is up to date and you are opted-in through the membership portal. Visit Portal.DamSafety.org.
Incoming Representatives For FY24
State Voting Representatives
ALABAMA Open
ALASKA
Benjamin Wagner
AK Department of Natural Resources
ARIZONA
Ravi Murthy
AZ Department of Water Resources
ARKANSAS
Whit Montague
AR Natural Resources Commission
CALIFORNIA
Sharon Tapia
CA Department of Water Resources
* COLORADO
Kallie Bauer
CO Division of Water Resources
CONNECTICUT
Charles Lee
CT Department of Environmental Protection
DELAWARE
Janice Shute
DE Department of Natural Resources
& Environmental Control
FLORIDA
Tracy Woods
FL Department of Environmental Protection
GEORGIA
David Griffin
GA Department of Natural Resources
HAWAII
Edwin Matsuda
HI Department of Land & Natural Resources
IDAHO
John Falk
ID Department of Water Resources
ILLINOIS
Paul Mauer
IL Department of Natural Resources
INDIANA
Jon Eggen
IN Department of Natural Resources
IOWA
Jonathan Garton
IA Department of Natural Resources
KANSAS
Terry Medley
KS Department of Agriculture
KENTUCKY
Glen Alexander
KY Division of Water
LOUISIANA
Li Yang
LA Department of Transportation & Development
MAINE
Tony Fletcher
ME Emergency Management Agency
MARYLAND
John Roche
MD Department of the Environment
MASSACHUSETTS
William Salomaa
MA Department of Conservation & Recreation
MICHIGAN
Lucas Trumble
MI Department of Environmental Quality
MINNESOTA
Jason Boyle
MN Department of Natural Resources
MISSISSIPPI
William McKercher
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
MISSOURI
Ryan Stack
MO Department of Natural Resources
MONTANA
Michele Lemieux
MT Department of Natural Resources & Conservation
NEBRASKA
Tim Gokie
NE Department of Natural Resources
NEVADA
Keith Conrad
NV Division of Water Resources
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Steve Doyon
NH Department of Environmental Services
NEW JERSEY
Clint Oman
NJ Department of Environmental Protection
NEW MEXICO
Sushil Chaudhary
NM Office of the State Engineer
NEW YORK
Donald Canestrari
NY Department of Environmental Conservation
NORTH CAROLINA
Brad Cole
NC Department of Environmental & Natural Resources
NORTH DAKOTA
Karen Goff
ND Department of Water Resources
OHIO
Mia Kannik
OH Department of Natural Resources
OKLAHOMA
Zachary Hollandsworth
OK Water Resources Board
OREGON
Tony Janicek
OR Water Resources Department
PENNSYLVANIA
Kirk Kreider
PA Department of Environmental Protection
PUERTO RICO
Open
RHODE ISLAND
Stacey Pinto
RI Department of Environmental Management
SOUTH CAROLINA
Jill Stewart
SC Department of Health & Environmental Control
SOUTH DAKOTA
Whitney Kilts
SD Department of Environment & Natural Resources
TENNESSEE
Terrell Hendren
TN Department of Environment & Conservation
TEXAS
Trina Lancaster
TX Commission on Environmental Quality
UTAH
Everett Taylor
Utah Division of Water Rights
VERMONT
Benjamin Green
VT Department of Environmental Conservation
VIRGINIA
Mark Killgore
VA Department of Conservation & Recreation
* WASHINGTON
Samantha Long
WA State Department of Ecology
WEST VIRGINIA
Aaron Tonkery
WV Department of Environmental Protection
WISCONSIN
Uriah Monday
WI Department of Natural Resources
WYOMING
Joseph Ruess
WY State Engineer's Office
ALABAMA J. Brian Atkins
CONNECTICUT
Ivonne Hall
INDIANA
Moumita Mukherjee
Support for State Dam Safety Programs
A lot of work is done behind the scenes to assist state dam safety programs. ASDSO provides networking support to the states through:
SURVEY S
TECHNICAL GUIDANCE AND EXPERIENCES SHARED BETWEEN STATE REPRESENTATIVES
STATE MENTORING
MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS
COLLABORATIVE WEBINARS
STATE LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY
ANALYSIS AND SHARING OF STATE PROGRAM PERFORMANCE DATA
COMPLIMENTARY WEBINAR PROGRAM *
with National Dam Safety Program Support *
Support for National Advisory Councils & Boards
ASDSO continues to facilitate and support participation by state dam safety leaders on national advisory groups. State dam safety programs are represented on the FEMA National Dam Safety Review Board and the DHS, Dams Sector Coordinating Council.
NATIONAL DAM SAFETY REVIEW BOARD
Thank you to the following individuals who volunteered their time and whose terms have ended this year:
Lucas Trumble (Michigan); Yohanes Sugeng (Oklahoma); Wendy Howard-Cooper (Virginia); Jim Gallagher (New Hampshire)
Continuing to serve or new to the National Dam Safety Review Board:
• Ariya Balakrishnan (California)
• Jill Stewart (South Carolina)
• Whit Montague (Arkansas)
• Dena Barnhouse (Ohio)
• State Rep Seat Open
DHS DAMS SECTOR COORDINATING COUNCIL
Thank you also to Jim Gallagher (New Hampshire), who has retired and stepped down from serving on the Council. Current state reps:
• Jon Garton (Iowa)
• Clint Oman & John Kale (New Jersey)
• Toby Vinson (North Carolina)
• Sharon Tapia & Eric Holland (California)
• Lori Spragens (ASDSO Rep)
ASDSO partnered with the FEMA National Dam Safety Program and the USACE on a task group to review and update all of the state performance metrics collected since 1996. Based on the updated Model State Dam Safety Program, questions were updated and aligned with the modernized guideline document. These metrics help ASDSO and the National Dam Safety Program analyze improvements in state dam safety programs.
Government Affairs
ASDSO has spent this year working on several state and federal issues, the focus of which has been the continued effort to reauthorize and amend the National Dam Safety Program (NDSP). This included:
• Meeting with over 170 members of Congress to promote state dam safety programs, building support for the NDSP reauthorization, and identifying bill sponsors and co-sponsors.
• Working with two Congressional committees, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Senate Environment and Public Works committees, to draft legislation and push for NDSP inclusion in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024.
• Building a coalition of industry support which includes members of the Uncommon Dialogue Coalition such as the American Society of Civil Engineers, National Hydropower Association, American Rivers, American Whitewater Association, Union of Concerned Scientists, and Low Impact Hydropower Institute, as well as others such as the Association of State Floodplain Managers.
• Monitoring federal dollars spent on dam safety-related issues. In 2024, after it was revealed that over $300 million was redirected to other programs from funding provided via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to the National Dam Safety Program, ASDSO, and its partners sent letters to FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security leadership regarding the unfortunate and costly decision.
ASDSO also worked to oppose three onerous state legislative proposals including:
• A Hawaii bill that would have allowed dams to be classified at a lower hazard classification if the owner carried insurance coverage.
• A Kansas bill that would have exempted dams used for agricultural purposes from state regulatory oversight.
• A North Carolina bill that would have prevented hazard reclassification even if the downstream circumstances changed.
Thank You to Our Lead Congressional Bill Sponsors for Introducing Legislation to Reauthorize and Amend the National Dam Safety Program
Legislative Advocacy
ASDSO MEMBERS AT ASCE LEGISLATIVE FLY-IN
In February 2024, ASDSO members Keith Conrad, John Roche, Gregory Daviero, John Moyle, and Clint Oman visited Washington, DC, to participate in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Congressional Fly-In. Together, they met with over 25 House and Senate offices to promote ASCE and ASDSO's legislative initiatives, which include reauthorization of the National Dam Safety Program and addressing difficulties surrounding the State Assistance and High Hazard Potential Dams Rehabilitation grants programs. Thank you to each of them for continuing ASDSO's work to highlight the importance of dam safety for members of Congress.
(Left to Right): Greg Daviero (Schnabel Engineering), Chris Carter (Legislative Committee Chair for ASCE New York State Council), Congressman Molinaro, Eva Lerner-Lam (ASCE Transportation Policy Committee), and Eleanor Lamb (Senior Manager of Federal Government Relations at ASCE)
(Left to Right): Keith Conrad (NV Dam Safety), Representative Mark Amodei, Dr. Shashi Nambisan (University of Nevada Las Vegas), Humberto Franco Rivas (Clark County Public Works), David Swallow (Southern Nevada RTC)
Dam Failures and Incidents Book: A Survey of Case Histories from the 1880s to 2020
For nearly three years, ASDSO’s Dam Failures and Incidents Committee actively worked on the coffee table style book Dam Failures and Incidents: Essential Lessons for Dam Safety Practitioners. The book is a collection of case studies from more than a decade of research and presentations completed by committee members. The book also includes a comprehensive review of the aspects and processes of how and why dam failure and incidents occur. The book was distributed at ASDSO’s national conference, Dam Safety 2024, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the conference.
The 320-page book would not have been possible without the work of the more than 40 volunteers who contributed content.
Peer Review Program Highlights
In 1990, ASDSO’s Peer Review Program was piloted, and since then it has completed 48 states, 25 federal agencies, and nine private sector reviews. The philosophy behind ASDSO’s Peer Review Program is that a review by a diverse and independent group of experienced dam safety professionals can help improve the management and execution of a dam safety program. The ASDSO program features a defined process that leads the agency or company through an introspective “self” evaluation evaluating the mission, objectives, policies, and procedures relative to the organization’s governing regulations, and generally accepted standards of practice for Dam Safety Engineering and Management.
Peer Reviews Completed in FY24 Include:
• Maine Emergency Management Agency Program
• ODSP (Owners Dam Safety Program) Audit for Chelan County PUD
• ODSP (Owners Dam Safety Program) Audit for Grant County PUD
• Annual Independent Review Panel for the Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation
ASDSO Board Approves Recommended Approach to Filling Training and Proficiency Gaps in the Dam Safety Profession
In March, the ASDSO Board of Directors approved a position statement related to training and credentialing, Issue Brief and Recommendation on Developing a Credentialing Program for a Dam Safety Engineering Specialist.
A longstanding issue is a perceived lack of training and proficiency in the fields required to manage dam engineering, dam safety, and related management programs. Consultants, regulators, and owners need to meet a minimum standard of knowledge, coupled with experience in their respective positions. The idea of establishing a credentialing or certification program within ASDSO to address this issue is raised frequently.
The purpose of this paper was to summarize the various certification concepts in practice today by associations, to consider past efforts by ASDSO to define the problem and offer solutions, and to provide a recommendation for the ASDSO leadership to consider.
After many formal and informal discussions and feedback sessions over several years, the ASDSO Board of Directors recommended the following actions:
• ASDSO will not pursue the establishment of a credential or certification program.
• ASDSO will continue to advocate for comprehensive training programs for the dam engineering profession.
• ASDSO will continue to advocate for accredited college and university programs to include dam safety engineering courses.
• ASDSO will continue to provide training courses to fulfill the objectives of the ASDSO Program of Study and will launch a program to establish topic-specific certificate tracks, using materials currently available through ASDSO’s technical training program.
• ASDSO will continue to provide education programs for dam owners and will launch a program to establish a dam owner training certificate track using materials currently available through the ASDSO Dam Owner Academy program.
• ASDSO will continue to build the ASDSO Dam Safety Toolbox web-based product, which is a repository for current guidelines and recommendations related to dam safety. The objective of this effort is to fill the educational gap that is the basis of this issue brief.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ADCOM)
* † Tony Nokovich - American Water - NJ
Jennifer Williams - AECOM – CO (Vice-Chair)
Scott Arends - Hazen and Sawyer - IL
Terry Arnold - AECOM - CO
Mark Baker - DamCrest Consulting - CO
Bill Bingham - Consultant - PA
Bob Bowers - Ramboll - PA
Donald Bruce – Geosystems, LP - PA
Jack Byers - Byers Group - CO
Jason Clere - Brookfield Renewable Power - ME
Bob Dalton – Veenstra & Kimm - IL
Eric Ditchey - Consultant - NJ
Dave Eichelberger - Christopher B. Burke Engr. - IN
Keith Ferguson - HDR Engr. - CO
Craig Findlay - Findlay Engr. - ME
ASDSO Committees Committee Members
John France - JWF Consulting - CO
Steve Fry - Steve Fry Consulting - WA
David Gutierrez - GEI - CA
Eric Halpin - Halpin Engineering Consulting LLC – VA
Amanda Hess – Gannett Fleming - PA
Stephen Jamieson - WW Wheeler – CO
Bill Kappel – Applied Weather Associates - CO
Jon Keeling - Stantec - KY
Joe Kula - Geosyntec - MD
Marty McCann - Natl. Performance of Dams Prog. - CA
Art Miller - AECOM - CO
Philip Moreschi - Fuss & O’Neill - RI
Dusty Myers - Eagle Creek Renewable - NC
Gregory Paxson - Schnabel - CO
Jeff Powers - Hazen & Sawyer – VA
Gregory Richards – Gannett Fleming - UT
VOLUNTEERS ARE THE FUEL THAT POWERS ASDSO
Any member can contribute and make a difference. More than 300 volunteers served on 14 standing committees and 7 task groups and interest groups last year. Many members serve on the DHS Dams Sector Coordinating Council, the National Dam Safety Review Board, and the US Levee Safety Coalition.
A big thank you to all of our board, committee, task group, and interest group volunteers, as well as to those serving on the national advisory boards.
John Ritchey - French & Parrello - NJ
John Rutledge - Freese & Nichols - TX
Paul Schweiger - Gannett Fleming - PA
Steve Snider - Ramboll - NY
Elena Sossenkina - HDR - CO
Jason Thom - DOWL - MT
Ed Tomlinson - Atmospheric Science Consultants - CO
Jim Weldon - Jim Weldon & Assoc. - CO
AMBASSADOR PROGRAM TASK FORCE
* Chrissy Ferrazzano, Schnabel
Gabriel Alcantar, Mott MacDonald
Bill Bingham, Retired
Ross Brown, ASDSO
Gregg Hudock, Freese and Nichols
Cory Miyamoto, CA DWR
Jim Pawloski, Consultant
Michaela Royse, ASDSO
† Toby Vinson, NC DEQ
ANNUAL CONFERENCE PROGRAM COMMITTEE
* Kallie Bauer - CO DWR - CO
* John Ritchey - French & Parrello - NJ
Eric Ditchey - Consultant - NJ
John France - JWF Consulting - CO
Nathaniel Gee - TVA – TN
Sherry Hunt - USDA-ARS – OK
Douglas Johnson – FERC - OR
Matt Lindon - Loughlin Water Assoc. - UT
Lee Mauney - HDR – CO
Bill McCormick - Black & Veatch – CO
John Moyle – State of New Jersey (retired -- DE
Cory Miyamoto - CA DWR - CA
Greg Paxson - Schnabel - CO
† Sharon Tapia - CA DWR - CA
AWARDS COMMITTEE
* Jon Garton - IA DNR
Jason Campbell - Vistra Energy - IL
† Keith Conrad - NV DWR - NV
Bob Dalton - Veenstra & Kimm - IL
Dennis Dickey - Gannett Fleming - PA
Bob Finucane - VT
Whitney Kilts - SD Dept Ag & Nat Resources - SD
Tony Nokovich - American Water - NJ
Allen Orsi - Pare Engineering Corp. - MA
Jim Pawloski - James T. Pawloski, PE, LLC – MI
Robert Sauer - GA DNR - GA
Ryan Stack - MO DNR - MO
William Vinson - NC DENR - NC
BOOK CLUB INTEREST GROUP (LEADERS)
* Lee Mauney - HDR - CO
† Everett Taylor - UT DWR
COMMITTEE ON CAREER DEVELOPMENT
AND STUDENT OUTREACH (CCDSO)
* Cory Miyamoto - CA DWR - CA
* Ben Webster - Schnabel - KY
Nick Agnoli – Applied Weather Assoc - CO
Morgan Barranco - LA Dept Transportation - LA
Rachel Barrows - Stantec – KY
Jane Brock - TVA - TN
Clint Brown - Engr. Analytics - CO
Ashley Campbell - IA DNR – IA
Joel Carpio - UT Div Water Rights - UT
Chair
Board Executive Sponsor
Subcommittee/Task Group
Committee Members
Nicole Chiles - NC DENR - NC
Jeris Danielson - Consultant - CO
Paul Eggers - McMillen - CO
Josh Gilman - PCA - NH
Erin Gleason - Denver Water - CO
Karen Goff - ND Dept of Water Resources - ND
Anthony Grubbs - Freese & Nichols - NC
Lesli Harmon - Southern Company Generation - AL
Jon Keeling - Stantec - KY
Mark Killgore - VA DCR – VA
Junior Lagade - Black & Veatch - CA
Satish Mantha - GEI Consultants - TX
Matt Marchisello - Aqua Pennsylvania - PA
Matt Marquis - OH DNR – OH
Madeline Marsh - Grant County PUD - WA
Austin Martin - NV
Marty McCann - Natl. Performance of Dams Prog. - CA
Bill McCormick - Black & Veatch - CO
Art Miller - AECOM - CO
Akhila Mirza - CT DEP - CT
John Moyle - GEI/DE Dam Safety - DE
Dontavius Patton - MS DEQ – MS
Kalie Poston - TVA - TN
Johnny Prettyman - Gannett Fleming - UT
Abby Repko - Gannett Fleming - UT
† John Roche - MD Dept Env - MD
Silas Sanderson - Schnabel - OR
Emily Schwartz - Black & Veatch - TX
Melissa Setz - Geosyntec - GA
Travis Shoemaker - Schnabel - PA
Raul Silva - MA DCR - MA
Zach Taylor - Kleinschmidt - WA
Morgan Walloch - Walter P Moore - TX
Michelle Yezierski - CISA - VA
CCDSO - SCHOLARSHIP SUBCOMMITTEE
* Travis Shoemaker - Schnabel - PA
Jeris Danielson - Danielson & Assoc. – CO
Karen Goff - ND Dept Water Res - ND
Cory Miyamoto - CA DWR - CA
John Moyle - GEI/DE Dam Safety – DE
Melissa Setz - Geosyntec - GA
Raul Silva - MA DCR - MA
Michelle Yezierski - CISA - VA
CCDSO - MODEL DAM COMPETITION SUBCOMMITTEE
* Clint Brown - Engr. Analytics - CO
Ashley Campbell - IA DNR - IA
Jon Keeling - Stantec - KY
Matt Marquis - OH DNR - OH
Zach Taylor - Kleinschmidt - WA
Ben Webster - Schnabel - KY
CCDSO - STUDENT PAPER COMPETITION SUBCOMMITTEE
* Ashley Campbell - IA DNR - IA
Clint Brown - Engr. Analytics - CO
Josh Gilman - PCA - NH
Erin Gleason - Denver Water - CO
Jon Keeling - Stantec - KY
Ben Webster - Schnabel – KY
CCDSO - YP PODCAST SUBCOMMITTEE
* Nicole Chiles - NC DEQ - NC
* Matthew Marquis - OH DNR - OH
Ashley Campbell - IA DNR - IA
Cory Miyamoto - CA DWR - CA
Emily Schwartz - Black & Veatch – TX
DAM SAFETY TOOLBOX COMMITTEE
Leadership
*Jeremy Franz - CO DWR - CO
† Mia Kannik - OH Department of Natural Resources – OH
Andrew Lynch - Gannett Fleming – CO
Gregory Richards - Gannett Fleming – UT
Michael Woodruff - Federal Energy Regulatory Commission - GA
Moderators
William Beitel - OH Department of Natural Resources - OH
Ashley Campbell - IA Department of Natural Resources - IA
Nicole Castillo - CA Department of Water Resources - CA
Robert Chan - IN Department of Natural Resources - IN
John Chesterton - Mott MacDonald - CA
Chris Clopper - Bureau of Indian Affairs, Safety of Dams Branch - CO
Danielle Drake - Irvine Ranch Water District - CA
Joshua Erwood - Christopher B. Burke Engineering, LLC - IN
Aiden Ganapathy - CA Department of Water Resources - CA
Andy Gong - HDR - CA
Bulent Hatipoglu - CDM Smith - FL
Mikie Howard - CA Department of Water Resources - CA
Matthias Lindenbauer - HDR - KY
Satish Mantha - GEI Consultants, Inc. - TX
Riley Manwaring - Gannett Fleming - AZ
Matthew Marquis - OH Department of Natural Resources - OH
Jordyn Marshall - Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. - CO
Megan Sabin - SC Department of Health & Environmental Control - SC
Erdem Onur Tastan - Geosyntec Consultants - NC
Study Group Members
Kelcy Adamec - Federal Energy Regulatory Commission - OR
Gabriel Alcantar - Mott MacDonald - CA
M. Leslie Boyd - Freese & Nichols, Inc. - TX
Bryan Carignan - MA Department of Conservation & Recreation - MA
John Clark - City of Aurora - CO
Daniel Gilbert - Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. - KY
Joe Hjerpe - Barr Engineering Company - MN
Daniel Keithline - Keithline Engineering Group - OK
Mark Killgore - VA Department of Conservation & Recreation - VA
Phillips King - MS Department of Environmental Quality - MS
Michele Lemieux - MT Department of Natural Resources & Conservation - MT
Christopher Marx - Schnabel Engineering - NJ
Zachary Mickel - Black & Veatch - TN
Joseph Monroe - Schnabel Engineering - GA
Gregory Paxson - Schnabel Engineering - CO
Paul Schweiger - Gannett Fleming, Inc. - PA
Dan Smith - Geotechnics, Inc. - TN
Gavin Tasker - Barnard Construction Company, Inc. - MT
Jason Thom - MT
Charles Thompson - Urraca Mesa Consulting, LLC - NM
Subject Matter Experts
Safaa Alrhieh - Ontario Power Generation - ON
Terry Arnold - AECOM - CO
Mark Baker - DamCrest Consulting, LLC - CO
Nick Czerwinski - Spicer Group, Inc. - MI
Alon Dominitz - NY
Jonathan Garton - IA Department of Natural Resources - IA
Chair
Board Executive Sponsor
Subcommittee/Task Group
Committee Members
Nathaniel Gee - Tennessee Valley Authority - TN
Chadrick Hill - MT Department of Natural Resources & Conservation - MT
Maria Hollister - CA Department of Water Resources - CA
Jonathan Keeling - Stantec Consulting Services Inc. - KY
Joseph Kula - Geosyntec Consultants - MD
Melinda Luna - TRC Companies - TX
Ian Maki - CA Department of Water Resources - CA
Keil Neff - US Army Corps of Engineers - CO
Katherine Sharpe - Gannett Fleming, Inc. - PA
Harald Van Aller - MD
DAM FAILURES & INCIDENTS COMMITTEE (DFIC)
* Mark Baker - DamCrest Consulting - CO
* Lee Mauney - HDR - CO
Irfan Alvi - Alvi Assoc. – MD
Scott Anderson - Consultant - AR
Scott Arends - Hazen and Sawyer - IL
Johnathon Atkins - MI
John Batka - CO DWR – CO
Michael Bennett - American Geotech. & Envi. Serv – PA
Lester Clint Brown - Engineering Analytics - CO
Cameron Carpenter - Tetra Tech - CO
Keith Conrad - NV DWR - NV
Jacob Davis - USACE - DC
Dan DeVaun - GEI - MI
Steve Durgin - USDA - NRCS (retired) - WA
Richard Eastland - USBR - NV
Keith Ferguson - HDR – CO
Bob Filgas - HDR – CA
Maxwell Fowler - FERC – GA
John France - Consultant - CO
Jon Garton - IA DNR
Nathaniel Gee - TVA - TN
Caden Gigliotti - HDR - NC
Eric Halpin - Consultant - VA
Michael Hand - WY
Lesli Harmon - Southern Company - AL
Thomas Hepler - Schnabel - NC
David Hernandez - HDR - CO
David Hibbs - FWS - VA
Harold Holloway - FERC - DC
Vik Iso-Ahola - Stantec - CA
Douglas Johnson - FERC - OR
Chris Karam - Brookfield Renewable - ME
Emily Keck - AECOM - MD
Jordan Keeney - Dam Safety Services - KY
Wayne King - AL
William Kussmann - Hatch - MN
Nicole McGinnis - City of San Diego - CA
William McKercher - MS DEQ - MS
Shane McWilliams - HDR - CO
Cory Miyamoto - CA DWR - CA
Dusty Myers - Eagle Creek Renewable Energy – NC
Constantine Pappas - FWS - VA
Jim Pawloski - James T. Pawloski, PE, LLC – MI
Greg Paxson - Schnabel - CO
Jonathan Pittman - Schnabel - NC
Greg Richards - Gannett Fleming - UT
Paul Risher - USACE - CA
Robb Roy - Hatch - OK
Tom Roberts - H2R Engineering Inc. – VA
Russ Sanford - Kleinschmidt - FL
David Sawitzki - AECOM - MD
Ryan Schoolmeesters - Eagle Creek Renewable - WI
Paul Schweiger - Gannett Fleming - PA
Peter Spangenberg - CT
Zach Spruell - FWS - OR
Bradley Sticker - LA
David Sykora - Exponent - NC
Juliana Rivera Alves Tabet - Hatch - Canada
† Everett Taylor - UT DWR
Seth Thompson - Gannett Fleming - UT
Tim Tochtrop - USBR - CO
Luke Trumble - MI DEQ - MI
Travis Tutka - USACE - DC
Meghan Walter - NRCS - OR
Ben Webster - Schnabel - KY
John Wolfhope - Freese and Nichols - TX
Lee Wooten - GEI – MA
Dawning Wu - HDR - CA
Kevin Yezdimer - Princeton Hydro - NJ
Matthew Young - BIA - CO
DFIC - DAMFAILURES.ORG SUBCOMMITTEE
‡ Greg Richards - Gannett Fleming – UT
‡ Seth Thompson - Gannett Fleming - UT
Irfan Alvi - Alvi Assoc. - MD
Johnathon Atkins - MI
Mark Baker - DamCrest Consulting - CO
John Batka - CO DWR - CO
Michael Bennett - AGES - PA
Lester Clint Brown - Engineering Analytics – CO
Jared Deible - HDR - PA
Brandt Demars - USBR - ID
James Demby - NRCS - VA
Keith Ferguson - HDR - CO
Bill Fiedler - HDR - CO
John France - JWF Consulting - CO
Nathaniel Gee - TVA - TN
Eric Halpin - Consultant - VA
Michael Hand - WY
Thomas Hepler - Schnabel - NC
David Hernandez - HDR – CO
Dylan Hoehn - Engineering Analytics - CO
Doug Johnson - FERC - OR
William Johnstone - Spatial Vision Group - BC
Wayne King - AL
Allison Knaak - Bureau of Indian Affairs - CO
Andrew Lynch - Gannett Fleming - CO
Lee Mauney - HDR - CO
Cory Miyamoto - CA DWR - CA
Paul Risher - USACE - CA
Russell Sanford - Kleinschmidt - FL
Ryan Schoolmeesters - Eagle Creek Renewable - WI
Bradley Sticker - LA
David Sykora - Exponent – MA
Everett Taylor - UT Div Water Rights - UT
Travis Tutka - USACE - DC
Meghan Walter - USDA - NRCS - OR
John Wolfhope - Freese & Nichols - TX
Lee Wooten - GEI - MA
Dawning Wu - HDR - CA
DFIC - DECADE DAM FAILURES TEAM
‡ Cory Miyamoto - CA DWR - CA
John Atkins - MI
Mark Baker - DamCrest Consulting - CO
Nathaniel Gee - TVA – TN
Harold Holloway - FERC - DC
Wayne King - AL
Lee Mauney - HDR - CO
Dusty Myers - Eagle Creek Renewable Energy - NC
Jonathan Pittman - Schnabel - NC
Tom Roberts - H2R Engineering Inc. - VA
David Sykora - Exponent – MA
Everett Taylor - UT Div Water Rights - UT
Chair
Board Executive Sponsor
Subcommittee/Task Group
Committee Members
DFIC - DAM FAILURE
INVESTIGATION GUIDELINE UPDATE SUBCOMMITTEE
‡ Mark Baker - DamCrest Consulting – CO
‡ Nathaniel Gee - TVA - TN
Irfan Alvi - Alvi Assoc. - MD
Jon Garton - IA DNR – IA
Lee Mauney - HDR – CO
Constantine Pappas - FWS - VA
Tom Roberts - H2R Engineering Inc. – VA
Everett Taylor - UT Div Water Rights - UT
Lucas Trumble - MI DEQ – MI
Meghan Walter - NRCS – OR
Matthew Young - BIA - CO
DFIC - BOOK PROJECT, DECADE EDITORS
‡ Mark Baker - DamCrest Consulting - CO
‡ Lee Mauney - HDR – CO
Irfan Alvi - Alvi Assoc. – MD
Lester Clint Brown - Engr. Analytics - CO
Steve Durgin - USDA - NRCS (retired) – WA
Keith Ferguson - HDR – CO
Bill Fiedler - HDR – CO
Nathaniel Gee - TVA – TN
Caden Gigliotti - HDR - NC
Shane McWilliams - HDR - CO
Dusty Myers - Eagle Creek Renewable Energy - NC
Jim Pawloski - James T. Pawloski, PE, LLC - MI
Jonathan Pittman - Schnabel – NC
Greg Richards - Gannett Fleming – UT
Elena Sossenkina - HDR – CO
Everett Taylor - UT Div Water Rights - UT
Lee Wooten - GEI – MA
Dawning Wu - HDR - CA
DFIC - ENR RESEARCH
* Jonathan Pittman - Schnabel
Jared Deible - HDR
Cory Miyamoto - CA DWR - CA
Philip Moreschi - Fuss & O’Neill -
Everett Taylor - UT DWR - UT
Charles Thompson - Consultant - NM
DAM OWNER OUTREACH COMMITTEE
* John Moyle - GEI/DE Dam Safety - DE
Jason Campbell - Vistra Energy - IL
Richard DeBold - RWD Engr. - ME
Jon Garton - IA DNR - IA
Thomas Horak - MI DEQ - MI
Emily Keck - AECOM - MD
Matt Lindon - Loughlin Water Assoc. - UT
George Mills - GEM Consulting – OH
Troy Naperala - GEI - MI
Anthony Nokovich - American Water - NJ
Raul Silva - MA DCR - MA
Boris Slogar - Environmental Design Group - OH
† William Vinson - NC DENR – NC
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DEI) TASK FORCE
* Dana Miller - CO DWR - CO
Scott Arends - Hazen and Sawyer - IL
† Keith Conrad - NV DWR - NV
Mia Kannik - OH DNR - OH
Amanda Lopez - Hazen and Sawyer - CO
William McKercher – MS DEQ - MS
Sharon Tapia - CA DWR - CA
Preston Wilson - Consultant - MD
EXTREME PRECIPITATION
INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE TASK GROUP (EPIC)
* Bill McCormick - Black & Veatch - CO
James Demby - NRCS - VA
Meg Galloway - ASFPM - WI
Kevin Griebenow - FERC - IL
Bill Kappel - Applied Weather Associates - CO
† William McKercher - MS DEQ – MS
Michael McMahon - HDR - CO
Gregory Paxson - Schnabel - CO
Charles Thompson - Consultant - NM
FINANCE COMMITTEE
* † Everett Taylor - UT DWR - UT
Scott Arends – Hazen and Sawyer
Bill Bingham – Gannett Fleming (retired)
David Griffin - GA DNR
Mia Kannik - OH DNR - OH
John Roche - MD Dept Environment - MD
Sharon Tapia - CA DWR - CA
Everett Taylor - UT Div Water Rights - UT
LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES INTEREST GROUP
John Moyle - GEI/DE Dam Safety – DE
Gabriel Alcantar - Mott MacDonald - CA
Nicole Chiles - NC DENR - NC
Greg Daviero - Schnabel - NY
Gresh Eckrich - Yeh and Assoc - CA
Jon Garton - IA DNR - IA
Kevin Grim - Ramboll - PA
David Gutierrez - GEI - CA
Brandon Harris - Gwinnett County - GA
Peter Haug - Ayres - WI
Jon Keeling - Stantec - KY
Scarlett Kitts - Black & Veatch - NC
Michele Lemieux - MT DNRC - MT
Nicole Mathis - Schnabel - NC
Bill McCormick - Black & Veatch - CO
Philip Moreschi - Fuss & O’Neill - RI
Clint Oman - NJ DEP - NJ
† John Roche - MD Dept Env - MD
MEDIA OUTREACH COMMITTEE
* Ken Smith - IN DNR – IN
* Aaron Fricke - Christopher B. Burke Engr – IN
† Jon Eggen - IN DNR - IN
NOMINATIONS AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
†
* David Griffin - GA DNR – GA
Anthony Nokovich - American Water - NJ
William Salomaa - MA DCR - MA
Ben Wagner - AK DNR - AK
PEER REVIEW COMMITTEE
* David Gutierrez - GEI - CA
Mark Baker - DamCrest Consulting - CO
Bill Bingham - Consultant - PA
Dennis Dickey - Consultant - PA
Anthony Fernandes - Consultant - PA
† Terry Medley - KS Dept of Agriculture - KS
Ken Smith - IN DNR - IN
PUBLIC SAFETY AROUND DAMS COMMITTEE
* Manuela Johnson - Christopher B Burke Engr - IN
Irfan Alvi - Alvi Assoc - MD
Tony Bennett - Ontario Power Gen. - ON, Canada
Chair
Board Executive Sponsor
Subcommittee/Task Group
Committee Members
David Bonin - Hatch Associates Consultants - MB, Canada
Steven Davidheiser – PA American Water - PA
James Demby - NRCS - VA
Steve Durgin - USDA - NRCS (retired) - WA
John France - JWF Consulting - CO
† Tim Gokie - NE DNR - NE
Stuart Harris - TVA – TN
Rollin Hotchkiss - BYU - UT
Benjamin Israel-Devadason - Gannett Fleming- PA
Robert Kingery - Hydrometrics - MT
Matt Lindon - Loughlin Water Assoc. - UT
Thomas Mapletoft - Brookfield Renewable Power - ME
Paul Meeks - Worthington Products - OH
John Moyle - GEI/DE Dam Safety - DE
Clint Oman - NJ DEP - NJ
David Ouellette - MA DCR - MA
Sharon Roach - CA
Paul Schweiger - Gannett Fleming – PA
Robert Scott - IN DNR - IN
Ian Selock - MD
Ken Smith - IN DNR - IN
Kenneth Wright - Wright Water Engrs. - CO
TAILINGS REGULATORY GUIDELINES TASK FORCE
* Lucas Trumble - MI DEQ - MI
Carmen Bernedo - Stantec - CO
Brad Bijold - BGC Engineering - CO
Jason Boyle - MN DNR - MN
Tawyn Bridgeford - National Mining Association - DC
Kimberly Bustillos - AK DNR - AK
James Casey - Klohn Crippen Berger - AZ
Tim Cazier - CO
David Chambers - Center for Science in Public
Participation - MT
Charlie Cobb - Red Pen Services - AK
Keith Conrad - NV DWR - NV
James Demby - NRCS - VA
Dan DeVaun - GEI - MI
Craig Dufficy - US EPA - DC
Ralph Enos - Teck American Incorporated - WA
Wayne Harrison - AZ
Christopher Hatton - WSP - CO
Michael Henderson - Strata-Geo - CO
Tamara Johndrow - Freeport-McMoRan - AZ
Dean Korri - Cleveland-Cliffs - MN
Cheyenne Lawrence - NV DWR - NV
Patricia McGrath - US EPA - WA
Stanley Michalek – MSHA (retired) - PA
Kevin Ritter - AECOM - CO
Luke Russell - Hecla Mining Company - ID
Jordan Scheremeta - Knight Piesold - CO
Kurt Schimpke - Barr Engineering Company - MN
Stefanie Self - US Office of Surface Mining - PA
Sarah Shoemaker - US Forest Service - AK
Shawn Steiner - ConeTec - UT
Doug Stiles - Hecla Mining Company - ID
Chris Thorson - NV DWR - NV
Bryan Ulrich - Stantec - CO
Steven Vamossy - US DOL - PA
Hal Van Aller - MD
† William Vinson - NC DENR – NC
Ben Wagner - AK DNR - AK
Peter Werner - US Forest Service – MT
Lucas West - CO Div Reclamation - CO
Christopher Winter - Hibbing Taconite Company - MN
Yi Zhu - Rio Tinto - UT
TECHNICAL JOURNAL EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
* Greg Paxson - Schnabel - CO
Peter Baril - CT
Sushil Chaudhary - NM Office State Engr - NM
Khaled Chowdhury - USACE - CA
Keith Ferguson - HDR - CO
Craig Findlay - Findlay Engr. - ME
John France - JWF Consulting - CO
Jim Gallagher - NH
Michael Johnson - GENTERRA - CA
Ian Maki - CA DWR
Lee Mauney - HDR - CO
Art Miller - AECOM - PA
Abbas Mokhtar-zadeh - Stone & Weber Engineering Corp - SC
Moumita Mukherjee - IN DNR - IN
Alan Rauch - Stantec - KY
Bryant Robbins - USACE - CO
John Roche - MD Dept Env - MD
Robrecht Schmitz - Sibelco & THGA - Netherlands
Nathan Snorteland - USACE - CO
Bill Sturtevant - Colorado Springs Utilities - CO
Blake Tullis - Utah State University – UT
† Ben Wagner - AK DNR - AK
Jim Weldon - Jim Weldon & Assoc - CO
TRAINING COMMITTEE
* Tom Woosley - GA
Roger Adams - PA DEP - PA
Timothy Bush - FEMA - NJ
Brianna Crotty - Schnabel - CO
Alon Dominitz - NY
Jonathan Findon-Henry - NH DES - NH
John France - JWF Consulting - CO
† David Griffin - GA DNR - GA
Jose Hernandez - USDA-NRCS - GA
Amanda Hess - Gannett Fleming - PA
Matthew Hook - OH DNR - OH
Brandon Horrocks - RB&G Engineering - UT
Seth LaLiberty - USACE – CO
Ronaldo Luna - Consultant - MO
Joseph McFarlane - Gerhart Cole - UT
Patrick Miles - Freese & Nichols - TX
Kate Naughton - Hazen and Sawyer - MD
Jesse Pope - Stantec - VA
Jeffery Powers - Hazen and Sawyer - VA
John Roche - MD Dept Env - MD
Paul Schweiger - Gannett Fleming - PA
YOUNG PROFESSIONALS INTEREST GROUP (LEADERS)
* Nicole Chiles – NC DEQ - NC
* Cory Miyamoto - CA DWR - CA
† Sharon Tapia - CA DWR - CA
Jennilynn Janolo - CA DWR - CA Chair
Board Executive Sponsor
Subcommittee/Task Group
Training & Conferences
TECHNICAL TRAINING PROGRAM
Dam Safety 2023 National Conference
→ 1169 Attendees
2024 Southeast Regional Conference
→ 275 Attendees
12 Live Webinars
→ Combined Total Attendance of 3863
11 Technical Seminars
→ 551 Professionals Trained
→ 7 Virtual & 4 Live
4 Dam Owner Workshops
→ 271 Owners Trained
→ Workshop Held in Indiana, Florida, Pennsylvania & Wyoming
WEBINARS
→ Application of Risk Principles within State Dam Safety Programs
→ Understanding Static Liquefaction
→ A Perfect Storm of Flawed Judgments and Decisions
→ Site Investigation and Parameter Development for Seismic Deformation Analyses of Embankment Dams and Levees
→ Spillway Gates and Dewatering Systems - Lessons Learned and Practical Solutions
→ Slope Stability Modeling for Embankment Dams: Planning, Interpreting, and Reporting Results
→ Why People Die During Flood Events and Options for Reducing Future Flood Fatalities
→ Triaxial Lab Testing for Earth Dams
→ Intrusive Activities in Dams and Levees – Are They Worth the Risk of Creating a Flaw?
→ Modeling Tailings Dam Failures with 2-Phase Flow
→ Preventing Fatalities in Confined Spaces at Dams
→ Construction Quality Control / Information Data Systems for Dam Rehabilitation
CLASSROOM COURSES
→ Inspection & Assessment of Dams (Live & Virtual)
→ Basic Soil Mechanics Related to Earth Dams (Live)
→ Dam Design & Technical Specifications Review (Virtual)
→ HEC-RAS 2D (Live & Virtual)
→ Spillway Erodibility Investigation & Analysis (Virtual)
→ Stability Analysis of Embankment Dams (Virtual)
→ HEC-RAS (Virtual)
→ Improving Emergency Operations for Dam and Levee Failures and Incidents
→ Seepage Through Earth Dams (Virtual)
CONFERENCES
Dam Safety 2023
Palm Springs Convention Center & Renaissance Palm Springs, Palm Springs, CA
→ 39 Concurrent Sessions
→ 2 General Sessions
→ 27 Poster Lightning Talks
→ 153 Total Presentations
2024 Southeast Regional Conference
Knoxville Convention Center, Knoxville, TN
→ 12 Concurrent Sessions
→ 2 General Sessions
→ 39 Total Presentations
Career Development & Student Outreach
ASDSO's Dam Safety Scholarship Program was established in 1992, recognizing that one of the keys to achieving the Association's goals is the development of well-trained technical persons. Through the program, ASDSO annually awards a scholarship to at least one undergraduate senior who has demonstrated an interest in pursuing a career related to dam design, construction, and operation and is studying in a related field.
2023-2024 MEMORIAL UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP
William Devers Norwich University
William "Billy" Devers is a senior at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont, working towards a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and a minor in construction management. At Norwich University, Billy is the president of the ultimate frisbee club and holds officer positions in all the civil engineering-related honor societies on campus. Billy has found great interest in dams and water resources engineering through his college, internships, and general love for the outdoors. Billy worked for the Vermont Dam Safety Program in the summer of 2022, inspecting and writing reports on 95 dams. In the summer of 2023, Billy interned at Aldrich & Elliott Water Resources Engineering, a small private consulting firm in Vermont, where he learned about hydraulics engineering for water and wastewater management.
2023 STUDENT PAPER COMPETITION
Numerical Evaluation of Anti-Liquefaction Performance of Deep Soil Mixing Method under Embankment Dams
Araz Hasheminezhad Iowa State University
2023 DAM MODEL COMPETITION
The Dam Model Competition calls for university student groups, student branches of professional organizations, K-12 STEM, and other students interested in dam safety to construct a tabletopsize dam model. Groups must also develop a plan to use the model to educate the public on dam safety. The Dam Model Competition is funded through the Bruce Tschantz Memorial Fund.
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
→ Monte Glodowski, Matthew Franklin, and Justin Mitchell
→ Technical Advisor: Janelle Skoyen Hestekin, P.E.
Franklin Regional Middle School
→ Milana Andreyko and Alyse Mooney
→ Technical Advisor: A.J. Danny
Wyoming Indian Elementary School
→ Anpo Amos, Chason Whiteplume, Dax Antelope, Hunter Soundingsides, Levi Redman, and Wylee Enos
→ Technical Advisor: Devon McLay, P.E.
→ Team Leader: Anthony Farley
Thank you to the Career Development & Student Outreach Committee for Overseeing These Efforts
Spotlight on Resources
DAM OWNER ACADEMY
To make accessing guidance information easy, ASDSO has developed the Dam Owner Academy video series. The series is a free resource for owners and those conducting owner outreach programs, and each video concisely explores one critical aspect of ownership. The videos are about 10 minutes each and feature Grady Hillhouse as the host. ASDSO has also developed a series of fact sheets, many of which supplement the material in the videos.
New Videos
→ Removing a Dam
→ Public Safety Around Dams
→ Dam Safety 3.0
Also Available: Dams 101, Dam Inspections, Spillways & Outlet Works, Operation and Maintenance Plans, Emergency Planning, Extreme Rainfall Events, Hiring an Experienced and Qualified Dam Engineer, Rehabilitation Projects, Plants & Animals on Dams, Seepage, Slope Stability & Seismic Issues, Learning from Dam Failures, and Concrete Problems & Repairs
Visit DamOwner.org or ASDSO’s YouTube Channel
ASDSO'S DAM SAFETY TOOLBOX LAUNCHES AT DAM SAFETY 202 3
ASDSO was proud to launch the Dam Safety Toolbox website publicly at Dam Safety 2023! Through this new website, any professional can quickly build their knowledge of dam safety basics through resources curated by leaders in the industry. Users can explore dozens of existing pages on dam safety fundamentals, management, and technical topics.
Those ready to share their expertise will also find the website to be a useful tool. By logging in with an ASDSO membership account, the website’s wiki-based editing system can be utilized to expand the website into additional knowledge areas. Users can create new interconnected topic pages or improve existing content directly through the website. ASDSO’s team of moderators and subject matter experts routinely review these new edits for inclusion on the live site. Non-members may also suggest edits through a PDF form available on the website.
The Dam Safety Toolbox would not have been possible without the work of volunteers from the Technical Knowledge Base Task Force, the Dam Design and Construction Committee, and the Dam Safety Toolbox Committee. A huge thank you to these volunteers and ASDSO’s contractor, Gannett Fleming. Additional thanks to the ASDSO membership, which supported this project through dues and donations.
Want to learn more about the Dam Safety Toolbox? A free one-hour webinar is available on ASDSO’s YouTube channel that provides an overview of existing content, making edits, and the moderation process.
$157.5 BILLION NEEDED TO REHABILITATE THE NATION’S NON-FEDERAL DAMS
Throughout FY24, ASDSO continued to share the findings of the 2023 Cost of Rehabilitating Dams in the U.S. report. Based on the study detailed in the report, ASDSO estimates the cost to rehabilitate the nation’s non-federal dams at $157.5 billion, with $34.1 billion needed just for the most critical dams.
ASDSO developed this report to inform national and state policy decisions and provide the public and the media with a high-level understanding of the national dam rehabilitation need in terms of estimated costs. With that purpose in mind, the findings and methodologies are not meant to estimate a specific dam rehabilitation cost.
View the Report at DamSafety.org/RehabEstimate
Each year, ASDSO publishes State Performance Reports for each of the 50 states. The 2023 State Performance Reports include data on condition ratings, state staffing, state budgeting, EAP completion, a comparison to the national benchmark, and more. State Performance Reports are useful to educate the public, media, and other stakeholders on specific state regulatory programs and the dams they regulate.
View the Reports and Additional State Regulatory Program Information at Damsafety.Org/States
DAM FAILURES WEBSITE
ASDSO’s Dam Failures website, DamFailures.org, provides educational information relating to dam failures and incidents in an innovative, user-friendly manner to assist owners and practitioners with critical design and operational decisions.
The website presents links to individual case studies and 'lessons learned' pages that summarize historical dam incidents and failures and the valuable information gleaned from them. Each page contains a background and description, photographs, videos, best practices, and other resources related to the case study or lessons learned being addressed. The contents of this website encompass a range of failure modes, dam types, and dam safety topics, including best practices regarding engineering and design practices, human factors, emergency planning and response, operation and maintenance, and regulatory issues.
The website now has more than 50 case studies and more than 30 lessons learned from dam failures to explore. Thank you to the volunteers from the Dam Failures and Incidents Committee who conduct research and compile content for the website. Additional thanks to the FEMA National Dam Safety Program for yearly funding support for research.
Visit DamFailures.org
NEW ENTRIES IN THE DAM SAFETY RESOURCE DATABASE
ASDSO's Dam Safety Resource Database is consistently updated with new entries referencing dam safety publications and currently contains over 10,000 entries. These entries cover a wide variety of dam safety topics, including technical and non-technical areas, history, best practices, regulations, news, and more. The entries also represent a variety of sources, including federal and state departments, professional societies, research groups, industry news outlets, international organizations, and universities.
All ASDSO conference papers and Journal of Dam Safety articles are included as entries. ASDSO members have free, unlimited access to full ASDSO papers through the resource database.
Visit DamSafety.org/Resource/Search
30+ ARTICLES, 30+ MEDIA REQUESTS Media Outreach - Year in
ASDSO was directly represented in more than 30 unique news articles from July 2023 to June 2024. Many other articles were later syndicated to additional outlets, helping ASDSO reach an even wider audience. Many more ASDSO subject matter experts represented their own organizations in articles while coordinating with ASDSO on talking points.
Thank you to all the subject matter experts who made this possible!
2023 Dam Safety Awards & Recognitions
ASDSO annually honors those individuals and organizations making exemplary contributions to improving dam safety in the United States. To celebrate our 2023 award recipients, ASDSO held an award luncheon in conjunction with the Dam Safety 2023 conference in Palm Springs, California. Below are the recipients and photos from the luncheon.
NATIONAL AWARD OF MERIT
Keith A. Ferguson, P.E., D.GE, D.WRE HDR Engineering
NATIONAL REHABILITATION PROJECT OF THE YEAR
Isabella Dam Safety Modification Project
→ U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Owners & Designers)
→ Flatiron, Dragados and Sukut JV (Contractors)
REGIONAL
AWARDS OF MERIT
Arthur "AJ" Danny
Franklin Regional Middle School
Murrysville, Pennsylvania
(Left to Right): Pennsylvania State Representative Kirk Kreider, AJ Danny, Northeast Regional Representative John Roche
SOUTHEAST REGIONAL AWARD
City of Fayetteville
Franklin Regional Middle School Fayetteville, North Carolina
(Left to Right): Southeast Regional Representatives William McKercher and Toby Vinson, Meridee Romero-Graves (Schnabel), Johnny Dawkins (Mayor Pro Tem of Fayetteville), and President David Griffin
MIDWEST REGIONAL AWARD
City of Fayetteville
City of Indianapolis, Department of Public Works Indianapolis, Indiana
Shannon Killion (Left) and Midwest Regional Representative Mia Kannik (Right)
WEST REGIONAL AWARD
Irvine Ranch Water District Irvine, California
(Left to Right): West Regional Representatives Keith Conrad, Everett Taylor and Tim Gokie, Jacob Moeder (IRWD), Harry Cho (IRWD), Danielle Drake (IRWD), and West Regional Representative Terry Medley
YOUNG PROFESSIONALS OF THE YEAR
Aaron J. Fricke, P.E. Christopher B. Burke Engineering
Carmen Lepsch, P.E. Schnabel Engineering
JOSEPH J. ELLAM PRESIDENTS AWARD
Spotlights
Jeremy Franz, P.E. Colorado Division of Water Resources
In 2023, ASDSO introduced the Volunteer and Regional Spotlights to The Journal of Dam Safety
The Annual Awards Committee introduced these quarterly recognitions as an additional way to spotlight exceptional contributions throughout the year. The Board of Directors selects the honorees for the Volunteer Spotlight, and the regional representatives select honorees for the Regional Spotlight.
FY24 Volunteer Spotlights: Russ Hicks (Speakers Bureau), Greg Paxson (Technical Editorial Committee Chair), Committee on Career Development and Student Outreach, Jeremy Franz
FY24 Regional Spotlights:
Michigan Dam Safety Program (Midwest), Dam Safety Collaboration during Vermont Flooding (Northeast), Elm Lake Dam Rehabilitation (West), Mississippi Dam Safety Program (Southeast)
Thank You to Our Patrons
BENEFACTOR ($1,000 OR MORE)
Paul Mauer, IL Department of Natural Resources, Morton, IL
John France, JWF Consulting LLC, Centennial, CO
Byers Group LLC, Byers Group LLC, Arvada, CO
Alton Davis, Alton P. Davis, Jr. Engineering Consulting, West Ossipee, NH
Greg Hammer, US Army Corps of Engineers, Greeley, CO
James Pawloski, James T. Pawloski, PE, LLC, Gaylord, MI
Penny Tschantz, Knoxville, TN
PARTNER ($300-$999)
AECOM, Denver, CO
Mark Ogden, Association of State Dam Safety Officials, Columbus, OH
Jonathan Garton, IA Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, IA
Donald Blackburn, Auburn, CA
John Clark, City of Aurora, Aurora, CO
Gregory Glunz, Kiewit Corporation, Lone Tree, CO
Jeffery Powers, Hazen and Sawyer, Richmond, VA
Larry Caldwell, NRCS - Retired, Stillwater, OK
Meg Galloway, Association of State Floodplain Managers, Madison, WI
Sharon Tapia, CA Department of Water Resources, Sacramento, CA
Elizabeth France, Silver Spring, MD
William Bingham, William Bingham Dam Safety Consultant, Camp Hill, PA
Robert Dalton, Veenstra & Kimm, Inc., Springfield, IL
David Hinchliff, Port Townsend, WA
Vicki Scharnhorst, Tetra Tech, Denver, CO
Robert Snow, D'Appolonia Engineering, Pittsburgh, PA
SUPPORTER ($100-$299)
Bill McCormick, Black & Veatch Corporation, Loveland, CO
John Moyle, GEI/DE Dam Safety, Rehoboth Beach, DE
Harald Van Aller, Queenstown, MD
Jennifer Williams, AECOM, Denver, CO
Robert Cannon, Schnabel Engineering, Greensboro, NC
Ronald Corso, Elliot Co., Vienna, VA
Russ Hicks, Returning the Rapids to Eaton Rapids, Eaton Rapids, MI
Rebecca Ragon, US Army Corps of Engineers, Stafford, VA
Roger Adams, PA Department of Environmental Protection, Duncannon, PA
Richard DeBold, Wells, ME
Robert Goehring, Engineering Consulting Services, Ltd., Marietta, GA
Ralph Grismala, ICF, Hermitage, TN
Jonathan Keeling, Stantec Consulting Services Inc., Lexington, KY
Scarlett Kitts, Black & Veatch, Greensboro, NC
Joseph Kulikowski, GENTERRA Consultants, Inc., Irvine, CA
Mark Ohlstrom, Shannon & Wilson, Auburn, WA
Morris Root, Root Engineering, West Chazy, NY
FRIEND ($1-$99)
GEI Consultants, Inc., Rancho Cordova, CA
Michael Krondak, NE Public Power District, North Platte, NE
Edward LaBelle, Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc.,Springfield, IL
Freese & Nichols, Inc., Ft Worth, TX
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, LLC, Indianapolis, IN
Ellen Faulkner, Ayres Associates, Eau Claire, WI
Myron Petrovsky, MBP Consulting, Portland, ME
Chris Ritz, USDA - NRCS, Greenwood, IN
Lewton Deichert, USDA - NRCS, Morgantown, WV
Christopher Lewis, Tetra Tech, Pittsburgh, PA
Bob Gaddis, Future Resources Engineering, LLC, Bartlesville, OK
Kevin Aubry, Terracon Consultants Inc., West Palm Beach, FL
Arthur Miller, AECOM, Denver, CO
Janis Murphy, Freese & Nichols, Inc., Ft Worth, TX
ASDSO Staff
Lori Spragens
Executive Director lspragens@damsafety.org
859-550-2788 x 106
Ross Brown
Conferences, Membership & Marketing Director rbrown@damsafety.org
859-550-2788 x 103
Jennifer Burns
Training Director jburns@damsafety.org
859-550-2788 x 102
Katelyn Riley
Communications Director kriley@damsafety.org
859-550-2788 x 104
Cody Holt
Government Affairs Manager cholt@damsafety.org 205-757-7911
Michaela Royse
Member, Training, and Peer Review Support Manager mroyse@damsafety.org (859) 550-2788 x 107
Brittany Lewis
Executive Office Manager/Programs Support blewis@damsafety.org 859-550-2788 x 101
Mark Ogden
Technical Specialist mogden@damsafety.org
Association of State Dam Safety Officials
239 S. Limestone St. Lexington, KY 40508
859-550-2788 info@damsafety.org