Association of State Dam Safety Officials Extends Sympathies to Victims of Flooding in the Rocky Mountain Region
Lexington, KY (PRWEB) September 16, 2013 -- ASDSO can provide experts for interviews about dam failures and incidents, and dam safety in general, along with commentary about the current events being reported in Colorado. Please contact Sarah McCubbin-Cain at smc(at)damsafety(dot)org or 859-550-2788.
The Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) issued the following statement today regarding the ongoing flooding in the Rocky Mountain region:
“Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the devastating flooding in Colorado and New Mexico. ASDSO is monitoring the situation closely, particularly in Colorado where unprecedented flooding has breached two small, low-hazard-potential dams.
“Once the flooding is over, ASDSO will provide opportunities for dam safety experts to discuss lessons learned, and how dam owners and regulators can apply those lessons to dam maintenance and rehabilitation across the country.
“In the meantime, this disaster is a reminder that we all have a role to play to ensure a future in which all dams are safe. We all must educate ourselves about the risks associated with living in an inundation zone and the best practices for avoiding floodwaters in the event of a dam failure. State governments can use the Colorado dam safety program as a model to ensure that dams do not fail in future extreme storm events. At the federal level, Congress should pass the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA), which would reauthorize the National Dam Safety Program and create a new National Levee Safety Program. ASDSO urges Congress to pass this legislation quickly and send it to President Obama for his signature.”
An op-ed, written by ASDSO members John France, Ken Wright and Keith Ferguson, that makes the case for passage of this legislation appeared Sept. 6 in the Denver Post: http://blogs.denverpost.com/opinion/2013/09/06/colorado-has-a-great-record-for-dam-safety-lets-keep-it-that-way/41553/.
The Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) is a national, non-profit organization founded in 1984 and dedicated to improving dam safety through research, education and communication. Web: http://www.damsafety.org
Sarah McCubbin-Cain, Association of State Dam Safety Officials, http://www.damsafety.org, +1 (859) 550-2788 3, [email protected]
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