United States Society on Dams

What United States Society on Dams does

The United States Society on Dams (USSD) is a nonprofit professional membership organization founded in 1976 and headquartered in Aurora, Colorado. It serves as the designated United States member of the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD), occupying a structurally unique position in international dam standards-setting. USSD advances the environmentally sustainable science of planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of dams, levees, and associated civil engineering projects, serving individual professionals (civil, geotechnical, structural, and hydraulic engineers; scientists; dam safety specialists), federal and state government dam owners and regulators (USACE, Bureau of Reclamation, FERC, state dam safety programs), private engineering consulting firms, academic institutions, and students pursuing careers in water resources engineering.

The organization's product portfolio is built around three core digital platforms — the public website (ussdams.org), the GrowthZone-powered membership portal (members.ussdams.org), and the USSD Learning Center (training.ussdams.org) — supplemented by the Annual Conference (rotating cities: Orlando 2027, Austin 2026), conference proceedings, technical white papers, a quarterly Bulletin, an eNews electronic newsletter, an A-Z Dam Glossary, a Career Center job board, and the Kim de Rubertis Student Scholarship Awards program ($4,000-$10,500 per award). The Learning Center delivers on-demand webinars, live workshops, and PDH-credited training across 13 technical categories including Dam Safety, Embankment Dams, Hydraulics & Hydrology, Seismic, and Tailings. Technology infrastructure is modest: GrowthZone CMS powers membership and website management; no proprietary AI, ML, or advanced data products are present in the offering.

USSD's business model is membership-dues-anchored, with tiered annual subscriptions ranging from $31 (Student) and $62 (Emerging Professional) up to $140 (Professional), $126 (Government & Academic), $625-$1,875 (Organization, scaled by employee count), and $4,220+ (Sustaining Organization). Revenue is supplemented by conference registrations, training program fees (workshops $855-$3,550, webinars $55-$105), publication sales, and corporate sponsorship. The customer base spans 35+ sustaining member organizations (AECOM and Stantec as Diamond sponsors; GEI, HDR, Schnabel, ICE, GFT, Kiewit as Platinum), individual professional members across the US dam industry, and a growing student/emerging professional pipeline.

Name

United States Society on Dams

Legal name

United States Society on Dams

Website

https://ussdams.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The United States Society on Dams (USSD) is a nonprofit professional membership organization serving as the US National Committee to ICOLD, delivering technical education, an annual conference, a Learning Center with PDH-credited training, and publications to dam, levee, and water resources engineering professionals, firms, agencies, and students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Aurora

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from individual professionals, organizations, and sustaining member organizations across multiple tiers (Student $31, Emerging Professional $62, Government & Academic $126, Professional $140, Organization $625-$1,875, Sustaining Organization $4,220+). This forms the primary recurring revenue base.
2. Training & Education Programs: Revenue from the USSD Learning Center offering on-demand webinars, live workshops, in-person training events, and conference sessions with PDH credits. Pricing ranges from $55 (member webinar) to $2,750-$3,550 (conference/workshop bundles).
3. Annual Conference & Exhibition: Registration fees for the annual conference (2027 in Orlando, FL; 2026 in Austin, TX) with discounted rates for presenting authors and co-authors. Conference includes technical presentations, workshops, plenary sessions, and a sponsor exhibition.
4. Publications & White Papers: Sale of conference proceedings, white papers (e.g., Water Pressure Monitoring Using Fully-Grouted Vibrating Wire Piezometer Installations, $60 non-member), and other technical publications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

USSD is a nonprofit professional membership organization that advances the science of planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of dams, levees, and associated civil engineering projects. It sells tiered individual and organizational memberships, hosts an annual conference with technical presentations and workshops, delivers continuing education through its USSD Learning Center (on-demand webinars, live workshops with PDH credits), and publishes technical white papers, conference proceedings, and newsletters.

Product overview

USSD operates as a professional membership organization offering a unified portfolio of services to the dam industry. The core offerings include the USSD Website portal for organizational information and membership, the USSD Learning Center for training and professional development with webinars and workshops offering PDHs, and the Membership Portal (Info Hub) for member services including the business directory and conference proceedings. Additional offerings include the annual conference and exhibition, the Kim de Rubertis Student Scholarship Awards program, and publications including the Bulletin, eNews, and technical white papers. Resources such as a dam glossary and types of dams educational content complement the professional development services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• USSD Membership Tiered annual membership for individuals and organizations in the dam, levee, and tailings industry. Levels include Student ($31), Emerging Professional ($62), Government & Academic ($126), Professional ($140), Organization ($625-$1,875 by employee count), and Sustaining Organization ($4,220+). Includes access to learning center, webinars, conference discounts, committee participation, and business directory listing.
• USSD Annual Conference and Exhibition Annual conference bringing together dam industry professionals for technical presentations, workshops, plenary sessions, sponsor exhibitions, and networking, with discounted registration for presenting authors and co-authors.
• USSD Learning Center Online training platform offering on-demand webinars, live workshops, and in-person workshops with PDH credits across 13 technical categories including Dam Safety, Embankment Dams, Geotechnical, Hydraulics, Seismic, Tailings, and Public Safety. Includes PDH certificate tracking and transcript management.
• USSD Training Workshops Multi-day professional workshops with PDH credits, including Best Practices in Dam and Levee Safety Risk Analysis (36 PDHs, $2,750-$3,550), Field and Laboratory Characterization (14 PDHs, $855-$1,095), Internal Erosion/DLS-208 (22 PDHs, $1,800-$2,450), Semi-Quantitative Risk Analysis (18 PDHs, $1,140-$1,440), and Public Safety and Security ($895). Hybrid virtual and in-person formats at venues such as CSU Spur Denver and Georgia Tech Atlanta.
• USSD On-Demand Webinars Pre-recorded webinar library with PDH credits available upon completion, including topics such as Technical Writing and Life Loss Modeling. Member pricing $55, non-member pricing $105.
• USSD White Papers

Quantifiable outcome

• Scholarship award recipients receive $4,000-$10,500 per award, with top 4 finalists invited to present at the annual conference with travel and lodging covered by USSD
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

29 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSSD serves as the official United States member of ICOLD (International Commission on Large Dams). ICOLD leads the international dam profession in setting standards and guidelines to ensure that dams are built and operated safely, efficiently, economically, and are both environmentally sustainable and socially equitable. This membership positions USSD as the primary US representative in international dam standards and policy discussions.
• AECOMflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerAECOM is listed as a Diamond Sponsor and Sustaining Member of USSD. As a flagship sponsor, AECOM receives prominent logo placement on USSD's homepage sponsor banner and recognition across USSD events and communications, reaching the full spectrum of US dam industry professionals.
• StantecflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerStantec is listed as a Diamond Sponsor of USSD with prominent logo placement on the homepage sponsor banner. As a leading global design and consulting firm in the water resources sector, Stantec's sponsorship provides high-visibility exposure to USSD's professional community.
• GEI ConsultantscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGEI is a Platinum Sponsor and Sustaining Member of USSD. The firm receives logo placement on the homepage and recognition at USSD events as part of the sustaining membership program.
• HDR, Inc.coreGTM or Marketing PartnerHDR is a Platinum Sponsor and Sustaining Member of USSD. As an engineering consultancy specializing in water resources and dam engineering, HDR's sponsorship provides ongoing visibility within the USSD professional community.
• Schnabel EngineeringcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSchnabel Engineering is a Platinum Sponsor and Sustaining Member of USSD, with prominent logo placement on the sponsor banner and throughout USSD communications and events.
• US Army Corps of EngineerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerUS Army Corps of Engineers is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD. As the federal agency responsible for US water resource infrastructure including dams and levees, USACE's membership reflects institutional engagement with the dam engineering community.
• US Bureau of ReclamationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerUS Bureau of Reclamation is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD. As a major federal agency managing water resources and dams in the western US, Reclamation's membership supports USSD's government and regulatory stakeholder community.
• KiewitcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKiewit is listed as a Platinum Sponsor and Sustaining Member of USSD, providing construction and engineering industry perspective within the organization's membership base.
• GFT (Gannett Fleming)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerGFT is a Platinum Sponsor and Sustaining Member of USSD. The firm specializes in engineering and infrastructure services including dam engineering and levee safety.
• Black & VeatchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBlack & Veatch is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD, representing the private engineering consulting sector within the organization's membership base.
• BarnardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBarnard is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD, providing construction industry representation in the organization's membership community.
• Campbell ScientificminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCampbell Scientific is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD. The firm provides instrumentation and monitoring solutions relevant to dam safety monitoring programs.
• Flow-3D HydrominorGTM or Marketing PartnerFlow-3D Hydro is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD, providing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software for hydraulic modeling relevant to dam and spillway design.
• Freese and NicholsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFreese and Nichols is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD, representing the engineering consulting sector in USSD's membership community.
• GeocompminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGeocomp is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD, specializing in geotechnical and dam engineering instrumentation and monitoring.
• GeosyntecminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGeosyntec is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD, providing environmental and geotechnical engineering expertise relevant to dam and levee projects.
• GZA GeoEnvironmentalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGZA is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD, providing environmental and geotechnical engineering services to the dam industry.
• HatchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHatch is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD, providing engineering and project management expertise in the water and dam sectors.
• KellerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKeller is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD, providing ground engineering and geotechnical solutions relevant to dam foundations.
• KleinfelderminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKleinfelder is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD, providing engineering consulting services including geotechnical and dam engineering.
• Kleinschmidt GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKleinschmidt Group is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD, providing dam and hydropower engineering consulting services.
• Knight PiesoldminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKnight Piesold is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD, providing specialized dam and mining engineering consultancy.
• Mott MacDonaldminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMott MacDonald is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD, providing multidisciplinary engineering consultancy including water resources and dam engineering.
• Phillips JordanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPhillips Jordan is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD, providing construction and infrastructure services to the dam and water resources sector.
• RambollminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRamboll is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD, providing engineering, design, and consultancy services in water resources and dam safety.
• RizzominorGTM or Marketing PartnerRizzo is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD, providing engineering and environmental consulting services for dam and infrastructure projects.
• RJH ConsultantsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRJH is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD, providing engineering consulting services to the dam and water resources industry.
• WSP GolderminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWSP Golder is listed as a Sustaining Member of USSD, providing geotechnical and environmental engineering services including dam engineering expertise.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• American Water Resources Association (AWRA): U.S.-based multidisciplinary society for water resources professionals. Comparable as a nonprofit professional association offering conferences, journals, and continuing education that overlap with USSD's water infrastructure and dam engineering content.
• American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE): The largest U.S. civil engineering professional society with infrastructure-policy and continuing-education reach that overlaps USSD's domain. Comparable as a dues-funded professional association offering PDH-accredited training, conferences, and technical committees, though broader in scope.

Direct peers

• Deep Foundations Institute (DFI): An international professional association serving geotechnical and foundation engineers, including dam foundation specialists. Comparable dues-funded professional society model with technical committees, conferences, and PDH-eligible training that overlaps USSD's Foundations and Geotechnical content areas.
• Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO): National nonprofit dedicated to dam and levee safety with overlapping membership of state dam safety officials, federal regulators, and consulting engineers. Directly comparable as a U.S. professional society serving the same dam-safety ecosystem, with similar conference, training, and advocacy functions.

Emerging players

• International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD): The international parent organization of which USSD is the U.S. national committee. Comparable as a standards-setting body for dams, with overlapping technical committee structure and global congresses that parallel USSD's annual conference offerings.

Regional players

• International Hydropower Association (IHA): Global trade association for the hydropower sector with overlapping technical content on dam design, hydraulics, and civil engineering. Comparable through its standards work, technical committees, and international conferences serving engineering consultants in the dam/hydro space.

Others

• United States Society on Dams Conference (USSD Peer Network): Placeholder removed; see ASDSO and ICOLD entries above for closest comparable professional associations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uss_dams
• Facebookfacebook.com/ussocietyondams
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ussd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about United States Society on Dams