Army Corps of Engineers: Actions Needed to Improve Cost Sharing for Dam Safety Repairs
Abstract
Why GAO Did This Study. The Corps operates over 700 dams, which are aging and may require major repairs to assure safe operation. At some dams, sponsors that benefit from dam operations share in the cost of operating and repairing these dams based on original congressional authorizations for dam construction or subsequent agreements with the Corps. Since 2005, the Corps initiated an estimated $5.8 billion in repairs at 16 dams with urgent repair needs; sponsors are to share repair costs at 9 of these dams.GAO was asked to examine cost sharing for Corps dam safety repairs. This report examines how, over the last 10 years, the Corps (1) determined cost sharing and (2) communicated with sponsors regarding cost sharing. GAO reviewed relevant laws and Corps regulations; analyzed dam safety projects documentation for the 16 dams the Corps selected for repairs since 2005; conducted site visits to a non-generalizable sample of three dams based on cost share determinations and range of sponsors; and interviewed Corps officials and sponsors. What GAO Recommends. GAO recommends that the Corps clarify policy guidance on (1) usage of the state-of-the-art provision and (2) effective communication with sponsors to establish and implement cost sharing agreements for all dams, including the three named in this report. The Department of Defense concurred with GAOs recommendations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1000441
Entities
People
- Amy Rosewarne
- Davis Judson
- Geoffrey Hamilton
- Georgeann Higgins
- Irina Carnevale
- Joshua Ormond
- Lori Rectanus
- Michael Armes
- Saraann Moessbauer
- Vondalee Hunt
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office