Lake Livingston dam and reservoir is the largest water supply reservoir in Texas. The dam includes a concrete spillway structure and a 2.5-mile long earthen embankment, 24 feet wide and over 55 feet high.

In 2005, wave action associated with Hurricane Rita damaged much of the upstream riprap armoring and eroded some underlying embankment clay fill. Malcolm Pirnie conducted an emergency inspection of the dam and provided expedited services for design and implementation of remedial measures to safeguard this critical facility.

Within a month from the date of the storm, the Pirnie team recommended a partial drawdown of the reservoir; designed emergency precautionary measures for immediate implementation; investigated design alternatives for dam repair by various federal agencies; completed bid documents for the repair of a 2-mile length of the dam embankment and evaluated contractor bids. These rehabilitation measures, along with earlier dam upgrades by the Pirnie team, provide protection against future severe events.