In this section Open Close
Return to Awareness Center Home
Join ASDSO in Supporting ASCE's Infrastructure Advocacy Efforts
ASCE Infrastructure Report Card-Dams
Priority Legislative Issues and Goals
How Can You Participate in ASDSO's Advocacy Efforts
Latest News on Relevant Federal Legislation & Policy
ASDSO Testimony
Cost of Dam Rehab in the US
ASDSO's Priority Legislative Issues
Appropriations for the National Dam Safety Program (reauthorized thru 2023 in the America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018).
Program revisions and full apppropriations for the National High-Hazard Potential Dam Rehabilitation Act.
Appropriations to continue the success of the USDA Small Watershed Dam Rehabilitation Program.
Creation of a state dam safety regulatory program in Alabama (the one state remaining with no dam safety legislation on the books).
Support and appropriations for a National Levee Safety Program (reauthorized thru 2023 in the America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018).
Federal Legislative Goals
Push for full funding of all federal laws that improve dam safety.
Coordinate an education and advocacy effort for all federal legislative initiatives including encouraging grass-roots lobbying.
Encourage alternative sources of funding for dam rehabilitation and repairs through federal/state partnerships or public/private partnerships.
Increase general dam safety awareness in Washington, D.C. to keep at the forefront the need for funding of the National Dam Safety Program and other federal programs.
State Legislative Goals
Increase network of support for states when dam safety programs are threatened.
Track all legislative changes and publish summaries. Provide benchmark data to states on dam safety policies.
Assist state dam safety agencies with legislative awareness to give them the tools/information needed when programs are threatened.
Encourage policies and provide tools at the state level to increase dam safety awareness.
Explore funding mechanisms for state dam safety programs and assist states in maintaining and increasing their budgets.
Find Your Legislator's Contact Info:
Senate Contacts
House of Representatives Contacts
You can help support strong dam safety programs at the federal level by educating your Senators and Congressmen about the need for policies and resources that improve dam safety and, therefore, reduce the risks associated with dam failure. ASDSO works with Congress, with key administrative staff and with other non-governmental organizations to improve legislation and regulations and to ensure that funding is appropriated for these programs. It is important that you stay informed and build our advocacy efforts. From time to time, we ask our members to contact your Congressional delegation to educate them about the need for strong dam safety programs at the federal level and to support specific legislation that will improve dam safety nationwide.
Watch this page for alerts and issue briefs or contact Lori Spragens at ASDSO to become a part of the Federal Legislative Advocacy Interest Group. [email protected].
Federal Priority Issues:
Annual appropriations for the National Dam Safety Program. Administered by DHS, FEMA. Authorized currently at $13.9 million a year.
Increased annual appropriations for the National Levee Safety Program. Administered by the US Army Corps of Engineers and DHS, FEMA. Authorized currently at $54 million a year.
Program refinements and annual appropriations for the National High-Hazard Potential Dam Rehabilitation Program. Administered by FEMA through the National Dam Safety Program. The 2016 law authorizes the program at $40 million for FY20 and $60 million for each year thereafter thru 2026.
State-Specific Advocacy
ASDSO works with the state programs and with local stakeholders in developing state-by-state advocacy coalitions. If you would like to start advocating for strong dam safety programs in your state contact Mark Ogden, 859-228-9732 x 107 or [email protected].
Partners Increase Support for Dam Safety
Partnering with other organizations allows for a stronger voice in Washington. ASDSO is partnering with the American Society of Civil Engineers Government Relations office in Washington, DC. Other partner organizations include the National Watershed Coalition (NWC) and the Interstate Conference on Water Policy (ICWP). ASDSO works closely with the NWC's to increase awareness about the need for rehabilitation of this nation's 10,000 small watershed protection and flood control dams. ASDSO annually signs on to a joint letter written by the ICWP in support of continued full federal funding for the US Geological Survey's Streamgage Program. Go to these websites to learn more about these advocacy efforts.
The National Dam Safety Act
Status - 2018: The National Dam Safety Program Act was reauthorized in 2018 thru the America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, thru 2023.
Read the text of the National Dam Safety Act - (2018 version as it is viewed in context with the 1996, 2002, 2006 and 2014 language).
Download Issue Brief
This modest yet vital program (app. $13 million total) enables the states to improve their dam safety programs, which translates into reduced risks to life and property. The NDSPA provides training; technical assistance; research funding; public awareness; and support to states through incentive grant awards that encourage states to improve their programs. No funds under this act may be used to repair any dams. The funds are targeted to support states and to advance the national effort to improve dam safety.
The National Dam Rehabilitation Program
Status - May 2018: The National Dam Rehabilitation Act was signed into law in late 2016 as Section 3004 of the Water Infrastructure Improvements to the Nation Act (WIIN 2016).
Read the text of the National Dam Rehabiltation Act
Levee Safety Legislation
Status - 2018: The National Levee Safety Initative was reauthorized in 2018 thru the America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, thru 2023.
2014 - The Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) 2014 included language to start a "levee safety initiative."
2007 - The National Levee Safety Program is promulgated within the Water Resources Development Act of 2007, which was signed into law in November 2007.
The Watershed Dam Rehabilitation Program
Funding provides matching grants to watershed districts to rehabilitate their dams. For more information about this program go to http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/WSRehab/.
The National Watershed Coalition (of which ASDSO is a member) and ASDSO advocate for full funding for the Small Watershed Programs.
Contact Dan Sebert at NWC for more information:
Dan A. Sebert, Ph.D., CEO-Executive Director, National Watershed Coalition, 1023 Manvel, Suite D, P.O. Box 556, Chandler, OK 74834, 405.627.0670, [email protected]; www.watershedcoalition.org
The National Inventory of Dams
The US Army Corps of Engineers administers the National Inventory of Dams (NID), a database of general information on US regulated dams. The Corps' authorized funding level for this program is $500,000 a year. Current administration funding levels are considerably lower than this.
Currently: ASDSO supports full funding for this program.
USGS Streamgage Program
This program is underfunded routinely within the Department of Interior, US Geological Survey's budget. ASDSO supports the continuation and adequate funding to maintain U.S. streamgages.
USGS National Streamflow Information Program
Interstate Council on Water Policy
Recent testimony submitted to Congress or State Legislatures
Testimony before the Environment and Public Works Committee, U.S. Senate, March 1, 2017
Letter to the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee regarding a Hearing entitled "Examining Conference and Travel Spending Across the Federal Government."
Statement on The Water Resources Development Act, United States Senate, Committee on Environment and Public Works, November 15, 2012
Statement on The Water Resources Development Act, United States Senate, Committee on Environment and Public Works, September 20, 2012
Statement before the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on The FY 2012 Budgets and Priorities of the Army Corps of Engineers, Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service: Finding Ways To Do More with Less, March 8, 2011
Testimony before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on the Water Resources Development Act of 2010: Legislative and Policy Proposals to Benefit the Economy, Create Jobs, Protect Public Safety and Maintain America's Water Resources Infrastructure, November 17, 2010
Testimony on the Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2011 before the United States Department of Agriculture before the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. House of Representatives, March 19, 2010.
Testimony to the Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. House of Representatives on Appropriations for the Federal Emergency Management Agency For the Fiscal Year 2011
Testimony before the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on the Recommendation of the National Committee on Levee Safety, May 19, 2009
Testimony for the Joint Hearing of Subcommittees on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management and Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, U.S. House of Representatives, May 8, 2007
Testimony on the Current Dam Safety Needs in the United States before the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, & Emergency Management, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, U.S. House of Representatives, July 26, 2006
Written Responses for the Record to the Hearing Conducted July 26, 2006 By the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management
In 2001, an ASDSO task group was formed and tasked with preparing a report on the cost of rehabilitating our nation's dams. In 2003 the committee issued a report entitled The Cost of Rehabilitating Our Nation's Dams: A Methodology, Estimate and Proposed Funding Mechanisms. Based on the federal inventory of dams at the time and available cost data, the task group developed a methodology for estimating what funding would be needed to rehabilitate the nation's non-federal dams. At the time the inventory included 65,000 such dams and it was estimated that $34 billion would be needed. Of the $34 billion, it was estimated that $10.1 billion would be needed for high hazard dams.
Over time, improved data collection and reporting has resulted in increased number of dams in the inventory. In 2009 and 2012, using the same methodology but updating the logic diagrams to account for the changing inventory numbers, inflation and percentage factors of deferred maintenance vs. non-deferred maintenance, hazard classification change and engineering assessment, the task group updated the costs.
Now, with the inventory expanding to over 87,000 non-federal dams, the task group once again is providing updated estimates of the cost of rehabilitating our nation's dams. Current figures place the total cost estimated for non-federal dams at $60.70 billion, up from the last estimate of $53.69 billion. Non-federal, high-hazard potential dams are estimated at $18.71 billion, up from $18.18 billion. In the 2012 update, the cost of federally owned dams was also considered.
In the current update, it was estimated that $4.20 billion is needed to rehabilitate all federally owned dams with $2.93 billion of this attributed to the federally owned high hazard dams. Read the Report
Since 2004, an ASDSO task group has tracked dam rehabilitation cost as follows:
Funding needs,
non-federal dams
non-federal HH dams
$16 billion ($8.7b public, $7.3b private)
$18.2 billion ($11.2b public, $7b private)
[Return to Top]
To view federal legislation, bills and other information -
American Society of Civil Engineers, Government Relations
American Society of Civil Engineers, Water Resources Coalition
The U.S. Levee Safety Coalition
ASCE Infrastructure Report Card
National Watershed Coalition
Dam Safety Coalition
The National Dam Safety Program
Levee Information from FEMA
Association of State Floodplain Managers
Key Senate/Congressional Committees
The following House and Senate committees and subcommittees focus on issues relevant to ASDSO and dam safety:
- Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Homeland Security
- House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security
- Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Agriculture, Rural Development and Related Agencies
- House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
- House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
- Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior
- House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Environment
Authorizing Committees
- Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Subcommittee on Forestry, Conservation and Rural Revitalization
- House Committee on Agriculture, Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Rural Development and Research
- Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Water and Power
- House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Energy and Power
- Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure
- House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment