Dam Safety Act
for Alabama
Baldwin Hills Dam Disaster - 1963
IRS Code 501-(c )-(6), non for profit organization, advocating for the engineering
profession in Alabama.
ACEC is a federation, headquartered in Washington, DC, with offices in each state of the
nation.
ACEC's roots date back to 1909 when a small group of engineers in private practice
established the American Institute of Consulting Engineers (AICE), the forerunner of
ACEC. Today ACEC is a large federation of 51 state and regional councils representing
the great breadth of America's engineering industry. ACEC member firms employ
hundreds of thousands of engineers, architects, land surveyors, scientists, and other
specialists, responsible for more than $200 billion of private and public works annually.
Member firms range in size from a single registered professional engineer to corporations
employing thousands of engineering and industry related professionals.
2014 marks the 50th anniversary of ACEC’s operation in Alabama.
Members Firms: 53
Associates/Sustaining Firms: 17
Annual Operating Income: $400,000.00
What we know:
Alabama Dam Safety Act

Alabama is the only state in the nation without a
dam safety program.

The location and condition of most dams in Alabama
is unknown.

Most Alabama dams do not have an Emergency
Action Plan.

There is a lack of information for citizens and
emergency management officials to plan for an
emergency in the event of a dam failure or misoperation.
Alabama’s National
Inventory of Dams
(NID)
Red: High Hazard
Failure or mis-operation would
cause loss of human life and
significant property destruction.
Yellow: Significant Hazard
Failure or mis-operation will cause
significant property destruction
Through a FEMA grant, ADECA’s Office of
Water Resources updated some dam
safety inventory information in 16 counties
using aerial imagery and found that NID
dams in those counties increased from 214
to 866. Presently, ADECA’s Office of Water
Resources reports that 2/3 of the state has
been inventoried.
Black: Low Hazard
Failure would cause minimal
property destruction.
THIS MAP DATA IS OVER
30 YEARS OLD!
Bill history:
Alabama Dam Safety Act
2003 Bill



Dialogue with
Stakeholders
2008 Bill

HB454

Provides for inventory
and classification of
dams, but no regulation
of dams.

Rep. Wood, Canfield,
McCutcheon, Laird,
Bridges, Fite
Bill reportedly
died in
committee
Office of Water
Resources,
ADECA


Bill died in Commerce
Committee
Office of Water
Resources, ADECA
2014 Bill

HB610

Rep. McClurklin and leaders
in a community within her
district contacted ASDSO. A
national model bill was
introduced, in joint effort with
ASCE.

Rep. McClurklin, Hill and
Wallace

Bill died in Commerce and
Small Business Committee

Office of Water Resources,
ADECA
Provisions:
Alabama Dam Safety Act

An Alabama dam safety program comprehensively regulates dam safety in
Alabama.

If enacted, the bill would establish statewide procedures for the construction,
alteration, repair, operation, abandonment and removal of dams.

1.
The bill would require inspection of existing dams.
2.
Oversee remediation of deficient dams.
3.
Permit the construction of new dams.
4.
High Hazard Potential and Significant Hazard Potential dams must have
an approved Emergency Action Plan.
Dam owners would work with local officials and dam owners on emergency
preparedness to mitigate losses resulting from dam failures.
Dam Safety Act
for Alabama
The advocates
Stakeholders




Public Entities - Federal,
State, County, Municipal,
etc.
Private owners & Land
Developers
Mining Industries
Utilities


Agricultural Industries


Electric, Water, Sewer, etc.
Farming/Forestry/Pulp Paper
Parks & Recreation











USACE
USDA/Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Manufacturers
River Users Alliances
Homeland Security
Home Owner Groups
FEMA/Alabama EMA
Dept. of Industrial Relations
Soil and Water Conservation
Commission
Elected Officials
Downstream
Communities/Property Owners
common core

A dam safety program is a life/safety matter. Engineers
have an ethical responsibility to protect the public. This
bill makes sense for Alabama.

This matter has a tremendous environmental impact.
Engineers have an obligation to influence meaningful
legislation to protect the People of Alabama.
moving forward






Start with the pre-negotiated bill version.
Initiate dialogue; seek feedback from
Stakeholders.
Educate legislative leadership and governor on
the need for this legislation.
Initiate a Stakeholders meeting this fall.
Introduce bill early in the 2015 regular session.
Stay the course.
Contact Us
Renée Anne Casillas
ACEC/Alabama Executive Director
531 Herron Street | Montgomery, Alabama 36104
P. 334.264.1500 | F. 334.264.0099 | www.aceca.org
Kevin Blake, PE
ACEC/Alabama President, 2014-2015
Principal Engineer, VP
CTL, Inc.
1211 Newell Parkway | Montgomery, Alabama 36110
P. 334.260.9174 | F. 334.260-9177 | M. 334.430.5951
Alain Gallet, PE, FACEC
ACEC/Alabama Past President & Legislative Chairman
Senior Principal, National Director - Energy Sector
Terracon Consultants | M. 205.541.7956 | P. 205.942.1289
Joe Meads, PE
ASCE/AL Legislative Chairman, Past ACEC/Alabama Birmingham Area Vice President
Principal/Owner
Sain Associates, Inc. | P. 205.940.6420