Fall 2023 - Flipbook - Page 2
We are in turbulent
times. Such times often
offer moments that define
who we are, collectively
and individually. Ethics
provide us a means of
successfully navigating
“turbulent waters.” As
EWRI is an organizational
entity within the American
Deborah Lee,
Society of Civil Engineersi,
2020-2021 EWRI President
EWRI is consistent with and
subject to ASCE’s Code of Ethics. First adopted in 1914,
the Code was most recently updated on October 26,
2020. As engineers and scientists, we are committed
to conducting ourselves with integrity and
professionalism, and above all else, protect and
advance the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
One of the fundamental principles governing our
professional careers is to treat all persons with respect,
dignity, and fairness in a manner that fosters equitable
participation without regard to personal identity. We
are further called upon to enhance the quality of life for
humanity, express professional opinions truthfully and
only when founded on adequate knowledge and honest
conviction, and to have zero tolerance for bribery,
fraud, and corruption in all forms, and endeavor to be
of service in civic affairs. I’m proud to be a member of
a profession and organization with these values, and I
strive to uphold them in both my professional and
personal lives.
As water resources and environmental practitioners,
we’re well acquainted with hydraulic turbulence and
the danger it poses below low-head dams. More than
1,000 people have drowned when caught in submerged
hydraulic jumps or “rollers.” Spring is often a time of
increased fatalities – higher spring stream flows,
combined with inexperienced, or even experienced
people who are unaware of the danger, result in
capsized kayaks or canoes. Some people even try to
cross streams by walking across the crests of low head
dams, not anticipating the slipperiness and/or force of
water that can knock them off their feet, sweeping them
into the inescapable rollers. This issue features two
articles on the low head dams and the dangers
associated with them.
PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
To help raise awareness of this issue, ASCE is
designating April 2021 as “Low-head Dam Awareness
Month.” Watch for our social media campaign on the
subject and the launch of our multi-organizational effort
to create an inventory of low-head dams in the U.S.
We are including this topic in the next Student Activities
annual training meeting for student chapter officers and
advisors, with presentation materials that can be made in
every ASCE and EWRI student chapter. You are invited
to help participate by contributing to the national
inventory of low-head dams, making this issue prominent
in your social media and professional activities and by
submitting forum articles to appropriate ASCE journals
discussing this issue and initiative. I would like to
recognize and thank Rollin Hotchkiss, Kevin Nielsen,
Manuela Johnson, Brian Crookston and Brian Parsons
for leading this effort.
The ongoing pandemic has also required us to adapt to
the uncertainties and place our first priority on everyone’s health and safety. To that end, the 2021 World
Congress will be virtual this year, during June 7th-11th.
We’re expecting more than 500 presentations and are
looking forward to a vibrant meeting focused on
Planning a Resilient Future Along America’s Freshwater.
Please visit the Congress website (ewricongress.org) for
updates. I would like to thank the EWRI staff – Brian
Parsons, Barbara Whitten, and Mark Gable, as well as
the Conference Chair, Karen Kabbes, for helping
navigate the ever-evolving situation.
Deborah H. Lee, P.E., PH, D.WRE, F.ASCE
https://www.asce.org/uploadedFiles/Technical_Areas/Environmental_and_Water_Resources_Engineering/Content_Pieces/ewri-bylaws.pdf
i
ii
www.asce.org/code-of-ethics/
www.asce.org/ewri • EWRI Currents • Volume 23 Number 1 • Winter 2021
