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Managing Construction and Infrastructure in the 21st Century Bureau of Reclamation PDF

155 Pages·2006·0.76 MB·English
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Managing Construction AND Infrastructure in the 21st Century Bureau of Reclamation Committee on Organizing to Manage Construction and Infrastructure in the 21st Century Bureau of Reclamation Board on Infrastructure and the Constructed Environment Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fifth Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20001 NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Gov- erning Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engi- neering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for ap- propriate balance. This study was supported by Contract Number 04CS811007 between the U.S. De- partment of the Interior and the National Academy of Sciences. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project. International Standard Book Number 0-309-10035-6 Additional copies of this report are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, N.W., Lockbox 285, Washington, DC 20055; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313 (in the Washington metropolitan area); Internet, http://www.nap.edu. Cover photographs from top to bottom: Parker Dam (from U.S. Bureau of Reclamation); deflector at Tracy fish screen (from San Luis and Delta Mendota Canal Authority); Flat Iron Power Plant and Pumping Station (from U.S. Bureau of Reclamation); Provo River restoration (from Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission); and Boise River Diversion Dam (from U.S. Bureau of Reclamation). Copyright 2006 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating soci- ety of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedi- cated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences. The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its mem- bers, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advis- ing the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Wm. A. Wulf is president of the National Academy of Engineering. The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Insti- tute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine. The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sci- ences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal gov- ernment. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Acad- emy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing ser- vices to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communi- ties. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Wm. A. Wulf are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council. www.national-academies.org COMMITTEE ON ORGANIZING TO MANAGE CONSTRUCTION AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE 21ST CENTURY BUREAU OF RECLAMATION JAMES K. MITCHELL, Chair, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and University, Blacksburg, Virginia PATRICK R. ATKINS, Alcoa, New York, New York ALLAN V. BURMAN, Jefferson Solutions, Washington, D.C. TIMOTHY J. CONNOLLY, HDR Engineering, Inc., Omaha, Nebraska LLOYD A. DUSCHA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (retired), Reston, Virginia G. BRIAN ESTES, Consulting Engineer, Williamsburg, Virginia MARTHA S. FELDMAN, University of California, Irvine DARRELL G. FONTANE, Colorado State University, Fort Collins SAMMIE D. GUY, Consulting Engineer, Falls Church, Virginia L. MICHAEL KAAS, Consulting Engineer, Arlington, Virginia CHARLES I. McGINNIS, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (retired), Charlottesville, Virginia ROGER K. PATTERSON, Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (retired), Lincoln Staff LYNDA L. STANLEY, Director, Board on Infrastructure and the Constructed Environment MICHAEL D. COHN, Program Officer DANA CAINES, Financial Associate PAT WILLIAMS, Senior Project Assistant v BOARD ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE CONSTRUCTED ENVIRONMENT HENRY HATCH, Chair, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (retired), Oakton, Virginia MASSOUD AMIN, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis REGINALD DesROCHES, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta DENNIS DUNNE, Consultant, Scottsdale, Arizona PAUL FISETTE, University of Massachusetts, Amherst LUCIA GARSYS, Hillsborough County, Florida WILLIAM HANSMIRE, Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas, Detroit, Michigan THEODORE C. KENNEDY, BE&K, Inc., Birmingham, Alabama SUE McNEIL, University of Delaware, Wilmington DEREK PARKER, Anshen+Allen, San Francisco, California HENRY SCHWARTZ, JR., Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri WILLIAM WALLACE, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York CRAIG ZIMRING, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Staff LYNDA STANLEY, Director MICHAEL D. COHN, Program Officer KEVIN M. LEWIS, Program Officer DANA CAINES, Financial Associate PAT WILLIAMS, Senior Project Assistant vi Preface The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has a long history of ac- complishments, and through this study and other efforts is preparing to continue its successful record of providing water and hydroelectric power in the western United States. Successful accomplishment of Reclamation’s current mission in the twenty-first century—to manage, develop, and pro- tect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public—is impacted, and in some cases dominated, by several new realities that are discussed in this report, including environmental factors, American Indian water rights, rural water needs, urbanization, increasing budget constraints, a broader set of stakeholders, an aging workforce, and an aging infrastructure. The committee was not asked to assess the robustness of Reclamation in the face of extraordinary events, but the recent disasters caused by the hurricanes in the Gulf Coast region have brought that question to the at- tention of the committee. In the short term, the dispersed geography, de- centralized line organization, and centralized service center of Reclama- tion should allow it to respond to localized events effectively. Over the long term, the bureau has exhibited its ability to deal with disasters, as shown in its response to the failure of Teton Dam in 1976. That event led to the creation of a robust safety of dams program, risk analysis and de- sign review procedures, and an active effort to learn from past experi- ence. The committee also observed active efforts to plan responses to de- veloping problems caused by persistent drought conditions in the West. If faced with unexpected catastrophic events, Reclamation can be ex- pected, in the committee’s opinion, to rise to the challenge. vii viii PREFACE All the committee members, whose abbreviated biographies are given in Appendix A, contributed enormously to the successful completion of the study. They provided diverse expertise and a wealth of knowledge and experience in relevant disciplines and topics: organizational, construc- tion, and operational history of the bureau, water resources engineering and planning, government policies and procedures, large organization management, human resources issues, and political considerations, among others. Each member brought a creative and fresh perspective to the study and participated in the drafting of the report and in the crafting of the several findings and recommendations. It has been a pleasure and excellent learning experience working with all of them. An important element in the committee’s ability to complete its as- signed tasks was the support and participation of the bureau. The com- mittee appreciates the cooperation and support of John Keys III, commis- sioner, the assistance provided throughout the study by Fred Ore, deputy director of operations, and N. John Harb, manager, and the scores of man- agers and personnel in the Denver, regional, and area offices who took time from their busy schedules to brief the committee and candidly dis- cuss Reclamation’s challenges and opportunities. The committee also ap- preciates the contributions of Reclamation’s water and power customers and their representative organizations, which provided a perspective on the bureau that was critical to the committee’s understanding of the fac- tors that influence its facility and infrastructure tasks. The committee was supported and guided in its work by study direc- tor Michael Cohn, program officer, Board on Infrastructure and the Con- structed Environment (BICE). Mike’s dedication to the tasks and support for the committee is a key factor in the success of this study. We are also greatly indebted to Lynda Stanley, director, BICE, for her insights and suggestions. The committee appreciates the opportunity to address an issue of im- portance to the future success of the Bureau of Reclamation’s mission in meeting water and hydroelectric power needs in the western United States in an environmentally sensitive and economical manner. James K. Mitchell Chair, Committee on Organizing to Manage Construction and Infrastructure in the 21st Century Bureau of Reclamation Acknowledgment of Reviewers This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with pro- cedures approved by the NRC’s Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integ- rity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individu- als for their review of this report: John T. Christian, Consulting Engineer, David W. Fowler, University of Texas at Austin, Gerald E. Galloway, University of Maryland, Lawrence J. MacDonnell, Porzak, Browning & Bushong, Peter Marshall, Burns & Roe Services, Robert S. O’Neil, Parsons Transportation Group (retired), and Karlene H. Roberts, University of California, Berkeley. Although the reviewers listed have provided many constructive com- ments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations, nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Richard N. Wright, Building and Fire Research Laboratory, National Institute of Standards ix

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