How Much Does It Cost to Repair America’s Aging Dams?

America’s dams are in dire need of repair, with an estimated $157.5 billion required to rehabilitate the nation’s non-federal dams according to a recent report by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO). This staggering figure highlights the urgent need for investment in dam safety and rehabilitation at all levels of government.

The Rising Cost of Dam Repairs

The ASDSO’s report, titled “The Cost of Rehabilitating Dams in the U.S.: A Methodology and Estimate,” found that the current cost of rehabilitating all non-federal dams in the United States is an estimated $157.5 billion, more than double the estimate from 2022. The study also determined that the cost of rehabilitating non-federal high hazard potential dams is $34.1 billion, a $10 billion increase from the previous year.

The dramatic increase in cost is attributed to updated methodologies for estimating costs that accounted for more dam-specific information, such as Condition Assessment ratings and the ages of dams. Additionally, ASDSO was able to refine its data by assessing various height categories for dams and updating project costs to account for increased engineering costs and costs for construction materials and labor.

The Need for Investment in Dam Safety

The report’s findings underscore the critical need for investment in dam safety and rehabilitation at all levels of government. Without such investments and available funding streams, it will be increasingly difficult for dam owners to finance costly dam rehabilitation projects. The report recommends increasing statutory authorities and investments to support state dam safety programs charged with overseeing more than two-thirds of the nation’s dams, including those that pose the greatest hazard potential.

Programs like the National Dam Safety Program and the High Hazard Potential Dam Rehabilitation Grant Program provide funding to state dam safety programs to support staffing and training needs, conduct inspection and monitoring activities, and support needed repairs to high hazard dams which would result in the loss of life in the event of a dam failure. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) strongly supports reauthorization of the National Dam Safety Program, whose authority is set to lapse on September 30th of this year, and increasing funding for both the National Dam Safety Program and the High Hazard Potential Dam Rehabilitation Grant Program.

The Impact on Infrastructure Assessments

In 2021, ASCE’s “Report Card for America’s Infrastructure” gave the nation’s dams a grade of “D”. To address the challenges facing dams and to increase the overall grade for dams, ASCE recommends fully funding the High Hazard Potential Dam Rehabilitation Grant Program, increasing state funding for state dam safety programs, and ensuring state and federal agencies can provide adequate data on dams to assist policymakers in making timely funding decisions and promote greater public awareness.

The findings in ASDSO’s report are likely to have a significant impact on ASCE’s next report card and will help to inform the assessment of the nation’s dams as well as ASCE’s future recommendations for improving the nation’s dams. ASCE looks forward to working with ASDSO on improving dam safety and determining the best path forward for raising the grade for the nation’s dams.