Having recently completed the ASCE Continuing Education course on Hydrologic Trespass and Nuisance Considerations in Stormwater Management Design, I found its legal insights invaluable, though its scope remains primarily grounded in the U.S judicial system , introduces valuable risk-management insights, yet its application is limited to the U.S. legal context. In light of the increasing complexity of transboundary hydrologic systems, there is a compelling need to extend ASCE's codes, standards, and policy frameworks to incorporate legal and ethical accountability across riparian jurisdictions.
Supporting References from ASCE and International Bodies:
- UN-Water 2024: Identifies major gaps in operational arrangements in shared basins and advocates for institutional frameworks that include dispute resolution, climate resilience, and cooperative sovereignty.
- ASCE Standard 78-24, Security of Water Facilities: Does not address cross-jurisdictional liability mechanisms.
- ASCE Standard 33-23 – Interparty Water Quality Coordination: Offers collaborative tools but lacks enforceable provisions for transboundary accountability.
- Policy Statements PS441, PS506, PS509: Promote responsible engineering across borders, with emphasis on sustainability and environmental justice.
- GEOSTRATA magazine (August, 2025 ): Links engineering failures like Malpasset, Teton, and San Francisco to systemic governance limitations; highlights institutional roles of ICOLD, ASDSO, and others in shaping accountable water infrastructure practices.
These references affirm that the evolution of codes must go beyond technical calibration. What's needed is the integration of governance principles that reflect shared basin realities and ethical design practices.
Proposed Areas for Standard Expansion:
- Embedding multi-jurisdictional liability into hydrologic design standards.
- Establishing ethical frameworks for riparian coordination and upstream/downstream equity.
- Codifying legal clarity in cross-border project execution and basin-wide risk assessment.
Such expansion would not only strengthen the applicability of ASCE standards globally, but also enhance proactive mitigation strategies in high-risk zones, elevate community protections downstream of water infrastructure, and increase ASCE's trust index in international project environments.
🛡️ Institutional Insight from Practice
As a Strategic advisor in Infrastructure Governance, and founder of the Regional Dams Safety Unit (RDSU), a Proposal design to foster a regional platform for cross-border cooperation in dam safety, engineering ethics, and hydrologic risk mitigation between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. I believe true engineering advancement occurs when technical standards reflect principles of justice, sovereignty, and foresight.
Water does not recognize political borders. Our codes must learn to listen, and respond with dignity, duty, and distributive fairness.
Call to ASCE Technical Committees and Members
I invite ASCE task forces, standard developers, and policy committees, including those engaged with EWRI, COPRI, and SEI, to consider this proposal as part of ASCE's larger mission: not just to build infrastructure, but to build trust, justice, and societal value through ethical engineering.
So far :
What frameworks have you seen succeed in cross-border water governance, and how might ASCE codes evolve to support a more just and resilient future?
With professional regards and enduring respect,
Abubakr Elfatih Ahmed Gameil
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Abubakr Gameil, R. ENG, M. ASCE®️, SEI Member
Chairman & Director General
Almanassa Engineering International Co. Ltd
Khartoum, Sudan
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