Alabama Strengthens Dam Safety Oversight with SB378

Photo L to R: Jeff Smitherman (Director, State of Alabama Emergency Management Agency), Chris Crawford (TTL, ACEC Representative), Lawren Pratt (Barge, ASCE Representative), Governor Kaye Ivey, Senator Clyde Chambliss, Renee Casillas (ACEC), and Steve Newton (TTL, ASCE Representative)

Monday, May 18, 2026 – Leaders from the American Society of Civil Engineers of the Alabama Section and the American Council of Engineering Companies of Alabama joined Governor Kay Ivey for the ceremonial signing of Senate Bill 378. The legislation was sponsored by Senator Clyde Chambliss, a civil engineer and the only licensed professional engineer currently serving in the Alabama Legislature.

The signing marks another major step forward for dam safety in Alabama following passage of the Alabama Safe Dams Act (Act #2023-414), which ended Alabama’s distinction as the only state in the nation without a Dam Safety Act. The achievement came after more than a decade of advocacy by legislators and civil engineering leaders focused on improving public safety.

The Alabama Safe Dams Act established several important requirements, including:

• Regular inspections of dams and reservoirs by professional engineers licensed in Alabama

• Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) for high and significant hazard potential dams

• Notification requirements for new dam construction and enlargements

In April 2026, the Alabama Legislature passed SB378, further strengthening the program by transferring administration of the Alabama Dam Safety Program from local emergency management agencies to the Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA).

Under the new law, AEMA becomes the sole administrator of the state’s dam safety program and is authorized to establish rules, approval procedures, and fees related to dam safety oversight. The legislation also requires plans for the construction, modification, or removal of dams to be submitted directly to AEMA for approval.

Engineering leaders across Alabama view the legislation as a significant advancement in protecting public safety and improving statewide coordination for dam infrastructure oversight.

2026 Summer Meeting at Orange Beach

We’re excited to bring the 2026 ASCE/APWA Alabama Summer Meeting back to Orange Beach at the Event Center at The Wharf!

We are preparing another exciting program to cover a wide range of Civil Engineering and Public Works topics. We plan to cover these topics in multiple sessions over 3 days: Wednesday afternoon (July 29, Thursday morning (July 30) and Friday morning (July 31).

Check out the conference website for more information!

2026 ASCE Fly-In to Washington D.C.

Members of the Alabama Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) were proud to represent our Section at the ASCE Legislative Fly-In in Washington, D.C. on March 19, 2026.

This annual event brings civil engineers from across the country together to engage directly with federal lawmakers and advocate for critical infrastructure priorities. Our Alabama delegation, Payton Billingsley, John Corbell, Lawren Pratt, and Kyle Couture, had the opportunity to meet with the offices of Gary Palmer, Dale Strong, Shomari Figures, Terri Sewell, Tommy Tuberville, and Katie Britt to discuss infrastructure needs and priorities impacting communities across Alabama.

Advocacy is a vital part of our profession, and events like this help ensure that the voice of civil engineers is heard at the national level. We’re proud of our members for representing Alabama and strengthening the connection between engineering expertise and public policy.

We hope this inspires even more participation from our Section in future Fly-Ins and at events closer to home, like our recent Legislative Drive-In in Montgomery.