Index of 2008 Conference Information

Conference Overview

The 2008 USSD Conference theme is The Sustainability of Experience — Investing in the Human Factor. The Theme addresses challenges facing our profession in training and transferring knowledge and judgment from soon-to-be-retiring experts to eager younger professionals who will be our future leaders.

The Conference Technical Program and associated Workshops on Dam Failures/Incidents and on Dam Decommissioning will also provide an opportunity for dam engineers, owners, operators, environmental managers and interest groups to share and discuss best practices and new technologies in design, construction, rehabilitation, monitoring and surveillance, operation, safety, decommissioning and risk management.

The Opening Plenary Session will feature three invited presentations. ICOLD Vice President Arthur H. Walz, Jr. will review the mutually beneficial relationship between USSD and ICOLD. Mark Svendsen, President of USCID, will discuss efforts by USCID and ICID to address global climate change issues affecting water management. Additional global climate change issues will be outlined by Barry Nelson, Senior Policy Analyst with the Natural Resources Defense Council.

A Sustainabiity Transfer Forum will address Investing in the Human Factor. This two-hour Session will feature presentations by a variety of segments of the dam engineering community, including a dam owner, federal government representatives, consultants and a contractor relating their experiences in mentoring and training. The Session will conclude with an interactive panel discussion among the speakers and the audience.

Conference participants can look forward to three meal-time speakers, including a tribute to geotechnical engineer Ralph B. Peck by Alfred J. Hendron, Jr.; Bureau of Reclamation Regional Director Lorri Gray; and Lieutenant General Robert L. Van Antwerp, Chief of Engineers, Corps of Engineers.

Four Concurrent Technical Sessions on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday, and a Poster Session Tuesday evening, will feature the presentation of more than 100 technical papers. A half-day session will focus on a Seepage and Piping Toolbox, organized by the Bureau of Reclamation.

The Wednesday Awards banquet will feature the presentation of the Outstanding Paper Award, and awards for Excellence in the Constructed Project and Lifetime Achievement. The winners of the 2008 USSD Scholarships will also be announced.

On Thursday, participants will have the option of attending one of two Workshops or a Field Tour to PacifiCorp's Lewis River projects. The Conference concludes with a Field Tour on Friday to PGE's Clackamas River projects.

Host

The Host of the 28th Annual Meeting and Conference is Portland General Electric

Acknowledgments

The Conference technical program was organized jointly by several USSD Committees under the leadership of Douglas D. Boyer, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Exhibition and Sponsorships

An exhibition featuring water resources related goods and services will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday. Continental breakfasts, breaks and a reception will be held in the exhibit hall.

Conference Exhibitors include the following organizations: The Exhibition is SOLD OUT. USSD will accept additional Exhibit Reservations on a tentative first come, first served basis to replace any cancellations — contact USSD to make a tentative Reservation. Several Sponsorship opportunities are still available.

Sponsorships for Conference activities and products are also available. Click here for exhibitor and sponsor information.

Conference Sponsors include the following organizations: (This list will be updated to reflect additional sponsors as they commit to participation.)

Venue

Set against the backdrop of majestic Mount Hood, Portland combines a sophisticated, cosmopolitan atmosphere with refreshingly friendly, small-town warmth. Portland has been proclaimed as North America's "Best Big City," according to Money magazine. Spring is an especially attractive time in the Pacific Northwest, when visitors can cruise the scenic rivers, stroll through gardens and parks, and enjoy Portland's many shopping and dining opportunities.

The Conference will be held at the Doubletree Hotel and Executive Meeting Center — Portland Lloyd Center. The hotel is conveniently located in the historic Lloyd District, just minutes from Portland International Airport. The MAX Light Rail System is just steps away and offers free transportation to downtown and easy access to and from the airport. Oregon's largest mall, the Lloyd Center Mall, is across the street. The Doubletree features two restaurants, an outdoor heated pool and fully equipped fitness center.

Continuing Education Units

Colorado State University, Division of Continuing Education, will grant CEUs after successful completion of the Conference and/or a Workshop. CEU information will be available at the Conference.

USSD Committees

Committee Meetings, to be held on Monday, are an important part of the Annual Meeting. All Conference participants are welcome to attend the committee meetings. Schedule

Awards Concrete Dams Construction and Rehabilitation Dam Decommissioning Dam Safety and Dam Security Earthquakes

Environment Foundations Hydraulics of Dams ICOLD Congress Papers Levees Materials for Embankment Dams

Membership Monitoring of Dams and Their Foundations Newsletter Public Awareness Tailings Dams

Annual Meeting of Members

All Conference participants are invited to attend the USSD Annual Meeting of Members on Monday afternoon. Following a brief review of current USSD activities, Members will have an opportunity to present their ideas and suggestions about USSD to the Board of Directors.

Conference Kick-Off

Each year, USSD Conference participants and guests look forward to the annual Monday evening kick-off event to network, make new professional contacts and socialize. This year's Conference Kick-Off will be a reception at the Doubletree Hotel — Portland Lloyd Center.

Brewery Tour

With more than 28 local breweries, Portland has more brewpubs per capita than any city in the U.S. Sample the beers from three or four breweries on the "brew bus." The on-board guide gives a fun, educational tour of Portland, the history of craft brewing, and more. You'll receive a Personal Sampling Scorecard to help you keep track of all the beers you like. You'll learn about different styles of beer (ales, lagers, porters, stouts etc.), discover why Portland is the home of craft brewing and find out why local ingredients (hops, grains, water, yeast and malt) are so important to the taste and quality. For safety reasons, no open-toed sandals or shoes are allowed on the tour.

The tour will depart from the Doubletree Hotel on Thursday at 6 p.m. and return at 10 p.m. The price is $30, including beer tasting and appetizers. Dinner on your own at one of the breweries.

Field Tours

On Thursday, participants will have the option of attending one of two Workshops or a Field Tour to PacifiCorp's Lewis River projects. The Conference concludes with a Field Tour on Friday to PGE's Clackamas River projects.

Thursday Field Tour
Swift No 1	Swift No 2	Yale Dam	Merwin Dam

The Thursday Field Tour and lunch will feature visits to four dams on the Lewis River, located about an hour's drive north of Portland. Three of the dams are owned and operated by PacifiCorp Energy and the fourth is owned by PUD #1 of Cowlitz County, Washington and operated by PacifiCorp Energy. PacifiCorp's 510 megawatt (MW) capacity Lewis River hydroelectric facilities are located in rural southwestern Washington and are located in a scenic area near Mt. St. Helens in the Cascade mountain range. From upstream to downstream the tour will visit:

Swift No. 1 Dam Located on the southern flank of Mount St. Helens, Swift No.1 Dam was constructed between 1956 and 1958 and when constructed was one of the highest earthfill embankments in the world. The project consists of a 2,000-foot-long, 412-foot-high zoned earth embankment; a service spillway with two 50-foot by 51-foot tainter gates; a 4,600-acre reservoir; intake structure; tunnel; penstock; and a powerhouse with a generating capacity of 240 MW. During the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, approximately 11,000 acre-feet of mudflow entered the reservoir.

Swift No. 2 Project After failure of the canal embankment in 2002, the project was reconstructed and resumed operation in 2006. The project consists of a 3-mile-long power canal formed by earth embankments; a concrete-lined wasteway; a surge arresting structure; and a powerhouse with a generating capacity of 70 MW.

Yale Dam This project consists of a 1,305-foot-long, 323-foot-high zoned earth embankment main dam; a 2,000-foot-long, 40-foot-high earth embankment saddle dam; a spillway structure with five 39-foot by 30-foot tainter gates; a 3,800-acre reservoir; and a powerhouse with a generating capacity of 134 MW. The project was constructed between 1951 and 1953.

Merwin Dam Constructed between 1929 and 1931, Merwin Dam consists of a 728-foot-long, 313-foot-high concrete arch dam; a 206-foot-long thrust block with spillway consisting of five 30-foot-high tainter gates; a 4,000-acre reservoir; and a powerhouse with a generating capacity of 136 MW.

The total useable storage for the Lewis River Projects is 814,000 acre-feet.

Friday Field Tour
River Mill Dam	North Fork Dam

The Friday Field Tour and lunch will be conducted by Portland General Electric, and will visit two dams on the Clackamas River, southeast of Portland.

North Fork Dam is a thin, variable-radius concrete arch dam with a maximum height of 207 feet and a thickness varying from 32 feet at the base to 8 feet at the crest. The spillway is a 200-foot-long gated ogee-type structure with a 250-foot-long reinforced concrete chute discharging into the tailrace. The spillway is controlled by three, 50-foot-wide by 37.5-foot-high tainter gates. The powerhouse contains two generating units capable of producing 54 MW of power. A fish ladder is located on right side of the dam.

River Mill Dam consists of two Ambursen-type buttress dams that were originally constructed in 1911, but were remediated in 2000/2001 for seismic loading. The river flows through two naturally-occurring channels at the site separated by a rock knob in the middle of the river. The right channel is dammed by a 101-foot-high, 231-foot-long concrete gravity dam (buttress dam infilled with mass concrete), where the powerhouse is located. The left channel is dammed by a 85-foot-high, 461-foot-long concrete Ambursen buttress dam, where the spillway is located. The pneumatically operated Obermeyer gates allow regulation of downstream flows when the reservoir is near the top of the spillway. The development includes a 23 MW powerhouse. A new fish ladder was constructed in 2006 and extends across the downstream face of the powerhouse and up the rock face on the right bank of the river.

Hotel

The Conference and Workshops will be held at the Doubletree Hotel and Executive Meeting Center — Portland Lloyd Center, 1000 NE Multnomah, Portland, OR 97232; telephone 503-281-6111; fax 503-284-8553.

The Doubletree is sold out.

USSD has contracted for additional rooms in the University Place Hotel, on the campus of Portland State University in downtown Portland. The University Place is about five blocks from the Portland light rail system in the fareless square. Light rail service to the Doubletree Hotel is free. The rate is $114 plus taxes. To make reservations, call 503-221-0140, and mention U.S. Society on Dams to get this rate.

Conference and Workshop Registration

The Conference Registration Fee for the Annual Meeting and Conference includes the Conference Proceedings, participation in all technical sessions, the Monday evening kick-off reception, continental breakfasts and lunches Tuesday and Wednesday, Tuesday evening reception, and the Wednesday reception and dinner. It also includes either the Field Tour or a Workshop on Thursday, with lunch; and the Friday Field Tour, with lunch. The fee is $795 for USSD Members and $895 for non-members, with a $100 discount for early registration. To receive the Early Registration Rate, you must register by April 18. The Late Registration Fee applies to registrations received after April 18 and on-site registrations. The Registration Fee can be pre-paid by check or credit card (VISA/MasterCard) or purchase order.

Cancellation Policy: To receive a refund, USSD must receive notice of cancellation by the end of business on April 23. All refunds are subject to a $25 processing fee. After April 23, the registration fee is not refundable, but substitutions are acceptable.

Workshops

Two concurrent Workshops will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 1. Attendance at either Workshop is included in the Conference Registration Fee. For those not attending the Conference, the Workshop fee is $250.

Dam Failure/Incident Case Histories

Introduction
Many, if not all, failures of dams in the past could have been prevented. Karl Terzaghi and Ralph B. Peck write in their classic textbook, Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice, "The failure of a dam . . . ranks among the most serious accidents in civil engineering." Webster's dictionary defines an accident as "an unfortunate event resulting especially from carelessness or ignorance." This has the connotation that the event was preventable, had certain deliberate actions been taken. The Investigation of the Cause of Quail Creek Dike Failure Report states, regarding the conclusion of the dike failure, "This is not a new lesson, but rather a lesson relearned and reinforced." Stated another way, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

Purpose
This Workshop is designed to provide dam safety owners, consultants, engineers, regulators, inspectors, and maintenance staff a broad understanding of past dam failures that have changed the course of dam safety and dam engineering in the United States, through the use of case histories. Respected and knowledgeable presenters who have first-hand knowledge in investigating and evaluating dam failures have been invited to share their experiences and how these experiences have changed their course of thinking relative to their approach to dam engineering and dam safety. This day-long Workshop will be valuable to those just getting started in the profession, as well as to experienced veterans.

At the conclusion of the Workshop, a panel discussion will provide an opportunity for discussion of additional examples and questions.

Agenda — Dam Failure/Incident Case Histories Workshop

Dam Decommissioning

The USSD Committee on Dam Decommissioning, chaired by Thomas E. Hepler, Bureau of Reclamation, has organized the Decommissioning Workshop.

Introduction
The Committee is developing Guidelines for Dam Decommissioning Projects to provide dam owners, engineers and other professionals with information to make intelligent decisions when considering dam decommissioning as a project alternative. Dam decommissioning, or dam removal, can range from full removal of the dam and appurtenant facilities to a partial breach of the dam. The decision to remove a dam should be based on a careful evaluation of a wide range of alternatives to solve a specific problem at an existing dam, such as dam safety concerns, rehabilitation and repair costs, operation and maintenance costs, or the need for fish passage. The potential environmental impacts of dam removal must be identified and quantified for this evaluation, including physical, biological and socioeconomic impacts. The amount and rate of reservoir sediment that is eroded and released to the downstream river channel will affect both short- and long-term impacts. Over the short term, the release of fine lakebed sediment would affect water quality, and the release of coarse delta sediments could affect flood stage and rate of channel migration. Sediment characterization, monitoring and adaptive management may be critical components of a successful dam removal project.

Workshop Content
Committee members will provide an overview of the draft Guidelines for Dam Decommissioning Projects, with an emphasis on the engineering aspects associated with the design and construction of a dam removal project, and application to several current Bureau of Reclamation projects in the western United States. Additional presentations will focus on Sediment Management and Monitoring, and on Fishery and Site Restoration, by specialists in these fields. The afternoon Workshop sessions will feature representatives from Federal and State agencies and from a large western utility company, to present the perspective of the dam owners and regulatory agencies in dam decommissioning projects. This will be followed by three case histories of current dam removal projects in Oregon, and by a discussion of dam removal project costs.

Course Notes
Workshop participants will receive a paper copy of each presentation and a draft copy of the USSD Committee's Guidelines for Dam Decommissioning Projects.

Agenda — Dam Decommissioning Workshop

Guest Program

A highlight of the Guest Program is the Monday evening Kick-Off Reception at the Doubletree Hotel. Also included are continental breakfasts on Tuesday and Wednesday, reception on Tuesday evening, reception and awards banquet on Wednesday, and Field Tours and lunches on Thursday and Friday. The Guest Registration Fee is $200.

Take in the highlights of Portland on the Tuesday Guest Tour. Portland is an intimate city with short blocks, elegant parks, bridges, artwork, fountains and intriguing architecture. The tour travels along Tom McCall Waterfront Park, on the Willamette River; through the Skidmore/Old Town District; Chinatown, Pearl and Nob Hill Districts; and City Center. You'll see the Forecourt Fountain, where 13,000 gallons of water per minute cascade through a series of terraces and platforms, suggesting the Northwest's abundant waterfalls; Pioneer Courthouse Square; and Portland's Cultural District. From downtown we'll continue our tour, traveling above the city into Washington Park for a visit to the Japanese Gardens, considered one of the most authentic outside of Japan. Discover the tranquil beauty of several gardens influenced by Shinto, Buddhist and Taoist philosophies emphasizing plants, stone and water. Enjoy lunch at Jakes Famous Crawfish, a Portland landmark for more than 100 years. After lunch, we'll travel 1,000 feet above the city to the Pittock Mansion, once the home of pioneers Henry and Georgiana Pittock, whose empire included real estate, banking, railroads, steamboats, sheep ranching, silver mining, and pulp and paper. The mansion, which was completed in 1914, incorporates Turkish, English and French designs using Northwest materials, and includes all of the progressive features of the time — central vacuum system, intercoms and indirect lighting. Enjoy a self-guided tour of the mansion, visit the gift shop and wander through the garden.

The Tuesday Guest Tour is $80, including lunch.

The Wednesday Guest Tour features one of the world's most magnificent landscapes, the Columbia River Gorge. Experience the grandeur of the Gorge with its compelling vistas and enchanting waterfalls. Your motor coach will drive along the Old Columbia River Gorge Highway, stopping to enjoy commanding views from scenic viewpoints. Visit Multnomah Falls, the fourth highest in the U.S. Take a short walk up a paved trail to the arch bridge for a closer look, or just stand at the base of the falls and revel in their splendor. Visit the gift shop and outdoor interpretive center. Then continue to the town of Hood River, world-renowned for windsurfing, pears and apples. Enjoy lunch overlooking the Columbia River.

The Wednesday Guest Tour is $70, including lunch.