US Army Corps of Engineers BUILDING STRONG ® America’s Water Resources Infrastructure: A View to the Future Presentation to National Waterways Conference.

US Army Corps of Engineers

BUILDING STRONG®

America’s Water Resources Infrastructure: A View to the Future

Presentation toNational Waterways Conference

Steven L. Stockton, P.E.Director of Civil Works

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

24 September 2009

Building Strong

BUILDING STRONG® 2

Water Resources ChallengesDemographic shifts• World population to increase 2.2 billion by 2025• U.S. population to reach 440 million by 2050• Population more urbanized, concentrated in

coastal communities at risk from severe weather and lack of fresh water

Persistent Conflict• Population growth leads to increased demand

for scarce water, environmental degradation•>900 million people without access to clean water•>2.5 billion without adequate sanitation

• Terrorist threat – need to protect infrastructure from attack

• U.S. role to promote regional stability

County Growth, 2000-05

Areas with significant water issues

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Water Resources ChallengesAging Infrastructure• ASCE overall grade of U.S. infrastructure in

2009:“D” Would need $2.2 trillion to fix• Over half of Corps locks, many other

facilities, beyond 50-year “design life, need extensive maintenance & rehabilitation

• Failure poses risk to populations, economy

Globalization• Foreign trade is increasing share of U.S.

economy – could reach 30% by 2010• Inability of ports and inland waterways to

handle greater cargoes could limit economy.

Energy• Development of hydropower as clean source• Role of waterways in transport of coal,

petroleum and natural gas• Volumes of water needed for new sources

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Water Resources ChallengesEnvironmental Values• Pressure from increased development

impacts natural environment• Developing sustainable water resources

will require cultural shift, lifestyle changes as well as technical innovation

Climate Change• Earlier spring snowmelts, river pulses

seen in western U.S.• Potential to affect all aspects of water

resource management• May exacerbate water scarcities,

lead to increased conflict over uses.

Declining Biodiversity• 3 times as many freshwater species as

land species lost to extinction• Need for habitat restoration

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IncreasingDemand forWater

Water Resources Challenges

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Water Resources ChallengesGovernance• Determining proper roles for Federal,

State, local and non-government entities• Gaps in jurisdiction as watersheds

cross political boundaries• Perceived lack of national direction on

water resource issues

Continued Pressure on Federal Budget

• More older people = more entitlement spending, less available for discretionary programs

• Rigorous analysis needed to ensure projects and programs are prioritized to ensure greatest value for taxpayer funds

Legislative Changes• Changes in legislation and appropriations have major effect on how soon

goals can be achieved. Uncertainty requires flexibility.

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Current Initiatives

• Strategic Plan (2010-2014)– Goal: Delivery of innovative & sustainable solutions

to Nation’s water resources challenges– 4 goals & 6 cross-cutting themes

• FY11 Budget Initiatives– Key Theme – Integrated Water Resources

Management– Improve efficiency & effectiveness of CW Program– Alternative financing initiatives– Both completion of projects & new starts– More to follow from Gary Loew

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Delivering Enduring, Essential Water Resources SolutionsDelivering Enduring, Essential Water Resources Solutions

Safe, Resilient Communities & Infrastructure

Sustaining a Competent TeamEffective, Reliable, Adaptive Life-Cycle Project Performance

Sustainable Water Resources, Marine Transportation Systems & Healthy Aquatic Ecosystems

Our Goals:

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How We Achieve Our GoalsIntegrated Water Resource

Management• Systems Approach• Collaboration &

Partnering• Risk-Informed Decision

Making & Communication• Adaptive Management• State-of-the Art

Technology

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Systems Approach• Look at river basins,

watersheds and coastal zones as a whole

• Shift focus from individual projects to interdependent system

• Shift from immediate to long-term solutions

• Recognize that any single action triggers one or more responses and reactions in other parts of the system


Collaboration & Partnering• Allow multiple organizations

to contribute to problem-solving• Leverage funding, data and talent

– Efficiencies, given scarce resources

– Sophisticated state and interstate organizations

– Tribes, local governments, non-governmental organizations

– Public-Private Partnerships


Risk-Informed Decision Making& Communication

• Consequence analysis, especially risks to populations

• Forestall possible failure mechanisms

• Quantify & communicate residual risk

• Ask which projects will fail to perform as designed, the likelihood of failure, and the consequences

• Recognize limits in disaster prediction• Recognize limits in protection provided by

structural means


Adaptive Management• Principle commonly

used in ecosystem restoration

• Measure responses to interventions within systems to adjust planning, construction and operations in response to changing conditions.


State-of-the Art Technology• Research that improves

resiliency of structures

• Updated design criteria

• Improved approaches toplanning & design

• Take advantage of advances in communication, information access, remote sensing, GIS’s & nanotechnology

• Coastal & River Information System


“Building Strong Relationships for a Sustainable Water Resources Future”:

Project Goals• Present critical national and regional water resources needs

• Present opportunities for improving efficiency and effectiveness of Federal water programs

• Raise awareness within the Administration of water resources challenges and opportunities

• Assess the need for a National Water Vision

• Recommend strategies for action

• Move the Nation toward Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM).

• Highlight tools that are in, or could be included in, a Federal Support Toolbox to assist States in IWRM


Future Initiatives• Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 2010?

– Focus: Legislative actions to simplify the CW project delivery process.

– Goal: Creation of a process that retains the robustness of the current Civil Works delivery model and removes the unnecessary complications (time and expense) of today’s process

– End Product: A predictable and manageable Civil Works program that is NOT simply a collection of federal projects

– Some Other Initial Ideas include: Levee Safety Act, Feasibility Cost-Sharing (Revisited), Alternative Financing

– Status: soliciting ideas from the field and stakeholders

• Need your support on all Current and Future Initiatives!


US Army Corps of Engineers

BUILDING STRONG®


The Way Ahead• Prepare a National Report for Administration and Congress’ action—Prepare a National Report for Administration and Congress’ action—

Jan 2010Jan 2010• Recommendations and actions for implementationRecommendations and actions for implementation

• Move Nation toward IWRM--A planning and management approach to solve Move Nation toward IWRM--A planning and management approach to solve water problemswater problems

• Develop a national water vision and supporting policies and strategiesDevelop a national water vision and supporting policies and strategies

• Improve data exchange and technology transfer across the Nation in support Improve data exchange and technology transfer across the Nation in support of IWRM of IWRM • Develop the Federal support toolbox (IWRSS as possible prototype)Develop the Federal support toolbox (IWRSS as possible prototype)

• Enhance water resources leadership and education Enhance water resources leadership and education

• Build a robust collaborative support systemBuild a robust collaborative support system

• Assemble national and regional teams to work on implementing actions Assemble national and regional teams to work on implementing actions

• Foster a holistic approach to Water Resources challengesFoster a holistic approach to Water Resources challenges

• Develop new infrastructure investment strategiesDevelop new infrastructure investment strategies


19

A Federal Family Toolbox

• Develop the Nation’s “will” to offer the States a more robust assistance through collaborative alliances and relationships

• Work with States for more integrated and balanced water plans

• Unify visions for Administration and Congress to determine that water resources planning and infrastructure are national priorities

• Leverage existing toolbox of current resources across Federal agencies

• Enhance the Federal family toolbox with regional interstate organizations, NGOs and other Federal agencies

Water


• Accomplish USACE missions

• Support FEMA*Emergency Support Function (ESF) #3 Public Works & Engineering• Support the Department of Defense

Disaster Preparedness & Response

Water Resources ChallengesWater Resources Challenges

Faster & Better Information & Communication Technology


• Sustainable resourcesSustainable resources– EcologicalEcological– FinancialFinancial– Political SupportPolitical Support

• AssistanceAssistance inin planning aplanning acomprehensive and long-termcomprehensive and long-term

water futurewater future• Reliable water supply for growthReliable water supply for growth

and developmentand development• Protection of critical water infrastructureProtection of critical water infrastructure• Ability to depend on Federal disaster Ability to depend on Federal disaster

assistanceassistance

• Sustainable resourcesSustainable resources– EcologicalEcological– FinancialFinancial– Political SupportPolitical Support

• AssistanceAssistance inin planning aplanning acomprehensive and long-termcomprehensive and long-term

water futurewater future• Reliable water supply for growthReliable water supply for growth

and developmentand development• Protection of critical water infrastructureProtection of critical water infrastructure• Ability to depend on Federal disaster Ability to depend on Federal disaster

assistanceassistanceIWRM

States, Tribes, and Localities States, Tribes, and Localities Say They Need:Say They Need:

Collaborative PartnershipsCollaborative PartnershipsCollaborative PartnershipsCollaborative Partnerships


• Water conflicts will persist• Responsibility will continue to be

shared• Improved intergovernmental

cooperation is essential• Improved water resources planning

is critical• States must do the lion’s share of

water resources planning• There is a Federal interest in

supporting state water resourcesplanning

• The Corps will benefit from supporting water resources planning

• The Corps and Interstate entities can support state water resources planning with states in the lead

Operating PremisesOperating Premises


Examples of Collaborative Partnerships

• “Building Strong Relationships for a Sustainable Water

Resources Future” Project• Climate change initiative• Risk management• Shared Vision Planning• Regulatory streamlining - EPA• Focus collaboration efforts – NRCS• GIS Management decision tool


New ThinkingFocusFocus FromFrom ToTo

• SUCCESS =SUCCESS =• CRITERIACRITERIA

• WORKWORK

• KNOWLEDGEKNOWLEDGE

• STYLESTYLE

• MONEYMONEY

• LIFE CYCLELIFE CYCLE

• ProjectsProjects• NED benefits 1stNED benefits 1st

• Stay in your functional Stay in your functional lanelane

• Knowledge is powerKnowledge is power

• Follow SOPs as Follow SOPs as recipesrecipes

• Save Federal $Save Federal $• Plan and buildPlan and build

• Comprehensive PlansComprehensive Plans• More balanced NED, RED, More balanced NED, RED,

EQ, OSE benefitsEQ, OSE benefits• Seek horizontal integrationSeek horizontal integration

• Share knowledgeShare knowledge

• Think creatively, consider Think creatively, consider risks, think systemsrisks, think systems

• Leverage resourcesLeverage resources

• Plan, fund, monitor for full Plan, fund, monitor for full project life cycleproject life cycle


• Stronger partnerships for Stronger partnerships for collaborative problem solvingcollaborative problem solving

• A comprehensive strategy to A comprehensive strategy to inform and educate inform and educate

• Smarter regional planningSmarter regional planning• Advocacy for critical national Advocacy for critical national

water needs water needs • Joint efforts/resources to Joint efforts/resources to

achieve common goalsachieve common goals• Life-cycle approach from holistic Life-cycle approach from holistic

assessment through O&Massessment through O&M• Risk-based managementRisk-based management• Resilient water infrastructureResilient water infrastructure

A Picture of the Future ….A Picture of the Future ….


• What can we do now, within exiting authorities, to foster Integrated Water Recourses (IWRM) Management?

• What are the products of such planning? How they compare with how we define success?

• What is the Federal role in watershed-system planning an approach under IWRM?

• How can we incentivize this approach (look at cost-sharing formulas)?

Something to Think AboutSomething to Think About

• What can we do with cost-sharing to promote greater interest in watershed plans among authorizers?

• What case studies do we have to show value to the nation from this approach and what models should we promote?


Supporting Our Water Future:What Has Been Done?• Reviewed and summarized 50 States’ and 6 River Basin

Commissions’ water plans

– Summary Reports for each State’s water plans

– Conducted interviews with State officials

– 3 Regional Reports highlighting trends, themes, needs, and challenges---under review and validation

• Reviewed and summarized major water management programs of Federal agencies

– Summary Report of authorities, focus areas, programmatic initiatives, collaboration/partnerships, of Federal agencies

– Began development of Federal Toolbox

US Army Corps of Engineers BUILDING STRONG ® America’s Water Resources Infrastructure: A View to the Future Presentation to National Waterways Conference.

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