Natural Resources Conservation Service Dam Design and Dam Safety Resources: Policy, Procedures, and Tools: On-Demand

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This webinar will provide an overview of multiple dam design and dam safety resources available from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The overview will include a presentation on the NRCS history of building dams and dam safety. The policy presentation will focus on key dam design and dam safety elements in the NRCS General Manual, the National Engineering Manual, and NRCS directives process. The presentation on NRCS design and dam safety procedures will highlight various NRCS Conservation Practice Standards, NRCS National Engineering Handbook chapters, and several NRCS Technical Releases. The presentation on tools will include overviews and applications of NRCS computer software such as TR20, TR20, SITES, WinDam, and DamWatch.

Steve Durgin, P.E.

National Design Engineer, Natural Resources Conservation Service

Steve Durgin P.E. is the National Design Engineer for the Conservation Engineering Division (CED) within the Science and Technology Deputy Area of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Washington, D.C. In this capacity, he has responsibilities for dam safety and dam inventories, engineering job approval, design variance, and review of engineering reports. He serves as the NRCS liaison with ASDSO. On behalf of NRCS and USDA, he represents the director on the Inter-Agency Committee on Dam Safety (ICODS) and the National Dam Safety Review Board (NDSRB). Steve has over 38 years of engineering experience in planning, designing, and constructing conservation practices in various positions. Steve graduated from Clarkson University with a BS degrees in Social Sciences (Sociology), and Civil and Environmental Engineering. He received a Master of Administrative Sciences (Public Administration) from the University of Montana.

Overview of NRCS Work on Dams
- NRCS History
- NRCS Watershed Projects
- Hazard Class Change
- Aging Infrastructure
- NRCS Dam Safety Efforts
NRCS Engineering and Dam Safety Resources
- NRCS Engineering Policy
  - NRCS General Manual
  - NRCS National Engineering Manual
- NRCS Technical Resources
  - Field Handbooks
  - Technical Notes
  - Technical Releases
  - Specifications
  - Computer Software
- National Handbook of Conservation Practices
- NRCS - DamWatch
NRCS Dam Rehabilitation
- Overview
  - Public Law 83-566
  - Watershed Rehabilitation Planning Policy
  - Watershed Rehabilitation Planning Guidance
- Dam Assessments
- Project Planning
- Project Implementation
- NRCS & Sponsor Actions Prior to Construction
NRCS Manual Updates in Process
- TR-60 Earth Dams and Reservoirs
- Seismic Analysis Manual
- Design of Articulated Concrete Block Armored Spillways
- NEH Chapter 30 Concrete Design
- NEH Chapter 70 Riser Design
- NEH Part 642 Specifications
- NEH Part 645 Construction Inspection
- TR-56 Vegetative Wave Protection