CORPS OF ENGINEERS
Water Resources Infrastructure

____________

DETERIORATION, INVESTMENT, OR DIVESTMENT?

Committee on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Water Resources Science, Engineering, and Planning

Water Science and Technology Board

Division on Earth and Life Studies

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS

Washington, D.C.

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS   500 Fifth Street, NW   Washington, DC 20001

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Humphreys Engineer Center Support Activity under Contract No. W912HQ-09-C-0041. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Humphreys Engineer Center Support Activity.

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-26476-1
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-26476-6

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Advisers of the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Charles M. Vest is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Charles M. Vest are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.

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COMMITTEE ON U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS WATER RESOURCES SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND PLANNING

DAVID A. DZOMBAK, Chair, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

PATRICK A. ATKINS, ALCOA (ret.), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

GREGORY B. BAECHER, University of Maryland, College Park

LINDA K. BLUM, University of Virginia, Charlottesville

ROBERT A. DALRYMPLE, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

MISGANAW DEMISSIE, Illinois State Water Survey, Champaign

TERRANCE J. FULP, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Boulder City, Nevada

LARRY A. LARSON, Association of State Floodplain Managers, Madison, Wisconsin

DIANE M. MCKNIGHT, University of Colorado, Boulder

J. WALTER MILON, University of Central Florida, Orlando

A. DAN TARLOCK, Chicago-Kent College of Law, Chicago, Illinois

PETER R. WILCOCK, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

NRC Staff

JEFFREY JACOBS, Study Director

SARAH E. BRENNAN, Program Assistant (thru February 15, 2013)

WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BOARD

DONALD I. SIEGEL, Chair, Syracuse University, New York

LISA M. ALVAREZ-COHEN, University of California, Berkeley

EDWARD J. BOUWER, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

YU-PING CHIN, Ohio State University, Columbus

M. SIOBHAN FENNESSY, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio

BEN GRUMBLES, Clean Water America Alliance, Washington, D.C.

GEORGE R. HALLBERG, The Cadmus Group, Watertown, Massachusetts

KENNETH R. HERD, Southwest Florida Water Management District, Brooksville

GEORGE M. HORNBERGER, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

CATHERINE L. KLING, Iowa State University, Ames

DEBRA S. KNOPMAN, The RAND Corporation, Arlington, Virginia

LARRY A. LARSON, Association of State Floodplain Managers, Madison, Wisconsin

RITA P. MAGUIRE, Maguire and Pearce, PLLC, Phoenix, Arizona

DAVID H. MOREAU, University of North Carolina, Chapel

Hill ROBERT SIMONDS, The Robert Simonds Company, Los Angeles, California

FRANK H. STILLINGER, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey

MARYLYNN V. YATES, University of California, Riverside

JAMES W. ZIGLAR, Van Ness Feldman, Washington, D.C.

NRC Staff

JEFFREY JACOBS, Director

LAURA J. EHLERS, Senior Staff Officer

STEPHANIE E. JOHNSON, Senior Staff Officer

LAURA J. HELSABECK, Staff Officer

M. JEANNE AQUILINO, Financial and Administrative Associate

ANITA A. HALL, Senior Program Associate

MICHAEL STOEVER, Research Associate

SARAH E. BRENNAN, Senior Program Assistant

Acknowledgments

This report was authored by the National Research Council Committee on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Water Resources Science, Engineering, and Planning. A draft version of the committee’s report was reviewed by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise in accordance with the procedures approved by the NRC’s Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the NRC in making its published report as sound as possible, and to ensure that the report meets NRC institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process.

We wish to thank the following individuals for their reviews of this report: John J. Boland, Johns Hopkins University; Adrian Chamberlain, consultant, Stephen W. Fuller, Texas A&M University; Jerome B. Gilbert, consultant; David Goldston, Natural Resources Defense Council; Allen W. Marr, Jr., Geocomp Corporation; Doug Plasencia, Michael Baker, Jr. Inc.; Leonard A. Shabman, Resources for the Future; Robert R. Twilley, Louisiana State University; and James W. Ziglar, Van Ness Feldman.

Although these reviewers provided constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the report’s conclusions and recommendations, nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Michael F. Goodchild, University of California, Santa Barbara, who was appointed by the National Research

Council. Dr. Goodchild was responsible for ensuring that an independent examination of this report was conducted in accordance with NRC institutional procedures and that all review comments received full consideration.

This report was being coordinated by Dr. Leo Eisel, who passed away during the review process. Leo was a widely regarded, highly respected member of the U.S. water policy and science community. Leo served with distinction on several Water Science and Technology Board committees, and also was a valued Coordinator for many NRC reports. Leo’s friendly manner and superb judgment made him a favorite of the NRC staff, and he leaves behind a countless number of friends and many good memories.

Responsibility for this report’s final contents rests entirely with the authoring committee and the NRC.

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