ASDSO Awards
ASDSO annually honors those individuals and organizations making exemplary contributions to the improvement of dam safety in the U.S. through its awards program.
Current ASDSO Awards: National Rehabilitation Project of the Year (yearly), Regional Dam Safety Awards (yearly), Young Professional of the Year (as appropriate), Bruce Tschantz Public Safety at Dams (as appropriate), Media Outreach (as appropriate), Danny McCook Medal (as appropriate), Terry L. Hampton Medal (as appropriate), National Award of Merit (yearly), and Joseph J. Ellam President's Award (yearly)
View the 2025 Award Recipients
View the Full History of ASDSO Awards
2026 Dam Safety Awards Program - Overview
Procedures
- Carefully review the award overview, criteria & procedures included in each nomination form.
- Nominations should be sent to [email protected]. ASDSO staff will send confirmation emails to the nominator.
- The deadline for nominations is May 1, 2026.
- Nominees will only be contacted if they are selected for the award. If the nomination is selected for the award, the nominee (or primary contact) will be contacted with an award announcement and invitation to the awards luncheon. Nominators will be copied on these initial communications.
Recognition
- Award recipients will be recognized at an awards luncheon on August 31, 2026, held in conjunction with the Dam Safety 2026 national conference in Raleigh, North Carolina.
- Award recipients will be recognized in select Dam Safety 2026 materials, on the ASDSO website, in The Journal of Dam Safety, and in ASDSO’s Fiscal Year 2027 Annual Report.
Important Dates
- May 1, 2026 — Award Nominations Due
- July 1, 2026 — Award Recipients Notified
- August 31, 2026 — Awards Luncheon at ASDSO Annual Conference, Dam Safety 2026
2026 Dam Safety Awards Program - Nomination Forms
ASDSO will accept nominations for the following awards through May 1.
National Dam Rehabilitation Project of the Year
This award recognizes a unique remedial design, for a project of any size, that advances the state-of-the-art in the field of dam safety and exemplifies the professional engineering and construction standards that dam safety requires.
The Awards Committee and the Board of Directors consider nominees, and the Board of Directors makes the final selection. This award is given annually.
Regional Dam Safety Awards*
Regional Dam Safety Awards recognize smaller projects, dam owners, and other entities that have made an impact at a local, county, state, or regional level. While efforts may not be state-of-the-art or impact the industry nationally, recipients have made exemplary community contributions. The awards recognize collaboration, community impact, innovative funding, and cost-effectiveness. They also recognize social and environmental responsibility.
ASDSO Regional Representatives select a recipient from each region. ASDSO also forwards the nomination to the appropriate State Representatives for approval. These awards are given annually.
*NOTE: This award has replaced the Regional Awards of Merit. Closely review the criteria before submitting a nomination.
Media Outreach Award
The Media Outreach Award recognizes media outlets and journalists whose work on dam safety issues has enhanced the public understanding of dams' impact on society, their role as key components of public infrastructure, ramifications of dam safety incidents, or other noteworthy contributions to dam safety.
Representatives from the Media Outreach Committee and appropriate ASDSO staff review the nominations. The ASDSO Board of Directors confirms any recipients. The award may be awarded every year at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
Bruce Tschantz Public Safety at Dams Award
This award recognizes and celebrates Dr. Bruce Tschantz’s lifetime achievements in dam safety, his contributions to ASDSO, and his efforts to improve public safety around dams. The award will be given to a person who takes on the role of “local champion” and works to improve public safety around dams. Often, no action would be taken without their efforts.
Representatives of the ASDSO Public Safety at Dams Committee review the nominations. The ASDSO Board of Directors confirms any recipients. The award may be awarded every year at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
Young Professional of the Year
The Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) Young Professional Award recognizes members under 35 years of age working in the dam safety field who made outstanding contributions to the association, their respective organization, or the dam safety industry in general.
Representatives from the ASDSO Young Professional Interest Group review the nominations. The ASDSO Board of Directors confirms any recipients. The award may be awarded every year at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
Terry L. Hampton Medal
This Medal was established by the Affiliate Member Advisory Committee, now known as the ASDSO Advisory Committee (AdCom), to recognize Terry L. Hampton's lifetime achievements in the field of hydrology and hydraulics and his contributions to ASDSO and the AdCom. The Medal will be awarded for outstanding contributions to the advancement of technical research, education, and/or practice in hydrologic and hydraulic engineering for dams on a national or international level. AdCom reviews nominations and selects the recipient. The Medal may be awarded every year at the selection committee's discretion.
Danny McCook Medal
This medal was established by the Affiliate Member Advisory Committee, now known as the ASDSO Advisory Committee (AdCom), to recognize Danny McCook's lifetime achievements in geotechnical engineering and his contributions to ASDSO and the AdCom. The Medal will be awarded for outstanding contributions to the advancement of technical research, education, and/or practice in geotechnical engineering for dams on a national or international level. AdCom reviews nominations and selects the recipient. The Medal may be awarded every year at the selection committee's discretion.
