USACE Dam Safety Program

BEAVER DAM, JAY TOWNSEND, LITTLE ROCK DISTRICT

The mission of USACE’s Dam Safety (DS) Program is to assure that USACE dams maintain structural integrity and functional viability to meet the congressionally authorized purposes. Fundamental to the DS Program is that these facilities do not present unacceptable risks to life, property, or the environment. USACE owns, operates, manages, and regulates 740 flood damage reduction and navigation structures in a portfolio that consists of 557 dam projects. DS operates within the context of portfolio management, centrally leading non-routine activities while maintaining a decentralized execution approach and incorporating risk-informed decision-making into all key processes. Visit the website here: www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Dam-Safety-Program/.

USACE Levee Safety Program

TEBBETTS LEVEE IN CALLAWAY COUNTY, MISSOURI, COURTESY USACE KANSAS CITY DISTRICT

USACE has approximately 14,150 miles of levees in its portfolio and works closely with sponsors and others to ensure that these systems reduce the impact of flooding on people, property, businesses, critical infrastructure, and the environment. USACE considers life safety as a priority. The Levee Safety Program uses a risk framework that captures all activities within three overarching categories: risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication. Risk assessments support effective levee risk management decisions that must be well informed by a complete picture of risk, because the nation’s resources are limited, the infrastructure is aging, and there is rapid population growth and an increasingly dynamic physical environment. Communicating risk is an important element in saving lives. Visit the website here: www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Levee-Safety-Program/.