Concurrent Session 03B: Right Sizing Risk Informed Decision Making in Kansas

Abstract Description: The State of Kansas Division of Water Resources recently funded a study to develop an efficient and cost-effective process to evaluate dam risks in Kansas. The Risk Informed Decision Making (RIDM) process developed for DWR combines methodologies from NRCS' Failure-Risk Indexing and USFWS' screening level risk and consequence matrix. These methodologies were then modified to be specific to Kansas and to work for a variety of dams with a variety of available design and construction data. The process was then pilot tested on 60 dams. This process was utilized to aid the State in defining and designating "unsafe" dams. The goal of the RIDM tool was to develop a procedure that would take approximately 12 hours to evaluate the risk associated with a dam. This presentation will cover the RIDM process developed, results of the pilot-testing, and how the State of Kansas may use RIDM in the future.

Larry Sample, P.E.

Vice President Water Resources

WSP

Larry Sample - Graduated from Kansas State Univerisity in 1996 with a M.S. degree in Agricultural Engineering. Over his 30 year career he worked for NRCS for 10 years, was a City Engineer for 3 years, and has been with WSP in Topeka, KS for 17 years. He first got introduced to dam engineering while working for NRCS and been passionate about the industry ever since. As an engineering consultant for WSP he has worked on 700+ dams across the US completing dam safety inspecitons, dam breach analysis, hazard classification, detailed H&H studies, feasibility planning, designs, risk analysis, and EAPs.

Joe File, P.E.

Senior Project Manager

Benesch

Terry Medley, P.E.

Water Structures Program Manager

Kansas Dept of Agriculture

Terry Medley graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelorâs degree in Agricultural Engineering. He has over 30 years of experience in water resources engineering. He worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service as an agricultural engineer. He received his professional engineering license in 2000 and went to work for Tetra Tech EMI in Lenexa, KS where he was a design engineer and contract manager for water resource projects. Terry joined the Kansas Department of Health and Environment in August 2003 where he served as Section Chief of the Livestock Waste Management Section. He joined the Kansas Department of Agriculture in 2016 and currently serves as the Water Structures Program Manager for the Division of Water Resources.