Malaysian delegation visits, collaborates with Reclamation staff on dam safety project

Written by: Emily Quinn

The Malaysian delegation meets with staff from Reclamation’s Security, Safety and Law Enforcement Office, Policy and Administration Office and Technical Service Center.On January 31, a Malaysian delegation of four individuals from the Universiti Tenga Nasional met with staff from Bureau of Reclamation’s Security, Safety and Law Enforcement Office, Policy and Administration Office and Technical Service Center to collaborate on a project to create a benchmarking system for Probable Maximum Flood policy compliance.

The objective of this project was to determine the necessary modifications to the spillway structures of Malaysia’s Tenga Nasional Berhad dam system.

The delegation collaborated on a project with Reclamation staff to benchmark the policy for PMF compliance to determine necessary modifications to the country’s TNB dam system.

The Benchmarking and Policy Development on Compliance to PMF for TNB Dams Project is sponsored by the TNB which is the largest power utility company in Southeast Asia.

“We were excited that the Malaysian delegation thought highly enough of our experts that they chose to make this long journey to seek guidance for this project,” said Angela Medina, Sr. International Affairs Specialist. “It’s a great way to build a partnership with Malaysia while also increasing awareness about important dam safety information.”

While visiting, the delegation also met with Kit Shupe, a hydraulic engineer with Reclamation’s Technical Service Center.

Shupe led the group on a tour of Reclamation’s world-renowned materials and hydraulic engineering laboratory, where he provided a more in-depth explanation of the TSC’s purpose and functions, and explained the objectives of the lab’s current facility model simulations.

“We’re looking forward to maintaining a relationship with this delegation,” said Medina. “We have collaborative relationships with many countries, and it’s exciting to build upon that list.”

Reclamation's International Program consists of a variety of activities, including technology exchange, training, and technical assistance. To learn more about the International Affairs Office, visit: https://www.usbr.gov/international/.

Kit Shupe leads the Malaysian delegation on a tour of the Technical Service Center

A member of the Malaysian delegation studies rock samples taken from several Reclamation facilities

Published on February 04, 2019