North Carolina 11th District Congressman Chuck Edwards has introduced two bills, the National Dam Safety Program Amendment Act and the Low-Head Dam Inventory Act, to improve dam safety in the U.S.
New Hampshire Congresswoman Ann McLane Kuster is co-leading the National Dam Safety Program Amendment Act and New York Congressman Patrick Ryan is co-leading the Low-Head Dam Inventory Act.
North Carolina’s 11th district is home to more than 750 dams, many of which are in poor or unsatisfactory condition. The American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure gave dams a “D” grade in safety. The Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) estimates that more than 2,300 high-hazard dams are at risk due to a lack of investment in dam safety and it would cost $157.5 billion to place these high-hazard dams into a state of good repair.
The bipartisan National Dam Safety Program Amendment Act reauthorizes the National Dam Safety Program through fiscal year 2028, increases the amount a state can receive for its dam safety program through already-available funding under the Federal Emergency Management Agency by 800%, and improves the program to strengthen dam safety across the nation.
The National Dam Safety Program plays a critical role in preventing and protecting downstream communities from the effects of dam failure, reducing dam operating costs, and making sure that dams continue to provide critical water management services.
The Low-Head Dam Inventory Act would require that low-head dams be added to the National Inventory of Dams to keep track of their location and condition, specifically high-hazard low-head dams, and make sure that they are appropriately maintained to prevent failures. Low-head dams are manmade structures built in rivers or stream channels, spanning from bank to bank, to direct the flow of water or change the height of water levels. There is no process in place to keep track of the quantity, condition or location of low-head dams across the U.S. According to American Whitewater, 192 incidents involving the failure of low-head dams and 151 deaths related to these dam failures occurred between 2019 and 2022.
“Western North Carolina, with its many lakes and rivers, must remain at the forefront of dam safety, and the Low-Head Dam Inventory Act and National Dam Safety Program Amendment Act would make sure of that,” said Congressman Edwards. “To prevent catastrophic dam failures and protect downstream communities, we must provide federal support for the nearly 92,000 dams that serve critical functions across our nation. By improving dam safety efforts, we can protect lives and make sure that dams continue to provide the services that Americans depend on.”
