Lake Isabella is 40 miles northeast of Bakersfield, in Kern County, California. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) owns and operates the dam. In 2006, a USACE study found the dam vulnerable to three potential failure modes: overtopping, seepage, and seismic damage. Water leaked at its base, and a fault line previously believed to be inactive was found to have been active within recent (5,000 years) geologic time.
Once considered the “most dangerous dam in America,” Phase II of the Isabella Lake Dam Safety Modification Project is now complete. Flatiron and its joint venture partners Dragados USA and Sukut Construction completed the project under budget at $323 million.
ASDSO's mission is to improve the condition and safety of dams and lower the risk of dam failures through education, support for state dam safety programs, and fostering a unified dam safety community. ASDSO annually honors the individuals and organizations making exemplary contributions to the improvement of dam safety in the U.S. through its awards program.
