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Dam & Levee Safety

Safeguarding Infrastructure. Elevating Resilience.

For over 40 years, OEI has delivered specialized engineering services that protect the integrity, performance, and regulatory compliance of dams and levees across the nation. Our expertise spans the full lifecycle—from assessment and modeling to design and rehabilitation—serving both earthen and concrete structures with precision and purpose.

Assessment & Modeling Excellence

We conduct visual inspections, geotechnical investigations, and structural evaluations to detect signs of distress, seepage, settlement, and hydraulic inefficiencies. Our advanced hydrologic and hydraulic modeling—including 2D and 3D simulations—supports flood routing, spillway capacity analysis, breach scenarios, and inundation mapping. These tools empower risk-informed decision-making and emergency action planning for routine operations and extreme events alike.

Design & Rehabilitation Services

OEI provides comprehensive design solutions, including embankment stabilization, spillway upgrades, seepage control systems, and armoring strategies. We prepare construction documents, facilitate permitting, and offer construction-phase services such as submittal reviews, field inspections, and QA/QC oversight to ensure quality and compliance.

Regulatory Navigation & Technical Rigor

Our team is well-versed in federal and state dam safety frameworks, coordinating seamlessly with agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA, and state regulatory offices. Whether designing new infrastructure or extending the life of aging assets, we bring deep technical insight and a commitment to safety standards that meet—and often exceed—regulatory expectations.

Trusted Experience. Proven Results.

OEI understands the warning signs of dam and levee failure—and how to solve them. We streamline permitting approvals and deliver resilient solutions that protect communities and critical infrastructure. Let’s build safer systems together.

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Featured Dam & Levee Safety Projects

Dam and Levee Safety by OEI
Levee and Dam Safety by OEI

Ratcliff Dam Assessment and Rehabilitation (TX)

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Dam View

Lake Forest Dam Rehabilitation (TX)

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Camp Maxey Dam Rehab by OEI
Camp Maxey Dam Rehab by OEI -2

Camp Maxey Dam Rehabilitations (TX)

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Sherando Dam work by OEI

Sherando Lake Dam Rehabilitation (VA)

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OEI was selected by the U.S. Forest Service to assess and rehabilitate the historic Ratcliff Lake Dam, originally built in the 1800s and later improved by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Following significant spillway damage from heavy rainfall in 2015–2016, OEI conducted a comprehensive feasibility study and delivered full design services for dam and spillway repairs.
 
Our work included site assessments, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, geotechnical and slope stability analysis, and civil design for spillway replacement, downstream channel stabilization, and maintenance road improvements. OEI also provided erosion control plans, permitting support, and coordination with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). GIS-based mapping and flood routing informed the design and ensured compliance with USFS and TCEQ standards.
 
The final deliverables included construction-ready plans, specifications, and cost estimates—supporting long-term resilience and regulatory compliance for this legacy infrastructure.
OEI designed the full rehabilitation of the Lake Forest Park Dam and spillway in Denton, TX, addressing slope instability, seepage, erosion, and lake siltation. Services included H&H modeling, construction documents, EAP/OMP development, TCEQ compliance, and construction-phase support for a new 500-foot earthen dam with improved spillway, pedestrian access, and long-term maintainability.
OEI was engaged by the Adjutant General’s Department (AGD) to rehabilitate three dams at Camp Maxey, a Texas Army National Guard facility. Following TCEQ inspections citing structural and environmental deficiencies, OEI provided engineering services to restore dam safety while preserving the ecological value of the reservoirs.
OEI was selected to provide engineering services for the rehabilitation of the Upper and Lower Sherando Lake Dams—both classified as High Hazard structures due to their potential risk to life and property. Following formal safety inspections, OEI conducted site investigations and developed complete design packages to address identified deficiencies.
 
At Upper Sherando Dam, OEI designed protective armoring for the emergency spillway and prepared plans and specifications to correct embankment and structural concerns.
 
At Lower Sherando Dam, rehabilitation efforts included spillway concrete repairs, riprap installation, embankment restoration, and monitoring methodology for the training wall displacement.
 
Services included geotechnical consultation, hydrologic and hydraulic model review, inundation mapping, and coordination with USDA Forest Service staff. OEI delivered construction-ready plans, specifications, and cost estimates, supporting both design-bid-build and design-build procurement pathways.