Isabella Lake Dam Project Wins 2024 NAC Special Achievement Award

The Isabella Lake Dam Safety Modification Project in Northern California earned the 2024 National Academy of Construction Special Achievement Award. Senior Vice President and Northwest Division Manager Mike Costa accepted the award for the Flatiron, Dragados USA and Sukut Construction joint venture.  

Throughout five years of construction, the joint venture delivered the $323 million project to the United States Army Corp of Engineers under budget and without a single significant accident despite the high-risk nature of the work. The team logged 2.7 million labor hours and transformed what was once called the “most dangerous dam in America.”  

Isabella Lake Dam in Kern County, Calif.

This recognition highlights the innovation, collaboration and safety practices that made the project successful — and reinforces Flatiron’s commitment to excellence. 

The National Academy of Construction “…honors outstanding construction industry leaders and shares their collective experiences and expertise to help the Nation by improving their industry.”  

The Recognition of Special Achievement Award “…highlights the creativity, innovation, vision, and accomplishments of the practitioners in the engineering, design, and construction industries. In creating the award, NAC is demonstrating its commitment to build and grow broad public knowledge and support of the industries’ achievements and their effects on the built environment and society.”