Continued Innovation Needed to Fortify High-Risk Dams Across US: Civil Engineer

Water flows over the Feather River Fish Barrier dam as it diverts Chinook Salmon up a fish ladder to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Feather River Hatchery below the Lake Oroville dam during the California drought emergency in Oroville, Calif., on May 27, 2021. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

Dams have represented feats of ingenuity symbolizing the human endeavor to harness the energy of the natural environment throughout history.

But aging infrastructure and unpredictable weather patterns challenge the innovation of even the most brilliant engineers.