GEI selected to provide state-wide risk assessment of Michigan’s dams

LANSING, MICHIGAN (October 2, 2024) – The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has selected GEI Consultants to complete a program of screening level risk assessments for the state’s high and significant hazard dams. Once completed, these assessments will help EGLE prioritize resources to dams that pose the greatest threat to human health and the environment.

“GEI’s dam experts are excited to partner with EGLE to develop plans to minimize risk and maximize safety for Michigan’s dams, the surrounding community, and the adjacent environment,” says Dan DeVaun, Project Manager for the EGLE project. “Our engineers have extensive experience with public and private dam safety programs. We have successfully worked on dams in nearly all 50 states and GEI has been engaged by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U. S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), numerous utility companies, and others to evaluate existing dams and to develop risk-based prioritizations and solutions.”

Following the May 19, 2020, failures of the Edenville and Sanford Dams in Gladwin and Midland Counties, Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a directive to EGLE, which included performing an in-depth evaluation of Michigan’s Dam Safety Program and general dam safety practices in the state. This effort culminated in the formation of the Michigan Dam Safety Task Force. In February 2022, the Dam Safety Task Force authored a report containing 86 recommendations for improving the state’s Dam Safety Program. One of those recommendations was to develop a portfolio risk assessment for all dams in Michigan’s inventory.

GEI’s risk assessment study will evaluate the likelihood and consequence of failure for those high and significant hazard potential dams in Michigan regulated by EGLE.

“This project is a crucial step in assessing dam risks across Michigan and maximizing the benefits of limited resources available to manage these risks,” says Luke Trumble, Supervisor, EGLE Dam Safety Program. “We are looking forward to working with the experts at GEI to complete this assessment and develop the portfolio prioritization.”

As infrastructure across the country continues to age, prioritizing limited State and Federal resources is paramount in proper risk management. The GEI team is excited to continue our efforts in improving the dam safety practice and supporting the State of Michigan with this project.

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About GEI: GEI Consultants, Inc. is a consulting engineering firm that delivers professional services that improve our world’s-built environment. With more than 1,400 staff and 57 offices in North America, GEI is a leader in providing multi-disciplined engineering and environmental services to a range of private and public sector clients, both domestically and abroad.

As a member of the employee-owned GISI family of companies, we foster personal relationships with our clients and support our staff in a partnership model, which is underpinned by continuous learning and sharing of knowledge. We retain proven, recognized experts and attract the best minds to deliver to our clients a refreshing blend of technical expertise, collaborative spirit, and innovation that is rare in our profession. We engineer solutions in five primary end markets: Water Resources, Energy, Buildings, Infrastructure, and Industrial. For more information on GEI, please visit www.geiconsultants.com.