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INSIGHTi
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works:
Primer and Resources
Updated February 16, 2024
Congress plays a role in the nation’s water resource development through authorization and
appropriations of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) projects and activities. USACE is a
Department of Defense (DOD) agency that develops civil works projects principally to improve navigable
channels, reduce flood and storm damage, and restore aquatic ecosystems. Congress also may authorize
and fund USACE to assist certain nonfederal, publicly owned water-related facilities.
The Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works (ASACW) provides policy direction and supervision
of USACE civil works. A military Chief of Engineers manages USACE’s civil and military missions.
USACE’s 38 district offices work with nonfederal project sponsors.
Standard USACE project delivery consists of USACE leading the study, design, and construction of
authorized projects. Nonfederal project sponsors typically share in study and construction costs, including
providing real estate. Nonfederal sponsors generally perform operation and maintenance for flood risk
reduction and ecosystem restoration projects. USACE typically performs operations and maintenance for
navigation and some multipurpose projects, such as dams.
USACE projects typically require two separate congressional authorizations—one for studying feasibility
and one for construction—and appropriations for both. This Insight summarizes the USACE authorization
and funding processes and provides links to related resources.
Project and Programmatic Authorization
Most USACE projects start with congressional authorization to conduct a feasibility study of a water
resource issue (see Figure 1). If a feasibility study is funded, USACE evaluates alternatives to address the
issue and recommends one alternative for construction. The Chief of Engineers then signs a
recommendation for project construction (i.e., the Chief’s report) and transmits the completed study and
the Chief’s report to congressional authorizing committees, which consider whether to authorize project
construction. If project features or estimated costs change significantly after authorization, additional
congressional authorization may be necessary to modify the project authorization.
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
IN11810
CRS INSIGHT
Prepared for Members and
Committees of Congress
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Figure 1. Standard Process for USACE Projects
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS).
Congress has granted USACE programmatic authorities―Continuing Authorities Programs (CAPs)—that
enable USACE and nonfederal sponsors to undertake cost-shared projects of limited scope and cost
without requiring project-specific congressional authorizations. Congress also has authorized USACE to
provide environmental infrastructure assistance for certain publicly owned facilities (e.g., municipal water
supply and wastewater collection projects), and to engage in technical assistance for certain activities,
such as flood risk mitigation and watershed studies.
Resources on USACE Authorizations
• USACE, “Signed Chief Reports”
• CRS In Focus IF11106, Army Corps of Engineers: Continuing Authorities Programs
• CRS Report R47162, Overview of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Environmental
Infrastructure (EI) Assistance
Water Resources Development Acts
Congress generally authorizes USACE studies, projects, and programs and makes changes to the agency’s
policies through omnibus authorization acts, typically titled Water Resources Development Acts
(WRDAs). WRDAs generally authorize new activities that are added to the pool of existing authorized
activities. Numerous projects authorized for construction in previous WRDAs remain unfunded.
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Authorization provisions in WRDAs can be project-specific, programmatic, or general directives. Most
project-specific authorizations in WRDAs fall into three general categories: project studies, construction
projects, and modifications to existing projects. WRDAs also have established deauthorization processes
and/or have deauthorized individual projects.
To develop WRDAs, the authorizing committees for USACE—the House Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works—typically hold hearings
to receive testimony from stakeholders, solicit input from Members (including, at times, Member requests
for their WRDA priorities), and review reports transmitted by the Administration. For example, the
ASACW annually transmits a report to USACE’s congressional authorizing committees containing
nonfederal submissions to USACE proposing that Congress authorize site-specific studies and
modifications.
Since the 1980s, Congress generally has considered WRDAs biennially; the timing of enactment has
varied. Congress enacted WRDA-type legislation in 2000, 2007, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022.
Congress enacted WRDA 2022 in December 2022. After WRDA 2022 enactment, USACE indicated that
the agency is developing implementation guidance for 12 WRDA 2022 provisions.
Resources on WRDA Considerations
• CRS In Focus IF11322, Water Resources Development Acts: Primer
• CRS Insight IN11965, Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (WRDA 2022)
• CRS Insight IN11118, Army Corps of Engineers: Section 7001 Report on Future Studies
and Projects
Appropriations
The majority of USACE’s appropriations are used to perform work on geographically specific studies and
congressionally authorized projects (e.g., study and construction of new and modified projects, and
USACE operation and maintenance of navigation projects and multipurpose dams). Congress typically
appropriates funds for USACE activities in annual Energy and Water Development appropriations acts
(e.g., $8.3 billion in FY2022 and FY2023).
USACE’s annual appropriations process generally involves three major milestones: the President’s budget
request, congressional deliberation and enactment of appropriations, and Administration development of a
USACE work plan allocating funds to specific studies and projects. In the 117th Congress, Congress also
included congressionally directed funding for site-specific projects (i.e., community project
funding/congressionally directed spending [CPF/CDS]) in the FY2022 and FY2023 appropriations
processes, the first of this type of funding since the 111th Congress. The 118th Congress is also considering
CPF/CDS in its USACE appropriations process.
Congress has also used supplemental appropriations to fund USACE emergency specific flood-related
response and recovery activities (e.g., $5.7 billion in Division B, Title IV, of P.L. 117-43; $1.1 billion in
Division N of P.L. 117-328) and to advance other purposes, such as general investments in infrastructure
(e.g., $17.1 billion in Division J, Title III, of P.L. 117-58). For some supplemental appropriations,
Congress has directed USACE to publish spend plans identifying funded studies and projects.
Resources on USACE Appropriations
• USACE, “Civil Works Budget and Performance”
• CRS Report R46320, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Annual Appropriations Process
• CRS In Focus IF12090, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: FY2023 Appropriations
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• CRS In Focus IF12370, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: FY2024 Appropriations
• CRS In Focus IF11945, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Supplemental Appropriations
Author Information
Anna E. Normand
Nicole T. Carter
Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff
to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of
Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of
information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role.
CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United
States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However,
as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the
permission of the copyright holder if you wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
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