From the United States Society on Dams Website:

The 2016 USSD Conference Theme is Celebrating the Value of Dams and Levees — Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Dams and levees have provided and will continue to provide significant benefits to our society. Many of our existing dams and levees provide greater benefits today than they did when they were first constructed and they will be needed to provide even greater benefits to address the challenges of the future.

Dams and levees are not without their undesirable impacts, and a number of individuals and organizations have worked very effectively to address these impacts during the last several decades. This focus has resulted in minimizing, eliminating or mitigating many of the impacts. Unfortunately, this focus has also resulted in casting an unrealistically negative image on dams and levees. Further, a vocal minority seem more interested in advancing idealistic agendas than in finding real solutions and have, in many instances, used questionable methods to advance their cause.

USSD has been and continues to be a source for balance and reason — neither ignoring the negative impacts nor their benefits. USSD and its members have worked and continue to work to identify and advance real solutions that minimize impacts and maximize the benefits of dams and levees.

Stop by the Campbell Scientific booth, #52.