Program Summary

During the late 1880's and early 1890's the non-native aquatic plant, waterhyacinth, rapidly infested the waters of Florida and Louisiana. Commercial river traffic was obstructed due to expanding populations of waterhyacinth which lead Congress to approve the River and Harbor Act of 1899. This act authorized the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to remove waterhyacinth in navigable waters of Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi. Therefore, the initial responsibilities for aquatic plant management by the USACE were established in 1899 and provided control operations directives known as the Removal of Aquatic Growths (RAG) project.

By the mid-1940's, another non-native aquatic plant, alligatorweed, had infested the waters of the southeastern United States. Due to the magnitude of this new aquatic plant problem Congress approved the River and Harbor Act of 1958 (Section 104, Public Law 85-500). This act authorized the USACE to proceed with a comprehensive project for the control and progressive eradication of alligatorweed, waterhyacinth, and other noxious aquatic plants in the waters of Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. In addition, Congress included provisions for research directed toward the development of the most effective and economic control methods. This project was initiated in 1959 for a five year period and was known as the Expanded Project for Aquatic Plant Control. In addition, PL 85-500 required that local interests agree to hold and save the United States free from claims that may occur from such operations and contribute 30% of the cost of the research and planning portions of the program. Also included was a non-federal contribution for 30 per cent of operation costs.

In 1959, the US Army Corps of Engineers and the US Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service began a cooperative study of insects to control non-native aquatic plants which later resulted in the release of several bio-control insects.

In 1965, a report on the results of the Expanded Project was submitted to Congress and recommended the project be expanded to a nationwide program. As a result, Congress approved Section 104 of the River and Harbor Act of 1958 to be amended by the River and Harbor Act of 1965 (Section 302, Public Law 89-298). The amendment and future amendments authorized the USACE to proceed with a comprehensive program for control of noxious aquatic plants in the waters of the United States, including continued research for development of effective and economic control methods. This law removed the 30% non-federal contribution for research and planning undertaken pursuant to the authorities of this section. The costs for this portion program were to be fully funded by the Federal government. The Aquatic Plant Control (APC) Program was created, with an annual funding ceiling of $5 million.

In 1973, the Chief of Engineers designated the Engineer Research and Development Center (formerly known as the Waterways Experiment Station) as the USACE lead laboratory for aquatic plant research. The Aquatic Plant Control Research Program (APCRP) was established with responsibility for management of the nationwide research program. Responsibility for the APCRP administration moved from Planning Division to Operations Division, Headquarters.

In 1983, in response to increasing problems and needs, the funding ceiling was increased to $10 million (Public Law 9863). The Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-662) changed the non-federal share of APC Program operations from 30 to 50% and increased the annual funding ceiling to $12 million.

The Aquatic Plant Control Operations Support Center (APCOSC) was established in 1996 in the Jacksonville District. The APCOSC was established to serve as the Corps-wide center of expertise in the operational aspects of aquatic plant management. In 1996, to be consistent with the Presidents national performance goals and reducing the budget deficit, the USACE made a policy change to not fund 50:50 the APC program cost share for control operations. A memo from the Director of Civil Works to Major Subordinate Commands stated funding for the APC program was solely for research in support of USACE operating projects as well as other Federal, state and local agencies.

The Water Resources Development Act of 1999, Public Law 106-53 Section 205, Control of Aquatic Plants, further amended Section 104 of the River and Harbor Act of 1958. The amendment removed specific species and inserted language to include noxious aquatic plant growths in addition the funding ceiling was changed from $12,000,000 to $15,000,000.

There was no funding provided in the FY2012 budget for the APCRP.