Indian Programs: BIA and Indian Tribes Are Taking Action to Address Dam Safety Concerns

Key factors contributing to the Bureau of Indian Affairs' limited progress during the 1980s in addressing known or suspected dam deficiencies on Indian reservations--including limited staff resources, BIA's decision to encourage tribes to carry out program activities, and the absence of a management information system to help monitor and direct program activities--have, to a large degree, been addressed. A 1989 Inspector General report indicated that many BIA dams were in various stages of disrepair and in need of rehabilitation. While safety deficiencies have not been fully corrected, efforts are now under way at many BIA priority dams. The success of BIA's current dam strategy will, to a large degree, depend on how tribes and BIA carry out their program responsibilities. GAO believes that more time is needed before such an assessment is made. An effective record-keeping and reporting system to help monitor the situation at priority dams would help BIA assess progress. Available online. (GAO abstract)