Levee Vegetation Management Policy Review

USACE is reviewing existing national policy and standards for levee vegetation management using a four-step process. During the review, USACE will work in coordination with other federal and non-federal agencies, including regulatory agencies.

USACE existing national policy and standards are still in effect and provide for variance that does not impact public safety.

USACE review will focus on public safety first and reflect a systems approach applying sound engineering, science, and operations and maintenance principles.

• Public safety is our number one priority. Levees must be properly operated and maintained as a system to reduce flood damage risk to communities living and working behind these levees.
• USACE conducts routine inspections to determine whether levees are being properly operated and maintained, which includes vegetation management, for public safety and to remain eligible for federal rehabilitation assistance when damaged by a flood event.
• Vegetation and other encroachments can harm the structural integrity of levees, obscure visibility, impede access for maintenance and inspection, and/or hinder emergency flood fighting operations.
• Vegetation may provide desirable ecological benefit, but may negatively affect the integrity of a levee and thereby increase risk to public safety.
• Although variances to the implementation of current vegetation management policy and standards may be approved, some previous variances may have been granted without full consideration of their impact to public safety.

• Steps one and two: USACE will conduct the review using current engineering and science studies and practices. The review will identify recommended modifications to existing nationwide vegetation management policy and standards, which will undergo an external peer review.
• Step three: USACE will then identify the regulations, policies and manuals and changes necessary to implement any modifications to existing vegetation management policy and standards and develop an implementation plan. Use of regional variances regarding vegetation management may be considered as long as public safety is not compromised.
•  Step four: Policy and standards, and implementation plan, will be discussed as part of a National Roundtable to be held in early 2008.
• The policy and standards document and the implementation plan are intended to be issued simultaneously.
• Differences exist among various levee systems, with respect to authorization, construction, incorporation into the Corps program, stability, engineering, vegetation, operation & maintenance, environmental, and Endangered Species Act issues; but not with respect to public safety.
• Research currently cited outside USACE supports woody vegetation on levees but is a field research project and drew its conclusion from a site specific levee. It did not address the impact of vegetation on the ability to inspect the levee for performance or the ability to flood fight.