Policy & Procedures

Engineer Pamphlets

• EP 1130-2-550, dated 15 November 1996 revised 15 August 2002
  Projection Operations - Recreation Operations and Maintenance Guidance and Procedures

• EP 1165-2-1, dated 30 July 1999
  Digest of Water Resources Policies and Authorities
  This pamphlet provides a brief summary, in digest form, of the existing administrative and legislative water resources policies and authorities pertinent to the Civil Works activities of the Corps of Engineers.

• EP 1165-2-502, dated 30 September 1999
  Ecosystem Restoration - Supporting Policy Information
  This pamphlet provides policy information in support of ER 1165-2-501 to guide Corps of Engineers involvement in ecosystem restoration and protection through Civil Works programs and activities.

Engineer Regulations

• ER 1105-2-100, dated April 2000 revised 31 January 2007
  Planning Guidance Notebook
  This regulation provides the overall direction by which Corps of Engineers Civil Works projects are formulated, evaluated, and selected for implementation. It contains a description of the Corps of Engineers planning process, Corps of Engineers missions and programs, specific policies applicable to each mission and program, and analytical requirements. Its fundamental purpose is to describe the planning process in a straightforward, plain-language manner.

• ER 1130-2-500, dated 27 December 1996 revised 1 June 2006
  Project Operations - Partners and Support (Work Management Policies)
  This regulation establishes the policy for the management of operation and maintenance activities of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) personnel performing civil works functions related to flood control, navigation, dredging, hydroelectric power generation, environmental stewardship, and recreation services at water resource, waterway, and other USACE projects.

• ER 1130-2-540, dated 15 November 1996 revised 11 August 2008
  Project Operations - Environmental Stewardship Operations and Maintenance Policies
  This regulation establishes land management policy for Corps-administered project lands and water, based on various authorizing legislation and the principles of good environmental stewardship.

• ER 1130-2-550, dated 15 November 1996 revised 15 August 2002
  Project Operations - Recreation Operations and Maintenance Policies
  This regulation establishes the policy for the management of recreation programs and activities, and for the operation and maintenance of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) recreation facilities and related structures, at civil works water resource projects.

• ER 1140-1-211, dated 10 Sep 2020
  Support for Others - Non-DoD Reimbursable Services
  This regulation provides guidance on USACE performing reimbursable work for non-DOD Federal agencies, States, Commonwealths, Territories, and local governments of the United States.

• ER 1165-2-26, dated 30 March 1984
  Implementation of Executive Order 11988 on Flood Plain Management
  The purpose of this regulation is to set forth general policy and guidance for Corps of Engineers implementation of Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management, as it pertains to the planning, design and construction of Civil Works projects, to activities under the operation and maintenance program, and to the real estate program of the Corps. Policy and guidance for implementation of Executive Order 11988 as it pertains to the Corps' regulatory program are contained in 33 CFR 320-330.

• ER 1165-2-501, dated 30 September 1999
  Civil Works Ecosystem Restoration Policy
  This regulation provides policy on Corps of Engineers involvement in ecosystem restoration and protection through Civil Works programs and activities.

• ER 200-2-3, dated 29 October 2010
  Environmental Quality - Environmental Compliance Policies
  This regulation establishes the policy for the management of environmental compliance-related operations and maintenance (O&M) activities at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) civil works and military projects and facilities.

• ER 405-1-12, dated 20 November 1985 revised 15 May 2000
  Real Estate Handbook
  "Real Estate Handbook," this regulation establishes policy for the management and operation of real estate responsibilities on Military and Civil Works Projects, to include encroachments; and issuing, managing, and administering outgrants authorizing the use of this real property.

Policy Letter

• 61
  Watershed Perspective
  This guidance letter provides the policy for applying the watershed perspective to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works water resources management programs and initiatives.

• 97-2
  Long-Term Management Strategies for Sediment Control
  This letter provides guidance on Section 516(a)(b)(c) of the Water Resource Development Act (WRDA) 1996.

• 97-5
  Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration
  This letter provides preliminary guidance on implementation of the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program under Section 206 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 (WRDA 96).

• 97-8
  Watershed Management, Restoration and Development
  This letter provides implementing guidance for Section 503 (Watershed Management, Restoration, and Development) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 (WRDA 96).

Public Law Regulation

• 104-303, Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration, Section 206, Water Resources Development Act 1996

• 102-580, Beneficial Uses of Dredged Material, Section 204, Water Resources Development Act of 1992

• 83-780, Clearing and Snagging for Flood Control, Section 208, Flood Control Act of 1954
  originally Section 2, Flood Control Act of August 28, 1937 (PL 75-406).

• 79-526, Emergency Streambank Erosion Protection for Public, Section14, Flood Control Act of 1946
  allows the Corps of Engineers to study, design, and construct bank protection works in the interest of protecting public facilities (churches, roads, bridges, known cultural sites, public buildings, utilities, etc.).

• 87-874, Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction, Section 103, River and Harbor Act of 1962
  amends PL 727, an act approved August 13, 1946 which authorized Federal participation in the cost of protecting the shores of publicly owned property from hurricane and storm damage.

• 90-483, Mitigation of Shoreline Erosion, Section 111, River and Harbor Act of 1968

• 99-662, Project Modifications for Improvement of the Environment, Section 1135, Water Resources Development Act of 1986

• 80-858, Small Flood Control Projects, Section 205, Flood Control Act of 1948

• 86-645, Small Navigation Projects, Section 107, River and Harbor Act of 1960

Other Policy

• Section 516 of WRDA 1996
  • Long-term Sediment Management Strategies - authorizes cooperative long-term strategies for controlling sediments at navigation projects.

• Section 5, Rivers and Harbors Act of 1935
  • allows the Corps to consider broader effects in navigation studies, potential effects to adjacent shores.

• Section 227(d) of WRDA 1996
  • Regional Planning for Conservation of Coastal Resources - authorizes cooperation in preparation of comprehensive State or regional plans for conservation of coastal resources.

• Section 202 of WRDA 2000
  • Specific Authorizations or Study Resolutions for Watershed and Comprehensive Study - provides broad authorizations to address water resources needs and opportunities in a watershed or region. Implementation guidance clarifies that products can be plans or management documents that identify actions to be taken by partners, stakeholders or the Corps to meet the objectives of the plan.

• Section 107, Rivers and Harbors Act of 1962
  • Implementation guidance allows the Corps to coordinate proposed implementation measures with other non-Federal shore protection projects in the region, to prepare a comprehensive regional product that includes Section 111 projects and shore protection projects pursued under other authorities in the same region.

• Program Development Guidance
  • Links to Directorate of Civil Works for Programs Management whose mission is to develop the Civil Works Budget and to support the Major Subordinate Commands, (MSC) and monitor and assess program execution. The annual update of EC 11-2-183 provides procedures and guidance for development of the Civil Works Budget.

• Planning Assistance to States (Section 22)
  • Section 22 of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1974, as amended, provides authority for the Corps of Engineers to assist the States, local governments, and other non-Federal entities, in the preparation of comprehensive plans for the development, utilization, and conservation of water and related land resources of basins, ecosystems, and watersheds. Section 208 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1992 amended the WRDA of 1974 to include Native American Tribes as equivalent to a State.

• Partnership Kit
  • This kit serves as an introduction to potential sponsors to better understand the Corps organization and authorities, missions and programs and the project development process by which projects are planned, designed, constructed, and maintained, and the Project Delivery Team process.

• Flood Plain Management Services
  • Flood plain management services cover the full range of information, technical services, and planning guidance and assistance on floods and flood plain issues within the broad umbrella of Flood Plain Management Services established under Section 206 of the Flood Control Act of 1960.

• Continuing Authorities Program
  • This appendix provides the general program principles, policies, and planning guidance for nine legislative authorities under which the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, is authorized to plan, design, and construct certain types of water resource and ecosystem restoration projects without additional and specific congressional authorization. These authorities are called the Continuing Authorities Program (CAP) when referred to as a group.

• Coastal Zone Management
  • The Coastal Zone Management Act establishes a national policy to preserve, protect, develop, and where possible, restore or enhance the resources of the U.S. coastal zone. It requires Federal agencies to cooperate and actively participate with state and local governments and regional agencies towards achieving integrated policy and action proposals for managing the coastal zone.

• Civil Works Environmental Desk Reference
  • The Environmental Desk Reference is a document intended to serve as a desktop reference on environmental statutes and executive policy for Corps of Engineers personnel. It contains summary profiles of environmental laws applicable to the Civil Works program. Included in these profiles are legal citations, common names and summaries of the statutes and the Corps implementation guidance.