Purpose
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Dam Safety Program can be traced to the National Dam Inspection Act of 1972 (Public Law 92-367). The Dam Safety Program has been updated numerous times, including via the National Dam Safety Program Act of 2020 (Public Law 116-260) and 33 USC 467. Most elements of the program still closely abide by the Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety (1979), with the most notable development in the last decade related to risk assessments to better prioritize actions and communicate the safety status of dams. The overlying purpose of dam safety is to ensure the integrity and viability of dams such that they do not present unacceptable risks to the public, property, and the environment.
Description
The Dam Safety Program focuses on inspections and risk assessments. Inspections include a routine program of surveillance and monitoring that includes soundings, surveys, measurements with special instrumentation, divings, and camera inspections. Most dams owned and operated by USACE have been inspected on 5-year intervals. The inspections and risk assessments inform and help prioritize repair and rehabilitation needs.
Status
Risk assessments were conducted at Baldhill Dam in 2013 and at Homme Dam in 2015. Work is ongoing to optimize water control manuals. A contract to make concrete repairs, seal seepage in the gated spillway monoliths, and perform other miscellaneous repairs at Baldhill Dam is pending. Other budget needs include gate replacement at the Homme intake structure.
Dams in St. Paul District Portfolio
The dams in the St. Paul District that are authorized, operated, and maintained by USACE in North Dakota are as follows:
- Baldhill Dam (Valley City)
- Homme Dam (Park River)
Additionally, USACE has a cooperative agreement to operate and maintain flood control on the Souris River at Lake Darling Dam, which is owned by the Fish and Wildlife Service, including some modified refuge structures on the Souris River. Flood risk management costs are funded by USACE, and other costs are funded by the Department of the Interior. USACE also negotiates flood control with the Department of State through an International Joint Commission for two Canadian dams (Rafferty and Grant Devine dams).
See the National Inventory of Dams for more information: https://nid.sec.usace.army.mil/#/