The Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) has released an updated report which estimates the cost to rehabilitate the nation’s non-federal dams at $209.6 billion. The cost to rehabilitate the most critical dams is estimated at $48 billion.
These estimates were based on collected dam rehabilitation costs for non-federal dam repairs over the past several years and estimated costs for known upcoming projects. It included nationwide cost data for more than 500 projects, including dam removals. Project costs ran from $10,000 for small projects to more than $500 million for large complex projects.
“Investments are needed at all levels of government and within the private sector to rehabilitate the tens of thousands of dams in need of rehabilitation. It is imperative that dams meet current design and dam safety standards to reduce the risk to the public,” said ASDSO President John Roche. “It is imperative that federal and state governments recognize their role in improving public safety by increasing funding for grant and loan programs to dam owners.”
Rehabilitation becomes necessary as dams age, technical standards and techniques improve, and downstream populations and land use change. However, the cost of rehabilitation can be high, and the costs are rising significantly. This is due to a combination of factors, including escalated costs for construction materials and labor and the increased breadth of current engineering studies and analyses. Additionally, the overall number of dams needing rehabilitation has increased due to the identification of deficiencies outpacing the completion of rehabilitation projects. Funding and permitting constraints contribute significantly to the slower rate of completion.
In 2021, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was passed and more than $4 billion was made available for dam rehabilitation across several federal agencies. But as years passed, a significant percentage of this funding was rescinded or used for other priorities at the federal level. FEMA moved funds away from dam rehab and toward other priorities within the larger DHS agency-wide objectives.
“This collective cost seems overwhelming,” said ASDSO Executive Director Lori Spragens, “but real programs and efforts are in place or could be created to reduce the risk to public safety. ASDSO calls on the federal government to reauthorize and fully fund the dam rehabilitation grant program at FEMA as part of the Water Resources Development Act of 2026, and recognize the importance of and fully fund other grant and loan programs at the federal level. We call on states to implement and fully fund parallel grant and loan programs for dam rehabilitation.”
ASDSO’s report illustrates the urgent need for ongoing investment.
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