Association of State Dam Safety Officials

U.S. [see also Ohio]
Brown talks dam safety. 5/16/13, Portsmouth Daily Times
Sen. Sherrod Brown backs Water Resources Development Act, which could help fund inspections and safety plans for dams in Scioto County.

Senate votes to extend federal law overseeing water resources projects. 5/15/13, Washington Post
Water Resrouces Development Act passes in Senate on a 83-14 vote.

Alexander Tells Corps He Won’t Approve Funding Requests If Corps Won’t Listen To Senate On Fishing Beneath Cumberland River Dams. 5/8/13, Chattanooga Times Free Press
Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander says he will not approve Corps' requests to transfer funds among projects if agency doesn't lift ban on fishing in tailwaters below its dams.

U.S. Senate to vote today on bill to fund locks, dams, ports. 5/8/13, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Today's vote marks the first floor vote in 6 years on the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). Tom Coburn (R-OK) added amendments to WRDA that would create a registry of guns owned by the federal government and allow firearms to be carried in outdoor recreation areas maintained by USACE.

White House 'deeply concerned' about Boxer's levee bill. 5/6/13, Sacramento Bee
Environment and Public Works Committee staff said Monday night that amending language would be announced Tuesday to address concerns about a bill to fund flood control, navigation and storm recovery projects.

Failing Infrastructure: Our Nation’s Dams [Blog]. 5/1/13, Off Grid Survival
Posted intro: "As part of our series on our nation’s failing infrastructure, we are going to take a look at our country’s Dams and what preparedness steps you should take to protect yourself and your family from potential dangers."

U.S. Assists Sri Lanka on Dam and Water Management. 5/2/13, Colombo Page
Bureau of Reclamation, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources Management and the World Bank, conducted a training program on dam and water management from April 25 -May 1. The program included topics such as design of rcc and rockfill dams and provided an opportunity for Sri Lankan engineers to explore the adoption of dam engineering techniques.

The Cyber-Dam Breaks. 5/1/13, Washington Free Beacon
National Inventory of Dams hacked by unauthorized user believed to be from China, beginning in January and uncovered earlier this month.

California
Senate authorizes Natomas levee improvements. 5/15/13, Sacramento Business Journal
Water Resources Development Act authorizes $1.1 billion for improving Natomas levees.

Senate approves Barbara Boxer's bill for Sacramento levees. 5/15/13, Sacramento Bee
$12.5 billion Water Resources Development Act receives bipartisan support; Sacramento levees benefit.

Boxer seeks Sacramento levee funding in water bill. 5/12/13, Sacramento Bee
$12.5 billion Water Resources Development Act would help fund the remaining 24 miles of the Natomas Levee Improvement Project.

Contract for final phase of Folsom Dam project spills in at $255.1M. 5/6/13, Sacramento Business Journal
$255.1 million contract awarded for the last phase of work on a spillway at Folsom Dam; Work should be finished by 2017. The project cost for all four phases was estimated at about $900 million.

Iowa
Iowa City explores Burlington dam options. 5/2/13, Iowa City Press Citizen
Iowa City considers its options at the Burlington Street Dam as it collaborates with the University of Iowa about making it a recreational destination in Riverfront Crossings.

Kentucky
Mitch McConnell aims to halt Corps' dam fishing ban. 5/16/13, Louisville Courier-Journal
After passage of the Water Resources Development Act, Sen. Mitch McConnell wants to implement a two-year moratorium on fishing and boating restrictions below dams.

Michigan
Anniversary of Silver Lake Dam failure is next week [ASDSO Press Release]. 5/8/13, ABC 10
On May 14, 2003, the Silver Lake Dam failed upstream of Marquette, causing extensive flooding and property and environmental damages totaling more than $100 million. The failure released nine billion gallons of water, causing the failure of the Tourist Park Dam downstream, and forcing bridge and road closures. These closures completely isolated the Big Bay community from the rest of the state and forced the evacuation of 1,800 residents from their homes.

Snow melt threatens dam. 5/1/13, WWLP 22News - Michigan
Dam gate fails from rapid snow melt, causing community of Marenisco to fear dam break.

Minnesota
Coon Rapids Dam Reconstruction Underway . 5/3/13, KSTP.com - St. Paul/Minneapolis
State officials hope reconstruction of the Coon Rapids Dam will stop invasive species such as Asian Carp from spreading in Minnesota.

New York
Auburn City Council authorizes reconstruction of dam for $3.9 million. 5/2/13, Auburn Citizen
Mill Street Dam reconstruction will pary for itself through utility bill savings. The dam, which has been offline since 2004, is a long-term investment by the city to save money on electric costs.

North Carolina
Mayor Pro-Tem Mike Mitchell tells Hope Mills board that town may have other options to repair dam. 5/7/13, Fayetteville Observer
Officials tell mayor a re-enforced earthen dam may be possible at Hope Mills instead of the original $14 million design.

Ohio
With Hundreds Of Ohio Dams Considered ‘High Hazards’ To Surrounding Communities, Brown Outlines Senate Water Resources Bill That Would Provide Grants For Dam Inspections, Safety Plan. 5/14/13, Press Release - Office of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, Ohio
Brown releases map showing nearly 1,000 Ohio dams that lack EAPs and expresses support for WRDA and its reauthorization of the expired National Dam Safety Program.

Water Resources Development bill would make Ohio’s dams safer, protect communities. 5/15/13, Ashtabula Star Beacon
Senate to vote this week on WRDA, which includes reauthorization of the National Dam Safety Program.

Brown: Area dams in need of repair. 5/15/13, Findlay Courier
Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown expresses support for the Water Resources Development Act; notes need for EAPs and upkeep of dams.

Senator proposes safer Ohio dams in bill. 5/15/13, The Lima News

Emergency dam plans need a look. 5/15/13, Mansfield News Journal
Ohio Dam Safety program involved in a 5-year EAP initiative to create and update EAPs on dams that pose potential risks to life and property.

ODNR teaches dam safety. 5/7/13, Portsmouth Daily Times
Ohio DNR Dam Safety Engineering Program program welcomed a mix of individual dam owners and agencies, including ODNR, Shawnee State Park, Shawnee State Forest, Homeland Security, Ohio Emergency Management, fire departments, and EMS personnel.

Pennsylvania
Events will commemorate anniversary of 1889 Flood. 5/11/13, The Tribune-Democrat - Johnstown
City of Johnstown will observe 1889 flood with by giving tour of failed dam site, along with other activities.

'High-Hazard' Dam Needs $120K Fix . 5/3/13, Patch.com - Upper Macungie
Upper Macungie Supervisors passed a resolution Thursday night that allows the township to pursue up to $120,000 in grant money to assist in repairing the Fogelsville Dam. The DEP has instructed the township to either repair or breach it.

West Virginia
Safety First; Judge is right in insisting on compliance. 5/13/13, U.S. District judge levies $13,500 fine on out-of-state owner and orders inspection of coal slurry dam by June 3.

Ensuring W.Va. Dams Are Safe. 5/7/13, Wheeling Intelligencer
Owner of high hazard slurry impoundment fined $13,500; State DEP to hire engineer for inspection.