U.S. Army Corps of EngineersU.S. Army Corps of EngineersUSACE_e657f505-e444-4fac-b395-d315cb16c1daTo be the premier public service provider of comprehensive, sustainable solutions to water resources challenges._65acb9e2-d9e3-4ef5-b162-919c05c9cfe6Civil Works Mission - Contribute to the national welfare and serve the public by providing the Nation and the Army with quality and responsive: development and management of the Nation’s water resources; protection, restoration, and management of the environment; disaster response and recovery; engineering and technical services in an environmentally sustainable, economic, and technically sound manner through partnerships._c17c4f9b-f394-4c37-855e-53c8fd4a1f43Systems Approach In order to solve water resources problems comprehensively, all major aspects of the natural and human systems need to be accounted for. This includes the hydrology, geology, ecology, man-made systems, and how they interact with one another. It also includes the sediments, pollutants, and water-borne species carried in the water. Systems models help predict how changes in one or more parts of the system affect the other parts of the system given the interdependence among elements. A watershed framework facilitates evaluation of a range of project options simultaneously to determine the best combination of projects to achieve multiple goals over the entire watershed rather than examining each potential project in isolation from others.Spatial or Geographic IntegrationIt is important to define the geographic boundaries that are potentially affected by or that could affect a project and to examine the project in the context of a larger geographic area. Projects typically impact water quantity or water quality. The watershed is an appropriate geographic area to look at upstream and downstream impacts of a project. By enlarging the spatial zone of consideration – for example, to a watershed, coastal zone, or a prairie region -- it becomes possible to examine the potential for water resources synergies and tradeoffs among all resource elements in that zone.Balance Across Multiple Uses or FunctionsConsidering the many elements related to water in a watershed illuminates a full range of ways in which water and other natural resources are used. Typically, there are many potential uses for water, some competing and some complementary. Each use generates requirements for water quantity and water quality. Any project should be evaluated in the context of the broad range of needs in the watershed or “problem-shed” so that conscious decisions are made about tradeoffs and opportunities for synergies are availed when they make sense. The objective is to seek greater balance across objectives. Interdisciplinary views and collaboration become germane to identifying how best to achieve multiple objectives.Collaborative ApproachClearly, collaboration is essential to bring together the expertise on natural and human systems over the appropriate geographic area, knowledge of problems that exist, and the range of current and potential uses for water resources. Collaboration can involve several Federal agencies (e.g., Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bureau of Reclamation, U. S. Geological Survey, and land management agencies), State and local agencies, the private sector, and interest groups and can take many forms. Each participating entity will bring its own legal authorities, skills and knowledge, history, and contributions to funding. Corps involvement in various aspects of project planning, design, implementation, and management will vary depending on the nature of potential solutions to the problems and whether or not the Corps has relevant expertise.Water Resources Development and ManagementProvide sustainable development and integrated management of the Nation’s water resources._74829f3d-4e99-4da2-ac52-828ac8dd30e81Goal 1 addresses both a mindset and a desired end state. It represents application of the watershed approach to our civil works activities.Water Resources SolutionsSeek water resources solutions that better balance economic, environmental, and quality of life objectives._4a38a898-35ca-4aa4-91c6-37e96dc3a0541.1Regional and Watershed SolutionsSupport the formulation of regional and watershed solutions to water resources problems._ac9b56ff-889e-4ecb-a19a-a84ebe0293cf1.2Construction BacklogReduce the backlog of ongoing, budgeted construction projects._f74b406a-a84b-4aca-93d2-c8a7cbc9b7d71.3The balance to complete for all projects in construction – known as the “Construction Backlog”– was around $21 billion in Fiscal Year 2003. Our intent is to deliver project benefits as quickly as possible within available resources or to de-authorize projects that no longer show a positive cost-benefit ratio or the active support of a local cost-share sponsor.Repair Environmental Degradation Repair past environmental degradation and prevent future environmental losses._ee5b78d7-abeb-4637-aba0-2c0282a341422Goal 2 addresses the need to identify and restore ecosystems degraded by past development in keeping with the Environmental Operating Principles. To make these principles real, we will actively design water resources solutions to advance environmental sustainability from the start and will mitigate for demonstrated environmental harm resulting from project designs. Our intent is to minimize the need for mitigation. The objectives of Goal 2 address different aspects of the Corps Environmental Program.Restore EcosystemsRestore degraded, significant ecosystems structure, function, process to a more natural condition._eba2cf19-cfd7-4d21-9181-3931a5557e512.1The focus of this objective is environmental restoration where the environment has been harmed by development activities associated with Corps projects or by the development activities of others. The objective is to bring the affected resources back to a natural ecosystem functional state.Wetlands ProtectionProtect the Nation’s wetlands to prevent degradation from future development._6eff979b-106d-452e-a5c4-0158b01db71b2.2The focus of this objective is environmental protection. Prevention and protection are preferable to mitigation for environmental losses. Under Section 404 of the Clear Water Act the Corps has a Regulatory Program to protect wetlands threatened by private development by encouraging developers to avoid losses. When losses occur, developers mitigate for the losses.Hazardous Waste CleanupAssist in the cleanup of contaminated, hazardous, toxic, and radioactive waste sites as authorized or requested by others._5543e953-bdad-423c-9292-5b458f9a1e662.3The focus of this objective is environmental remediation. The purpose is to repair contaminated land to a state that allows economic development activity to resume on that land. This objective typically does not involve restoring original natural ecological functions to the site.Project PerformanceEnsure that projects perform to meet authorized purposes and evolving conditions._93842837-4744-48c7-9443-dfd97efc481b3This goal addresses the responsibility of the Corps to deliver authorized services from its projects to the end user and taxpayer. It also suggests the need to be mindful to review the services provided in light of new demands and changing circumstances.Existing ProjectsImprove the efficiency and effectiveness of existing Corps water resources projects._0c51cab3-9fa3-46bc-a81c-613b4600bdaf3.1O&M BacklogAddress the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) backlog._ccfc72be-3921-48e1-b444-126e9aeb732e3.2Reduce Vulnerabilities and LossesReduce vulnerabilities and losses to the nation and the Army from natural and man-made disasters, including terrorism._6cb823a0-69c5-44cb-aca0-f6c21cca07d64The purpose of this goal is to manage the risks associated with all types of hazards and to increase the responsiveness of the Civil Works Emergency Management Program within the Corps Office of Homeland Security to respond to disasters in support of Federal, State, and local emergency management efforts. Emergency readiness contributes to national security. We have established two objectives to promote effective readiness, response, and recovery.Response and RecoveryPrepare and provide for rapid, efficient, and effective all-hazards response and recovery._43bc58c6-8950-423e-ba7b-f4b540a2578d4.1Infrastructure SafetyImprove the safety and security of critical water resources infrastructure._3842d234-75fd-46d6-9139-4e2872e67a454.2The era of high-terrorism brings with it requirements for high security. We must ensure that dams, reservoirs, levees and other flood control works are secure from external threats and malevolent tampering to prevent devastating flooding and contamination of water supplies.World-Class Engineering OrganizationBe a world-class public engineering organization_60dee65e-4750-4c86-90ac-31f55bd943755Goal 5 is focused on ensuring that the Civil Works mission is performed in a technically skilled manner so as to build respect and confidence in the products and services the Corps delivers today and into the future. Building trust will come from the integrity of our engineering and scientific evaluations and recommendations, the soundness of our management decisions, the transparency of our decision-making process, the reliability and effectiveness of our business processes, and the contributions we make to the state-of-the-art within and across our core technical disciplines. To achieve Goal 5, we must pay attention to people, processes, fiscal responsibility, efficiencies, and technology. The President’s Management Agenda helps us focus on major organizational effectiveness aspects central to being a world-class organization: human talent, financial integrity, sound business practices, and the advantages that technology offers, especially to bring government closer to citizens. We have set three objectives to move toward Goal 5. We will draw upon the ongoing plans we have drafted in support of the President’s Management Initiatives to make headway toward these objectives.Technical LeadershipBe a world-class technical leader._7c050b89-d74f-424a-8f08-be018e16a1fc5.1Our strategies focus on recruitment, retention, fiscal responsibility and accountability, business process improvements, innovation, and outreach. Providing quality and responsive engineering and scientific services to the Nation and others requires a solid technical foundation.Budgeting and Financial PerformanceImprove budgeting and financial performance._993e9e4e-4d8a-442f-985b-33892b34b5415.2Techology/eGovernmentBecome a more efficient and effective organization through technology (e-government)._22ff08ce-ba5f-48b9-8b89-ef6d55e4d9295.32003-10-012009-09-012010-02-08http://www.usace.army.mil/cw/cecw-cp/library/CWStratPlan.pdfArthurColman (www.drybridge.com)colman@drybridge.com