DES MOINES – The Iowa DNR's Dam Safety program, in conjunction with The Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO), is holding a Dam Safety workshop in West Des Moines on July 30.
The workshop is designed to provide practical, straightforward information on topics of importance to dam owners, and those with an interest in dams, on the following topics:
- Introduction to Dams and State Regulation
- Basic Dam Design
- Erosion is Your Enemy
- How Does a Dam Hold Water and Why Does It Leak?
- Other Common Problems
- Dam Engineering in Practice: Case Studies
Registration fees are $25 per person and attendees must register in advance. No walk-in registrations will be accepted. The registration fee includes a light breakfast, lunch, and beverages.
Registration/check-in will start at 8 a.m. and the workshop will start at 8:30 a.m.
Information will be available throughout the day, and participants will have the opportunity to meet and network with local state dam safety officials, well-known experts in the field of dam safety, other dam owners, and others with an interest in dams. Participants will also receive electronic access to materials and resources.
"It's critical that dam owners understand how their dams work and understand how to prevent problems that can lead to failure of the dam that can possibly cause loss of life," says Jonathan Garton, the Iowa DNR's Floodplain and Dam Safety supervisor. "It's also important that even smaller dam owners understand that a dam break can lead to flooding downstream and damages to other property owners."
Up to 7 professional development hours are available for this workshop. Interested parties can complete the online registration found here or download the registration form and email it to info@damsafety.org.
More specific details will be sent to participants after registration.
ASDSO is a national, non-profit professional association of engineers and individuals who own, regulate, or work on dams.