Welcome to A Dam Conversation With... Jeremy Franz!

This is an Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) podcast sharing the stories of leaders and innovators in the dam safety community. Your host for this episode is Brianna Crotty. In this episode, we welcome Jeremy Franz, a Dam Safety Design Review Engineer with the Colorado Division of Water Resources. With over 17 years of experience in dam safety, Jeremy plays a key role in the Dam Safety Toolbox, a vital resource for sharing design insights and best practices across the industry.Jeremy, thank you for your stories and advice on career insights and technical expertise, for engineers at all levels.Key Takeaways From This Episode:3:04 – Impacts of undergraduate research: Real-world data collection is essential for accurate modeling.6:34 – Climate change & dam design: How shifting precipitation patterns & burn scars affect dam safety.9:02 – Influential professors: The passion of great mentors can shape careers.10:57 – College lessons: The power of collaboration in engineering.12:15 – Spotlight on Chimney Hollow: The tallest asphalt-core dam in the U.S. to date!14:00 – Consulting vs. government work: Key differences in expectations.17:42 – Where do experts go for design information? Jeremy’s advice for dam engineers, both fresh and seasoned!22:25 – Landing your ideal job: Expert tips on hiring and career paths.25:04 – Work-life balance: How it contributes to leadership and skill development.27:46 – How you can support the dam safety community (Hint: Check out the Dam Safety Toolbox!).Important Links and More Information from the EpisodeDam Safety Toolbox – A comprehensive and free resource for dam engineers. Seriously, go check it out! Contact info for Subject Matter Experts, Content Moderators, and Study Groups is available on the website.Help grow this resource! Consider volunteering as a moderator, suggesting new content, or proposing additional resources. Dam Safety Toolbox Quick Start Guide – Learn how to get started!Chimney Hollow Reservoir Project:– More on this groundbreaking dam project.We want to hear from you!Have questions for our guests? Want to suggest a topic? Email us at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!Get Involved with ASDSO👷 Membership Benefits – Joining ASDSO gives you access to: ✅ Member discounts on training and products ✅ Unlimited access to ASDSO conference papers ✅ Online member directory ✅ Surveys archive & Journal of Dam Safety👉 Become a Member: https://www.damsafety.org/basic-page/become-member🤝 Join a Committee or Interest Group – https://damsafety.org/VolunteerOpps📚 Upcoming Training Opportunities – Browse live and on-demand webinars, seminars, and past sessions: https://damsafety.org/training-center 📢 This program is copyrighted in 2025 by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials. All rights reserved.