AFTER THE RAINS, A PROGRAM MAKEOVER - DAM SAFETY IN HAWAII

摘要

The Hawaii Dam Safety program has been dynamic in the past two years. The program needed to assess the existing conditions of the dams since the 2006 emergency events and provide a framework for emergency response to dam incidents. The 5-step process provided a framework for developing numerous projects to strengthen the program, along with stimulating other projects along the way. Although we would like to say that this process was formulated prior to any project being initiated, it was driven more by need and later formulized to aid in better allocating resources and ensuring that there was a balance in our approach.DLNR has also initiated work on updating our administrative rules, regulatory guidelines, and construction/alteration permit process and developing the process for the newly created certificate to impound requirements.In 2007, the State of Hawaii Legislature updated the state's dam safety program laws, Chapter 179D Hawaii Revised Statutes, which greatly upgraded and clarified the dam safety program's enforcement capabilities. Some of the highlights of the 2007 legislation include increased authority for the state dam safety program to regulate and monitor the dams during normal periods and in emergencies; requires a DLNR annual report to the legislature; increased the owner responsibilities for dam ownership, operation, maintenance, and emergency response; incorporate a new certificate to impound requirement; created an annual fee for dams, and created the Dam and Reservoir Safety Special Fund. The 2007 legislature also created an administrative services position for the program and provided an increase in the dam safety program operational budget. These legislative actions follow-up the previous year's improvements to the program which created 2 additional engineering positions in the dam safety program, which brings the total staffing in the program to 4 1/2 full time employees.The Hawaii Dam Safety program has been revitalized with new energy, staff and projects and has strengthen the relationships with owners, operators, water users of the regulated dams, emergency responders and others. We have experienced challenges that come with our quick growth and increased public focus, however have learned to embrace these challenges and are encouraged that the ultimate goal of public safety is being promoted.Our program would not have moved forward with such great speed had it not been supported by our immediate supervisors, upper management, elected officials, partnering agencies such as the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO), Bureau of Reclamation, Army Corps of Engineers, US Geological Survey, American Society of Civil Engineers Hawaii Chapter, University of Hawaii, consultants (EarthTech Inc., Gannett Flemming, GEI Consultants, Ishida and Yamada, Klienfielder West, LFR Inc., Oceanit, Inc., and the Pacific Disaster Center) and our responsive dam owners and operators. Of course we know that the real cost for these improvements are the seven residents that lost their lives during the breach (Alan Dingwall, Aurora Fehring, Rowan Fehring-Dingwall, Daniel Arroyo, Christina Macnees and unborn child, Wayne Rotstein, and Timothy Noonan). Their loss opened up many doors for the Dam Safety Program which may have gone unaided had this event not occurred.During the aftermath of the Kaloko Dam Breach, a colleague said that it is not what has happened but rather what you do going forward that will determine the program's success. We continue to strive to make our program better.