U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation: A Joint Commitment to the Nation’s Water Infrastructure

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation recently released 'The State of the Infrastructure: A Joint Report' by the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The two agencies have a long history of collaboration to construct, operate and maintain the nation’s crucial water-related infrastructure.

National water-related infrastructure provides water supply, hydroelectric power generation, navigation, flood control, recreation and other benefits. Combined, the Army Corps and Reclamation oversee and manage more than 1,200 dams, 153 hydroelectric power plants, over 5,000 recreation areas, 25,000 miles of navigable waterways and tens of thousands of miles of canals and other water conveyance infrastructure.

Those facilities provide enough water for 130 million people and irrigation for 10 million acres of farmland. And, combined hydroelectric power plants generate renewable electricity for 10 million homes.

“Millions of people rely on this infrastructure for their water, their food, and their electricity,” said Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Tim Petty, Ph.D. "This partnership is important; it helps us coordinate attention and resources to ensure that infrastructure is robust and well-maintained. I appreciate the partnership between Reclamation and the Army Corps and look forward to continued success moving forward.”

The partnership between the Army Corps and Reclamation brings together a wide array of resources that serve to enrich public services as well as water resource management and environmental protection. The agencies regularly assess the health, safety and sufficiency of existing infrastructure and continually work to upgrade aging infrastructure and construct new projects to meet the needs of families, farms and communities.

"This report provides visibility to the public on the vast and diverse federal portfolio of water-related infrastructure our agencies maintain and their value to the safety and economic prosperity of the nation" said Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) R.D. James. "This is a great example of how the Army Corps' partners and collaborates with other agencies on water-related infrastructure by sharing challenges, best practices and strategies to utilize resources to most efficiently and effectively maintain this critical infrastructure".

Affordable power production, reliable water supply, navigation, flood risk reduction, and recreation have a positive impact on the Nation’s economy and are a daily way of life for countless Americans. The rigorous and systematic maintenance programs both agencies use ensure these precious water-related resources will be available for years to come. Ongoing attention to the Nation’s water-related infrastructure will provide maximum value to the American people. The Army Corps and Reclamation are jointly committed to the management and maintenance of this critical infrastructure both today and in the future.

More News and Articles