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Corps and Reclamation release joint commitment to infrastructure, including dams and hydro

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Corps and Reclamation release joint commitment to infrastructure, including dams and hydro

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation recently released “State of the Infrastructure: A Joint Report by the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.” The report provides a high-level overview of the infrastructure asset portfolio and related asset management practices, collaboration efforts and future strategies.

The two agencies have recently made record investments in critical water resource construction projects and to further develop innovative approaches to address their most pressing challenges. For the Corps, this consists of 48 construction projects that have started and 61 that were completed over the past five years. Reclamation produced three annual Bipartisan Infrastructure Law spend plans of $1.66 billion each in fiscal years 2022, 2023 and 2024 and has allocated $2.9 billion of this funding to more than 420 individual projects.

Many Corps and Reclamation dams are more than 50 years old and are reaching the end of the useful life of many features, requiring investment to extend the lifecycle, the report said. Dams are major components of a comprehensive strategy to address water resource challenges posed by drought, flooding, depleted aquifers, environmental needs, energy demands, and population increase and movement in the United States. The Corps and Reclamation evaluate the condition of dams, dikes, and levees and monitor the performance of facilities to manage the risks posed to the public.

The Corps and Reclamation each manage dams that provide water that generates a major portion of the United States’ hydroelectric power and creates public recreational opportunities. The Corps is the largest producer of hydroelectric power in the U.S. The Corps owns and directly operates and maintains 75 hydropower facilities with a total generating capacity of about 24,000 MW. Reclamation is the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the nation and owns 77 facilities. Reclamation directly operates and maintains 53 of these facilities with a total generating capacity of about 15,000 MW. Reclamation and Corps facilities generate more than 100 million MWh of electricity each year.

“We are at a critical moment in our history with a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s Civil Works infrastructure,” said USACE Director of Civil Works Edward Belk, Jr. “Together, we can provide the most efficient and effective solutions to promote safety, economic well-being, and the environment in the West and across the country.”

“We are moving forward with these urgent priorities while in close collaboration with Tribes, states, water managers, farmers, irrigators, and other stakeholders,” said Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. “This historic funding underscores how proactive efforts from the Biden-Harris administration are helping increase water efficiency and conservation across the West.”

Reclamation and the USACE Civil Works programs receive funding through annual Energy and Water Development Act appropriations, supplemental appropriations, non-federal cost-sharing partnerships and other sources. In an ongoing effort to return the highest overall value to the nation from available funds, USACE and Reclamation seek opportunities to work with their partners to:

  • Develop planning study solutions in a timely and cost-effective manner.
  • Manage the cost, schedule, and scope of ongoing construction projects.
  • Use risk analysis to prioritize capital investment and maintenance needs.