The proposal period for the 2025 Report to Congress will open on or before May 1, 2024, for 120 days. All proposals submitted will be considered for inclusion in the 2025 Report to Congress on Future Water Resources Development.

All non-federal interests are invited to submit proposals for new feasibility studies, proposed modifications to authorized water resources development projects or feasibility studies, and proposed modifications to environmental infrastructure program authorities.

Please submit one form for each study or modification to a study, project, or environmental infrastructure program authority being proposed. Do not include Confidential Business Information, information whose disclosure is restricted by statute, or any other information that you would not want to appear in the Annual Report to Congress or publicly posted to this webpage.

The proposal form (fillable PDF) will request the following information:

1. Contact information for the individual/agency submitting the proposal: name, phone number, and email.
2. Proposal Name.
3. Project Location (State(s)/Territory).
4. Study area or project map; you’ll have the option to upload a map of the study/project area (preferred format is an 8.5”x11” PDF).
5. Specific project purpose(s) of the proposed study or modification (USACE mission areas).
6. Project description: demonstrate the proposal is related to USACE missions and authorities and why additional or new authorization is needed.
7. State if this proposal is for a new feasibility study, a modification to a USACE water resources development feasibility study authority, a modification to a USACE water resources project authority, or a modification to a USACE environmental infrastructure program authority.
8. If the proposal is for a modification to an existing authority, provide the name of the authorized study, project, or environmental infrastructure program. Cite the authority (e.g., section of WRDA) if possible.
9. If the proposal is for a modification to an environmental infrastructure program authority, provide a brief description of the assistance provided to date and the total federal cost of assistance provided to date.
10. Provide an estimate, to the extent practicable, of the total cost, and the federal and non-federal share of those costs, of the proposed study and, separately, an estimate of the cost of construction or modification.
11. Describe, to the extent applicable and practicable, an estimate of the anticipated monetary and non-monetary benefits of the proposal with regard to benefits to the protection of human life and property and improvement to transportation, the national, regional, or local economy, the environment, or the national security interests of the United States.
12. Optional: State whether the proposal is expected to benefit disadvantaged communities, including a description of the disadvantaged community(ies) and the potential benefits which may accrue as a result of the proposal. See the Council for Environmental Quality (CEQ) website for information on (1) categories of burden at the following location (https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/methodology), (2) an economic justice screening tool to help identify disadvantaged communities (https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov).
13. The name of the non-federal interest planning to act as the sponsor, or all non-federal interests in the case of a modification to an environmental infrastructure program authority, including any non-federal interest that has contributed to or is expected to contribute toward the non-federal share of the proposed feasibility study or modification.
14. A statement of support from each associated non-federal interest. Optional: attach letter(s) of support. Letters may be addressed generically to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the local Corps District office, or the Assistant Secretary of the Army of Civil Works office.
15. State if the non-federal interest has the financial ability to provide for the required cost share. 
16. State if there is local support for the proposal, and describe the local support. 

Although additional proposal documentation may be included with your proposal (up to 20MB total for all email attachments), please answer each question in the field provided. Responses should not state “refer to uploaded documents” with no other response.

Your local District is here to help. Contact your local USACE District office to discuss your proposal, identify existing Congressionally authorized study and project authorities, and investigate USACE’s other technical assistance and project authorities.

Email the USACE Annual Report team at wrrda7001proposal@usace.army.mil with questions about the proposal process, technical issues with the form, or to arrange an alternative submission process.

Submit proposals by emailing the completed proposal form to WRRDA7001Proposal@usace.army.mil.

What does “authority” mean in the context of the Annual Report?

Study Authority: Congressional authorization to study a water resources problem, usually with the intent of developing a recommendation for a Congressionally authorized project. Study authorization may be narrow, such as a flood risk management project in a specific watershed, or broad, covering multiple USACE mission areas or a large geographic region.

Project Authority: Congressional project (or construction) authorization is typically based on the recommendation of the Chief of Engineers of a Civil Works project following a feasibility study. Proposals for modifications to project authorities will be considered for inclusion in the Report to Congress. For the purposes of the Annual Report, modifications to environmental infrastructure projects authorized under Section 219 can also be proposed.

Environmental Infrastructure Program Authority: “Environmental infrastructure” broadly refers to water supply and storage, water treatment and distribution systems, and wastewater treatment systems, including treatment plants. Environmental infrastructure program authorities may be narrow, such as for a particular city, or broad, covering an entire state. Currently, only modifications to existing environmental infrastructure program authorities meet the criteria for the Annual Report.

Partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: A Guide for Communities, Local Governments, States, Tribes, and Non-Governmental Organizations includes an explanation of USACE study and project authorities.

How can I find out if my proposed study/project already has an authority?

Your local USACE District office can help you determine the next steps if your proposal idea already has sufficient authority. To find out which USACE District covers your area of interest and their contact information, visit the Office Locator.

What does Congress mean by “non-federal interest?”

Proposals for the Annual Report are submitted by non-federal interests, and each feasibility study or project is conducted in partnership with a non-federal interest. For the purposes of the Annual Report, the term “non-federal interest” is defined in 42 USC 1962-5b. The term “non-federal interest” means (1) a legally constituted public body, including an Indian tribe and a tribal organization (as those terms are defined in section 5304 of title 25); or (2) a nonprofit entity with the consent of the affected local government, that has full authority and capability to perform the terms of its agreement and to pay damages, if necessary, in the event of failure to perform.

If multiple parties support our proposal, should each party submit a proposal?

Only one proposal should be submitted. The non-federal interest organizing the submission can include letters of support from other interested and supporting parties in its proposal.

Our agency is a non-federal sponsor for an ongoing feasibility study (or ongoing General Reevaluation study). Do we need to submit a proposal under this Notice to ensure the study continues?

No. A proposal is not required to continue an active, ongoing study.

Our agency is a non-federal sponsor for an ongoing feasibility study (or ongoing General Reevaluation study) that will need project authorization to proceed to construction. Do we need to submit a proposal under this Notice to ensure the project will be authorized?

Once a feasibility study has been completed, the recommendation for authorization (Chief’s Report) will be transmitted to Congress. Completed feasibility reports, General Reevaluation reports, and post-authorization change reports that include a recommendation for a new or modified project authority, and have had a Chief’s Report transmitted to Congress, will be included in the main body of the Annual Report by USACE and do not need to have a proposal submitted.

We would like to modify an authorized USACE project. Should we propose a new study for the modification?

Authorized USACE water resources projects already have the necessary study authorization to consider modifications to the project. If you have questions, please contact your local District to discuss the project, what study authorities can be used, and how to proceed.

Our proposal was included in the Appendix of a previous Report to Congress Future Water Resources Development. Can we resubmit the proposal this year?

Yes. When your proposal was included in the Appendix, the reason it was in the Appendix and not the main report table was also listed. You may contact your local USACE District for clarification. Please review the criteria for inclusion in the Annual Report to Congress and the current Federal Register Notice for the latest information on submitting a proposal. Proposals that are complete and meet all five criteria may be included in the Annual Report to Congress on Future Water Resources Development.

Our proposal was included in the Appendix of a previous Report to Congress Future Water Resources Development. Will you re-evaluate it in the next cycle?

No. For a proposal to be considered for inclusion in the annual Report to Congress on Future Water Resources Development, it must be submitted during the current proposal period, which is announced in an annual Federal Register notice. The proposal period is for 120 days, generally beginning in late April or early May. You may resubmit a proposal included in any previous Report’s Appendix.

Our proposal was included in the main Report Table in a previous Report to Congress on Future Water Resources Development, but Congress has not taken any action on the proposal. Should we resubmit the proposal this year?

No. Proposals that were included in the main report table in the Report to Congress on Future Water Resources Development should not be resubmitted. One of the criteria that must be met by proposals is that they have not been included in any previous Report. If you choose to resubmit a proposal that has already been in the main report table, it will be included in the Appendix of the next Report.

Our agency would like Congress to consider legislative changes to Corps policies that would impact a study or project without making direct changes to the authorization. Should we submit a proposal for a modification to study or project authority?

No. A request for broader legislative changes to USACE policies does not meet the criteria for inclusion in the Report on Future Water Resources Development. Proposals for legislative changes, if submitted, will be included in the Appendix. An example of a legislative change to USACE policies that does not meet the criteria of the Report would be changing the federal/non-federal construction cost share split for an authorized water resources project.

Our agency would like Congress to deauthorize a study or project. Should we submit a proposal for a modification to the study or project authority?

No. The Report to Congress on Future Water Resources Development is based on proposals for new or modified water resources development projects or studies. Deauthorization of an existing study or project does not meet the intent of Congress in requesting this Annual Report. Proposals for deauthorizing a study or project, if submitted, will be included in the Appendix. Please contact your local District to discuss the project.

Our agency is a non-federal sponsor for a project that is nearing its “902 limit.” Do we need to submit a proposal under this Notice to authorize an increase?

Section 902 of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 1986 defines the maximum amount that a project may cost. This is often called the 902 limit or Project Cost Cap. A post-authorization change report (PACR) provides the basis for the Administration to seek authorization to increase the 902 limit, and must be completed to support an increase to the 902 limit. Authority to undertake a 902 study is inherent in the project authority – so a non-federal sponsor does not need to request a change in study or project authority to study the 902 increase. Completed PACRs will be automatically submitted in the next annual report; you do not need to submit a proposal.

To be included in the Annual Report table, the proposals must meet the following five criteria established by Congress:

1. The proposal is related to USACE missions and authorities. The proposal must involve a proposed or existing USACE water resources project or effort where the primary purpose is flood and/or coastal storm damage reduction, commercial navigation, aquatic ecosystem restoration, or municipal or agricultural water supply. Proposals for recreation or hydropower are eligible for inclusion if undertaken in conjunction with one of the primary purposes listed above. For the purposes of this criterion, environmental infrastructure proposals will also be considered “related to USACE missions and authorities.”
2. The proposal requires specific Congressional authorization, including by an Act of Congress.
3. The proposal has not been previously authorized by Congress.
4. The proposal has not been included in the Annual Report table of any previous Annual Report to Congress on Future Water Resources Development.
5. The proposal, if authorized, could be carried out by USACE.

The purpose of the five criteria is, primarily, to determine if a proposal will require Congressional authorization for USACE to undertake the proposed water resources study or project with the non-federal interest.

Proposals for modifications to environmental infrastructure authorities are an exception to the criteria.  To be included in the table within the Annual Report, the proposal must be a modification to a project that was authorized pursuant to Section 219 of WRDA 1992, as amended, or must identify a programmatic modification to an environmental infrastructure assistance program, and it has not been included in any previous annual report.

Section 7001 requires that the Secretary certify that the proposals included in the annual report meet the five criteria established by Congress, listed above. Any proposals that do not meet the criteria will be included in the report’s appendix. Inclusion in the annual Report to Congress does not provide authorization or appropriation for a study or project.

How does USACE evaluate if a proposal requires specific Congressional authorization?

The most frequent reason for placing proposals in the Annual Report’s appendix is because there is already sufficient authorization, and no additional Congressional authorization is needed to undertake the activity being proposed. Examples of when a proposal would be determined to have sufficient authority:

• Proposal is to study a water resources problem, but Congress has already established specific study authority for that area and that study purpose.
• Proposal is to study a modification to an existing water resources project. Under Section 216 of the Flood Control Act of 1970, USACE can reexamine/evaluate a constructed Civil Works project to recommend modifications necessary for the originally enacted purposes or for ecosystem restoration.
• Proposal is to study a water resources problem, but the scope and scale of the problem and likely solution fall under one of USACE’s “continuing authorities,” such as the Continuing Authorities Program or Tribal Partnership Program. Partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: A Guide for Communities, Local Governments, States, Tribes, and Non-Governmental Organizations includes an explanation of USACE’s Continuing Authorities Program.

Your local USACE District office can help you determine next steps if your proposal idea already has sufficient authority. To find out which USACE District you are located in and find a phone number for your District office, visit the Office Locator.

Our proposal addresses an important water issue in our region. Will it be included in the Report on Future Water Resources Development?

The first criterion for inclusion in the Report is that the proposal must be related to USACE’s missions and authorities. To meet this criterion, the proposal must involve an existing or proposed water resources project or effort whose primary purpose is flood or coastal storm damage reduction, commercial navigation, aquatic ecosystem restoration and/or municipal or agricultural water supply. Proposals that primarily address issues in the areas of recreation or hydropower do not satisfy this first criterion; however, these other water resources challenges may be included as secondary considerations when combined with the primary USACE missions and authorities.

What’s the difference between an environmental infrastructure project and an environmental infrastructure program – and what does that mean for the five evaluation criteria?

“Environmental infrastructure” broadly refers to water supply and storage, water treatment and distribution systems, and wastewater treatment systems, including treatment plants. Unlike traditional USACE water resource projects, environmental infrastructure assistance is not subject to the USACE planning process (e.g., no USACE feasibility study is needed); however, environmental infrastructure assistance is subject to federal laws, such as the National Environmental Policy Act.

There are two circumstances in which environmental infrastructure proposals meet the criteria for inclusion in the main report, due to amendments to Section 7001 in 2016, 2018, and 2020:

• Proposed modifications to environmental infrastructure program authorities, and
• Proposed modifications to environmental infrastructure projects authorized under Section 219 of WRDA 1992, as amended.

Congress has authorized several environmental infrastructure programs. Authorized environmental infrastructure programs generally cover broader geographic areas (multiple counties or states), with eligible types of assistance authorized in the provision. Proposals for modifications to existing environmental assistance program authorizations (e.g., expand the location, amend eligible project types, and adjust the authorization of appropriations) would meet the evaluation criteria. Proposals for a new environmental infrastructure program authority do not meet the evaluation criteria because non-federal interest proposals for new program authorities are outside the scope of the purpose of the Annual Report.

Section 219 (of WRDA 1992, as amended), authorizes USACE to assist non-federal interests in carrying out specific water-related environmental infrastructure projects. There are currently over 300 authorized projects listed under Section 219. A modification to an existing Section 219 project authority would meet the evaluation criteria. Proposals for a new Section 219 project authority do not meet the evaluation criteria because non-federal interest proposals for new project authority are outside the scope of the purpose of the Annual Report. If you have any questions about USACE’s engagement and federal support for environmental infrastructure projects, we encourage you to contact your local USACE District.

In addition, previous technical assistance does not provide authorization of a water resources development project. Therefore, a proposal to modify an environmental infrastructure project that is not a Section 219 project falls outside the scope of this Report, even if USACE has provided support under other technical assistance authorities.

Proposals are evaluated at the District level and their placement in the main report or appendix is subsequently reviewed at every level of USACE before the draft report is transmitted to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works (ASA(CW)). The Annual Report will include a certification by the ASA(CW) stating that each proposal included in the Annual Report meets the five criteria established by Congress.

Proposals that do not meet all five criteria established by Congress will be included in an appendix table included in the Annual Report to Congress on Future Water Resources Development. Proposals in the appendix table will include a description of why those proposals did not meet the five criteria established by Congress.

In addition to proposals that meet the five Congressional criteria, signed Chief’s Reports and completed post-authorization change reports recommending new authorizations or modifications to the authorization of a water resources project will be included in the Annual Report table by the ASA(CW).

The ASA(CW) will also include in the annual report any recommendations that would require congressional authorization, as provided for by numerous other WRDA provisions (Sections 1037(d), 1046(d), 2009(d), 2104(e), 3025, 3026(c), 4002(b), 4003(d), 4007(c), 4009(c), 4011(b), and 4014(c) of WRRDA 2014, and Sections 118, 119, 120, and 127 of the WRDA 2020). 

Once completed and cleared by the Administration, the Annual Report will be transmitted to Congress by the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works (ASA(CW)) and posted to this USACE Headquarters website. In addition, each proposal received will also be posted to the website.

After the Annual Report is transmitted to Congress, local USACE District representatives will reach back to each proposal to inform them that the report has been transmitted, discuss their placement in the main report or the appendix, and answer any questions about next steps.

If our proposal is included in the main report table in a Report to Congress on Future Water Resources Development, does that mean the study or project is authorized and that the study or project can begin?

No. The Report on Future Water Resources Development identifies proposals for new study authorizations, new project authorizations, and modifications to existing project or feasibility study authorities that Congress may consider for authorization. Inclusion in the Report does not provide authorization for a study or project, nor does it provide federal funding for that study or project. Once a study or project is authorized, Congress must also fund that study or project through the annual appropriations process before it can begin. Contact your local USACE District office to find out more about the congressional authorization and appropriations process for projects completed in partnership with the Corps of Engineers.

Your local District is here to help. Contact your local USACE District office to discuss your proposal, identify existing Congressionally authorized study and project authorities, and investigate USACE’s other technical assistance and project authorities.

Email the USACE Annual Report team at wrrda7001proposal@usace.army.mil with questions about the proposal process or the Annual Report, technical issues with the form, or to arrange an alternative submission process.

Annually, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hosts information sessions on the Report to Congress on Future Water Resources Development, discussing the open Federal Register notice that invites non-federal agencies to submit proposals for projects to be considered for the Report to Congress on Future Water Resources.

The 2024 public information sessions will be held on June 25 and August 8.

A recording and PDF of the 2023 public information session presentation are available for reference.