US Army Corps of Engineers ®

The purpose of environmental restoration is to re-establish the attributes of a natural, functioning and self-regulating system.  Since passage of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, environmental protection has been an important component of the civil works planning process.  Legislation passed in 1990 established environmental protection as one of the primary missions of water resources projects -- along with navigation and flood damage reduction.  Over the last ten years, small ecosystem restoration projects have grown increasingly popular thoughout the country.  This new direction has allowed us to expand our traditional environmental activites and enhance or restore natural resources.  Today, over one-third of the Corps' civil works projects focus on environmental restoration.  In Oregon and southern Washington, a number of these projects have focused on environmental restoration in the Lower Columbia River and its estuary.

The evolution of the Lower Columbia River and its estuary are related to the daily rising and falling of the tides.  Where the salt and fresh waters mix, the floodplain of the lower Columbia River and estuary have contained extensive and diverse wetland and riparian habitats critical to myriad fish and wildlife species.  The impacts of development over the past 150 years, however, have significantly altered this complex system.  Although the river and its estuary still provide essential habitat for a wide variety of fish, shellfish, marine and terrestrial animals and nearly 200 species of birds, both the quantity and the quality of available habitat has decreased significantly.  Today, several Corps projects in the Lower Columbia River are making incremental steps toward reversing this historical trend.  Among other purposes, Corps restoration projects in the region are focusing on improving the quantity and quality of wetlands and other habitat, eradication of invasive plants, and reintroducing native riparian vegetation. Some of the environmental restoration projects that are currently being pursued or already completed in the Lower Columbia River include:

• Westport Slough, Clatskanie
• Trestle Bay, Warrentown 
• Columbia Slough, Portland
• Fox Creek, Rainier
• Crims Island, Clatskanie
• Chinkook River Restoration, Chinook
• Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge, Cathlamet
• Columbia River Riperian Restoration, Troutdale
• Avian Predation Management - Estuary, Lower River
• Salmon Creek, Vancouver
• Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge, Camas, Washougal
• Columbia River Channel Improvement Project
  • Tenasillahae Island, NWR
  • Shillapoo Lake
  • Lord Walker Island, Longview
  • Tidegate Replacements, Multiple Locations
  • Bachelor Slough
  • Howard Cottonwood Island

The Corps accomplishes environmental restoration under several authorities:

• Section 1135 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-662), as amended, provides the authority to modify existing Corps projects to restore the environment and construct new projects to restore areas degraded by Corps projects. A project is accepted for construction after a detailed investigation shows it is technically feasible, environmentally acceptable, and provides cost-effective environmental benefits.  Projects generally accomplish restoration by modifying a Corps project or operation of a Corps project, or are located on Corps land.  The total federal project costs, including planning and design costs, cannot exceed $5 million.  Local sponsors must pay 25% of the project costs, and generally must assume responsibility for future operation and maintenance of the project.
• Section 206 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 provides the authority for the Corps to restore aquatic ecosystems. Such projects will usually include manipulation of the hydrology in and along bodies of water including wetlands and riparian areas.  A project is adopted for construction only after a detailed investigation determines that the project will improve the quality of the environment and is in the best interest of the public, and clearly shows the engineering feasibility and economic justification of the improvement.  Each project is limited to a federal cost share of not more than $5 million with a 35% non-federal cost share.  The federal limitation includes all project-related costs for feasibility studies, planning, engineering construction, supervision, and administration.
• Section 204 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-580) applies to the beneficial use of material dredged in conjunction with federal navigation projects. Section 204 authorizes projects for the protection, restoration, and creation of aquatic and ecologically related habitats, including wetlands, in connection with dredging for construction, operation, or maintenance of an authorized federal navigation project.  Theses authorities do not encompass emergency actions undertaken by the Corps.  The project costs are costs above the cost of the least costly plan (that accomplish the disposal of dredged material from a navigation project consistent with sound engineering practices and environmental standards).  There is no per project limit on federal expenditures, however, there is an annual appropriation limit of $15 million nationwide. A non-federal cost share of 25% is required.
• Section 536 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 authorized the Corps to conduct ecosystem restoration projects necessary to protect, monitor, and restore fish and wildlife habitat based in part on recommendations made by the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership (LCREP).  The Lower Columbia River extends from the mouth of the Columbia River to river mile (RM) 145 at Bonneville Lock and Dam.  The river divides the states of Oregon and Washington thoughout this area.  The study area also includes tributaries that are tidally influenced, including the Willamette River up to Willamette Falls.  The Corps will continue to collaborate with the wide variety of stakeholders in the region to achieve the program purpose. This authority allows the Corps to fully fund projects on Federal land and cost share projects on non-federal land with a local sponsor.  Project costs are shared between the federal government (65%), and the non-federal sponsor (35%).
• General Investigations (GI) are the Corps' traditional means for evaluating large-scale or comprehensive water resources development projects.  Today, the Corps uses the GI program for studies larger in scope than the localized projects described above.  Typically, GI studies are Congressionally authorized and specifically funded.  Following the completion of the study, the Corps will make a recommendation to Congress whether the project should be constructed.