Karen Knight named Dam Safety Office chief

Washington, D.C. — Security, Safety and Law Enforcement Director Bruce C. Muller named Karen Knight, P.E., as the Chief of the Dam Safety Office. Knight will oversee the Dam Safety Program, which evaluates safety deficiencies and implements proactive solutions at dams across Reclamation.

"Reclamation and its partners work to assure sustainable water supplies across 17 western states, with the Dam Safety Program playing a lead role in ensuring the safe delivery of water resources," said Muller. "Karen brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to lead one of our highest priority programs."

The Dam Safety Program is composed of two components, The Safety Evaluation of Existing Dams and Safety of Dams Program. The Safety Evaluation of Existing Dams program is responsible for performing site evaluations and to identify dams that pose an increased risk to the public and to complete the related analyses needed to expedite corrective action decisions and safeguard the public and associated resources. The Safety of Dams program focuses on evaluating and implementing actions to resolve safety concerns at Reclamation dams.

Knight joined Reclamation in 1999 as the team leader and lead designer for embankment and foundation safety modifications at Pineview Dam, Utah. Her engineering experience spans almost 30 years, with roles on Reclamation's Technical Service Center Dam Safety Advisory Team, as the manager of Geotechnical Engineering and as Chief of the Geotechnical Services Division. Knight also recently completed Interior's Senior Executive Service Career Development Program, where she worked with the National Park Service in Washington, District of Columbia.

Knight has a Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla and a Masters of Science in Civil Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She is a registered professional engineer in Colorado, a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Association of State Dam Safety Officials, and the U.S. Society on Dams, where she has served for the past six years on its Board of Directors.