29 October 2009 – The Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) held its 26th annual national conference, Dam Safety 2009, September 27 through October 1 at the Westin Diplomat in Hollywood, Florida. ASDSO’s annual meeting is one of the world’s leading conferences dedicated to the safe design, construction and maintenance of dams and levees. This year’s conference attracted approximately 800 attendees from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and several nations.
The conference began with a special welcome from 2008-2009 ASDSO President Robert Martinez, Chief of Engineering and Dam Safety for the Nevada Division of Water Resources, and Dr. Matahel Ansar, P.E., who provided an overview of the special challenges faced by the Southwest Florida Management District.
In addition to a full complement of technical sessions, Dam Safety 2009 featured two special tracks on the emerging issues of national levee safety and dam security.
The Levees track on September 29 began with a general session focusing on the National Levee Safety Act and the 20 recommendations of the National Committee on Levee Safety. Additional sessions examined the task of bringing levees up to dam standards and offered attendees an opportunity to discuss the role of the dam safety community and ASDSO in ensuring levee safety.
On September 30, ASDSO and the Department of Homeland Security presented the Second Annual National Dam Security Forum, comprised of three consecutive sessions. These sessions featured talks by national security experts on risk assessment and prioritization; estimating the consequences of dam failures and project disruptions; research and development efforts for dams, locks, and levees; emergency planning and evacuation; federal dam security initiatives and more.
Conference attendees had the opportunity to tour the Herbert Hoover Dike in Palm Beach County on October 1. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District is rehabilitating portions of the dike that were identified as most vulnerable, focusing initial efforts to achieve the most significant impacts. A critical design feature in the rehabilitation is the construction of a cut-off wall to stop existing internal erosion and prevent future piping. Field trip participants visited three sites where construction is taking place, using state-of-the-art design methods and equipment.
The proceedings from Dam Safety 2009, in fully searchable CD-ROM format, contain more than 60 papers on a variety of topics related to the safety of dams. The proceedings are available for purchase through ASDSO’s online bookstore, at www.damsafety.org.
ASDSO Elects New Officers, Seats New Board Members
ASDSO’s new officers began their terms at Dam Safety 2009. They are:
- President – David A. Gutierrez, California
- President-Elect – John H. Moyle, New Jersey
- Treasurer – Zahir “Bo” Bolourchi, Louisiana
- Secretary – Jason Campbell, Illinois
- Immediate Past President – Robert K. Martinez, Nevada
Taking the place of outgoing ASDSO Board of Directors members Mark Ogden (Ohio) and James MacLellan (Mississippi) are Brian Long (West Virginia) and Jonathan Kelsch (North Dakota).
Rounding out the Board are returning members Jason Boyle (Minnesota), Dennis Dickey (Pennsylvania), Pat Diederich (Nebraska), Mark Haynes (Colorado), Cas Taherian (Maryland), Tom Woosley (Georgia), and Affiliate Member Advisory Committee representative John France.
ABOUT ASDSO
Since its formation in 1984, the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) has served as one of the premier professional organizations for individuals committed to ensuring the safety of dams in the U.S., including government officials, engineering consultants, contractors, manufacturers and suppliers, researchers, teachers, dam owners and operators and students.
CONTACT
Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO)
450 Old Vine St.
Lexington, KY 40507
+1 859 257 5140
info@damsafety.org
www.damsafety.org
