Civil Works Office and Mission

Navigation

Flood Damage Reduction

Environmental Missions

Ecosystem Restoration

Environmental Stewardship

Radioactive site cleanup

Wetlands and Waterways Regulation & Permitting

Recreation

Emergency Response

Real Estate

Research and Development

Support to Other Agencies

Other Missions

Hydroelectric Power

Shore protection

Dam safety

Water supply

Civil Works Office and Mission

Army involvement in works "of a civil nature" goes back almost to the origins of the U.S. Over the years, as the Nation's needs have changed, so have the Army's Civil Works missions. Those missions today fall in four broad areas: water infrastructure, environmental management and restoration, response to natural and manmade disasters, and engineering and technical services to the Army, DoD and other Federal agencies.

At Corps of Engineers Headquarters in Washington, DC, the Directorate of Civil Works oversees the program. Civil Works projects are located throughout the United States.

Funds for the Civil Works program come from the annual Energy and Water Development Appropriation, not the Defense budget. Add to that the cost-sharing funds supplied directly by non-Federal sponsors for specific projects and the total civil program is about $5 billion a year.

The process for developing Civil Works projects begins when citizens see a need for flood protection, navigation, or other water-related infrastructure and ask Congress for help. Congress will direct the Corps to do a study to see if a project is warranted. Corps studies are usually done in 2 phases: an initial reconnaissance to determine if a feasible solution is likely, then a feasibility study to examine alternatives and select the project that best meets national and local needs. Most feasibility studies are cost-shared with a local sponsor. If the conclusion is positive, before any construction, Congress must first authorize the project and then appropriate funds. Most projects are built with a combination of Federal funds and contributions by non-federal sponsors. Depending on project purpose, the Corps then either operates and maintains the completed project, or turns it over to local authorities.

Navigation

Supporting navigation by maintaining and improving channels was the Corps of Engineers' earliest Civil Works mission, dating to Federal laws in 1824 authorizing the Corps to improve safety on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and several ports. Maintaining channels means keeping them at specified depths and widths by dredging and other means. Maintaining also means removing impediments, like logjams. Improving means making them deeper or wider.

Today, the Corps maintains more than 12,000 miles (19,200 km) of inland waterways and operates 235 locks. These waterways -a system of rivers, lakes and coastal bays improved for commercial and recreational transportation - carry about 1/6 of the Nation's inter-city freight, at a cost per ton-mile about 1/2 that of rail or 1/10 that of trucks. The Corps also maintain 300 commercial harbors, through which pass 2 billion tons of cargo a year, and more than 600 smaller harbors. With more than 13 million American jobs dependent on our import and export trade, these ports are vital to our economic security. Detailed information on the commerce handled by the Nation's ports and waterways is available from the Corps' Navigation Data Center.

Ports and waterways also play a role in national defense. Practically all the heavy equipment and supplies bound for Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and other overseas military deployments moved by ship through ports maintained by the civil works program. The major harbors we maintain include power major military ports such as Sunny Point, NC; Savannah, GA; and Beaumont, TX.

For more information, contact the Navigation Information Connection.

Flood Damage Reduction

The Corps was first called upon to address flood problems along the Mississippi river in the mid- 1800's. We began work on the Mississippi River and Tributaries Flood Control Project in 1928, and the Flood Control Act of 1936 gave the Corps the mission to provide flood protection to the entire country.

Corps flood control efforts range from small, local protection projects (levees or non-structural flood control measures) to major dams. Today, most Corps constructed flood protection projects are owned by sponsoring cities, towns, and agricultural districts, but the Corps continues to maintain and operate 383 dams and reservoirs for flood control.

Neither the Corps nor any other agency can prevent all flood damages, but we have an impressive record. . During the 10 years from 1991 through 2000 the United States suffered $45 billion in property damage from floods. During that same period, however, Corps flood damage reduction measures prevented more than $208 billion in damage - 82% of the damage that would have occurred if the protection were removed.

In addition to building projects, the Corps of Engineers, through its Flood Plain Management Services, advises communities, industries, and property owners on protection measures they can take themselves, such as zoning regulations, warning systems and flood proofing. Last year this service responded to more than 44,000 requests for information. The value of property protected by this program is an estimated $6.2 billion.

To find current information on water levels in your area, visit the websites of the 38 Corps districts with a Civil Works mission.

Click here for a glossary of terms related to floods and flood damage reduction measures.

Environmental Missions

Ecosystem Restoration

The purpose of ecosystem restoration is to re-establish the attributes of a natural, functioning and self- regulating system. Since passage of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, environmental protection has been an important component of the civil works planning process. Legislation passed in 1990 established environmental protection as one of the primary missions of water resources projects-- along with navigation and flood control. Over the last ten years, small ecosystem restoration projects have grown increasingly popular throughout the country. In one of the largest restoration projects ever attempted, the Corps and the National Park Service are cooperating on restoring the hydrologic regime for the Everglades in Florida, with funds provided by both agencies. This new direction has allowed us to expand our traditional environmental activities and enhance or restore natural resources at our projects.

Environmental Stewardship

The Army Corps of Engineers carries out environmental and natural resource management programs at its projects, managing thousands of square miles as forest and wildlife habitat, monitoring water quality at its dams, operating fish hatcheries in cooperation with State wildlife agencies, and in some cases restoring the environment at projects built in earlier days.

Environmental stewardship includes compliance measures to ensure that our projects must meet Federal, state, and local environmental requirements. Prevention, meanwhile, focuses on eliminating pollution to the greatest extent possible. This includes reducing hazardous materials use and hazardous waste generation. Conservation includes two different types of resource management at project sites: conservation and preservation. Conservation focuses on responsibly managing Army lands to ensure long-term natural resource productivity. Preservation focuses on resource protection in stewardship of natural and cultural resources.

Working toward a national goal of "no net loss of wetlands," the Civil Works program is undertaking projects to restore existing wetlands, or to create new ones.

Radioactive site cleanup

In 1997, Congress transferred the Formerly Used Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) to the Corps from the Department of Energy. Under this program the Corps cleans up former Manhattan Project and Atomic Energy Commission sites, making use of expertise gained in cleaning up former military sites, and civilian hazardous waste sites under the Environmental Protection Agency "Superfund" program.

Currently work is under way at FUSRAP sites in Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. For more information on this program, visit the FUSRAP Home Page.

Wetlands and Waterways Regulation and Permitting

The Corps has been involved in regulating activities by others in navigable waterways through the granting of permits since passage of the Rivers & Harbors Act of 1899. At first, this program was meant to prevent obstructions to navigation, although an early 20th century law gave us regulatory authority over the dumping of trash and sewage. Passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972 greatly broadened this role by giving the Corps authority over dredging and filling in the "waters of the United States," including many wetlands.

A major aspect of the Regulatory program is determining which areas qualify for protection as wetlands. In reaching these decisions, the Corps uses its 1987 Wetland Delineation Manual (available here in PDF format).

In making decisions on whether to grant, deny or set conditions on permits, District commanders are required to consider "all factors in the public interest," including economic development and environmental protection.

Numerous relatively minor activities in wetlands are covered by regional or nationwide general permits, allowing the regulatory staff to concentrate on more complex cases. Of the approximately 1,100 people who carry out this mission, about 70% have academic backgrounds in biology and environmental sciences.

The navigation program includes all of the nation's deep draft harbors which are a vital link to seaborne commerce and handle much of the nation's international trade each year, as well as hundreds of smaller harbors that serve a variety of recreational and commercial purposes. The Corps has also built an intracoastal and inland network of commercial navigation channels, and locks and dams for navigation.

Real Estate

They also manage the Contingency Real Estate Support Team (CREST), which includes real estate personnel who have received modified military training so they can deploy to provide real estate services during contingency operations. CREST members also assist during national emergencies when needed.

Real Estate is also the DoD executive agent for the Recruiting Facilities Program, the Homeowners Assistance Program, and the Defense National Relocation Program.

Recreation

Since the vast majority of our recreation areas are located next to water, the Corps, in partnership with other agencies, is active in the National Water Safety Program. Visit this program's site for materials to teach and promote water safety at home or in the classroom, and for links to other water safety sites.

Emergency response

Throughout the Nation's history, citizens have relied on the Army to respond to their needs in disasters. In a typical year, the Corps of Engineers responds to more than 30 Presidential disaster declarations, plus numerous state and local emergencies. Emergency responses usually involve cooperation with other military elements and Federal agencies in support of State and local efforts. The Corps of Engineers conducts its emergency response activities under two basic authorities: the Flood Control and Coastal Emergency Act (P.L. 84-99, as amended) and the Stafford Disaster and Emergency Assistance Act (P.L. 93-288, as amended). Under the Stafford Act, the Corps supports the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in carrying out the Federal Response Plan, which calls on 26 Federal departments and agencies to provide coordinated disaster relief and recovery operations. Under this plan, the Army has the lead responsibility for public works and engineering missions.

It is difficult to know, more than a few days in advance, when or where the next hurricane or other natural disaster will strike, or whether any given year will be heavy or light, but we know that natural disasters will come. Click to our map to see the location of our emergency responses of the past few years.

The frequency and severity of damages created by natural and other disasters require an ever- ready rapid and effective emergency management response. This challenge will always remain an area of national need. Disaster damages more typically run in the billions of dollars. In addition, population shifts to at-risk areas and climatic changes are increasing the risk to people and property. For information on current Corps emergency response activities, click on our Emergency Response Links.

Research and Development

The Civil Works program supports a very comprehensive and innovative research program encompassing a myriad of disciplines and aspects within the broad scope of the Civil Works program.

The Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) operates seven research laboratories, and lets contracts to universities and others for a sizeable portion of its program. The Topographic Engineering Center (TEC), at Fort Belvoir, VA, does state of the art research in mapping and charting, to include exploring applications for satellite ground positioning systems and computer/satellite based terrain analyses.

The Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL), located near the University of Illinois at Champaign, IL, specializes in construction technologies, energy conservation, and environmental operations. Many rapid construction techniques for buildings, roads, and other facilities in the Middle East were CERL products.

The Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), in Hanover, NH, studies the effects of low temperatures on materials, equipment, and engineer operations. This includes research on the effects of cold weather on tactical engineering. CRREL provided cold weather construction and operation techniques for the Bosnia operation.

The Waterways Experiment Station (WES) located in Vicksburg, MS, is a four-in-one laboratory complex. Here are located the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory, the Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, the Environmental Laboratory and the Information Technology Laboratory. These laboratories conduct research in areas such as water systems, soil and rock mechanics, earthquake engineering, coastal engineering, and weapons effects on structures.

Civil Works research and development provides the Corps, the Army, and the Nation with innovative engineering products, many of which have applications in both the military and civilian infrastructure spheres.

Support to other agencies

The Corps also provides support to other nations. These have included water resource advice and training in South America, bridges in Bulgaria, joint earthquake research with Japan, and channel surveys for Bangladesh.

Other Missions

Many of our projects built for navigation or flood control have additional uses, such as hydroelectric power. The Corps was first authorized to build hydroelectric plants in the 1920s, and today operates 75 power plants, producing one fourth of the nation's hydro-electric power--or three percent of its total electric energy. This makes us the Nation's fifth largest electric supplier.

With a large proportion of the U.S. population living near our sea and lake shores, and an estimated 75% of U.S. vacations being spent at the beach, there has been Federal interest – and a Corps of Engineers mission - in protecting these areas from hurricane and coastal storm damage.

The Corps of Engineers looks for the most economical, environmentally sound and socially acceptable solutions to shore protection. In some cases, this will involve hard structures – jetties, seawalls, etc. In many other cases, a preferable approach is beach nourishment, the placement of sand along the beach. During storms the sand acts as a buffer and protects the structures behind the beach. Storm waves move the sand offshore, causing the waves to also break further offshore and provide less threat to property. Much of the sand that moves offshore during storms remains in the system and returns to the beaches, carried by the smaller waves prevalent during summer. Some sand will be lost from the system; yet this is often a wise investment, as the cost of replacing sand is many times less than the cost of repairing property damaged by a storm.

Corps shore protection projects are usually cost-shared with the State, the local jurisdiction where the project is located, or both. In cases where the project involves beach nourishment, the cost sharing agreement usually calls for periodic re-nourishment, often over a period of 50 years. The Federal Government has honored all such commitments. A 1996 study commissioned by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget concluded that Corps beach nourishment projects have performed generally as designed. Actual renourishment volumes, averaged over all projects, have been within 5% of predicted volumes. Actual costs have been 1% less than predicted costs for the initial beach restoration and 10% less than predicted costs for periodic nourishment.

Requests for shore protection projects nearly always come from communities where intense development has already taken place. Federal policy that the local project sponsor provide 100% of the cost to protect undeveloped shorefront lands within an area where a Federal project has been recommended. In evaluating project performance, the Corps has found that Federal shore protection projects have had no measurable effect on encouraging more development. The Federal Government plays no role in decisions regarding land use along the shore. States and local authorities make these decisions and manage their shores.

The Corps of Engineers carries out shore protection projects at the request of local sponsors, as authorized and funded by Congress. Projects are performed only on publicly accessible beaches, and only after thorough studies have determined a positive cost to benefit ratio exists. Although Corps projects provide benefits such as shoreline protection, habitat protection and renewal, and the generation of tax dollars associated with that recreation, the primary purpose is always the protection of life and property.

The Corps of Engineers is a leader in developing engineering criteria for safe dams, and conducts an active inspection program of its own dams. The Corps has also carried out inspections at most of the dams built by others – Federal, State and local agencies and private interests. Information on these dams can be accessed through the National Inventory of Dams website. The data can be viewed as text, downloaded, or mapped using a free downloadable Geographic Information System (GIS) interface

The Corps first got involved in water supply in the 1850s, when we built the aqueduct that still serves Washington, DC, and some of its suburbs in Northern Virginia. We continue to operate the aqueduct and the two water purification plants it feeds; the water then flows into local systems. Elsewhere in the Nation, a 1958 law allowed cities and industries to tap into Corps reservoirs to meet municipal and industrial water supply needs; and today our reservoirs supply water to nearly 10 million people in 115 cities. In the drier parts of the Nation, water from Corps reservoirs is also used for agriculture.

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Page Last Updated: September 24, 2002

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