The Institute for Water Resources supports the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Directorate. Civil Works primary responsibility is to help manage and protect the nation’s rivers, lakes, wetlands and coastal shoreline. These efforts are carried out through its major business programs.

One of the great challenges the Corps and other government agencies face is finding the right balance among the often conflicting concerns our society has related to our water resources. The Corps seeks to achieve the best possible balance among these competing demands through an integrated approach to water resources management that focuses on regional solutions involving an array of stakeholders (i.e. other government agencies, environmental groups, businesses and private organizations). The Corps has developed a number of planning tools to help our staff and collaborating partners better achieve this balance.

These efforts are creating a number of important societal, economic and environmental benefits.

reviewed 12/28/08