While the National Dam Safety Program and National Levee Safety Program legislations were enacted almost 30 years apart, the two national level programs continue to move closer toward alignment and better consistency. It is nearly impossible to make a decision on either piece of infrastructure (dams or levees) without a direct or indirect impact on benefits and uses in the watershed. Alignment and consistency are a critical first step for the nation as decision makers look to make informed decisions in a complex watershed shared by both dams and levees.
As the National Levee Safety Program builds on the lesson’s learned from the National Dam Safety Program, the intent is to shape the National Levee Safety Program in a way that meets the needs of the nation that allows for the alignment of both programs. The session will focus on a series of steps that are underway aimed at aligning dams and levees through the collection and use of data.
The U.S Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in partnership with ASDSO and the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM), are working to understand the status of levee activities throughout the United States – and how those activities are potentially coordinated with dam safety and floodplain management entities. To accomplish this, ASDSO and ASFPM have developed a survey to gather information on states’ levee authorities, programs and activities currently underway. This session will present the results of the survey as well as how this information will be used by the National Levee Safety Program moving forward.
Another opportunity for alignment is how data is collected and analyzed. The National Levee Safety Program is performing a small number of “pilot” levee inspections and reviews with levee owners and states. The “pilots” will help inform how data is collected and used by owners and states in the future. The session will present an overview of the “pilots,” lessons’ learned, and approaches going forward.
Finally, this session will conclude with a panel discussion from a select group of states currently engaged with the National Levee Safety Program. The panel will share their direct experiences with levees in their state, their unique needs, and how data and tools associated with the National Levee Safety Program can be used by the state and their levee owners to make informed decisions.
