United States Army Corps of Engineers : Ask Biography

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The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 36,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency. Although generally associated with dams, canals and flood protection in the United States, USACE is involved in a wide range of public works support to the nation and the Department of Defense throughout the world. The Corps of Engineers provides outdoor recreation opportunities to the public, and provides 24% of U.S. hydropower capacity.

The Corps' mission is to provide vital public engineering services in peace and war to strengthen the nation's security, energize the economy, and reduce risks from disasters.

Their most visible missions include:

* Planning, designing, building, and operating locks and dams. Other civil engineering projects include flood control, beach nourishment, and dredging for waterway navigation.

* Design and construction of flood protection systems through various federal mandates (see Public Laws below).

* Design and construction management of military facilities for the Army and Air Force and other Defense and Federal agencies.

* Environmental regulation and ecosystem restoration.

The Corps' vision is having a great engineering force of highly disciplined people working with partners through disciplined thought and action to deliver innovative and sustainable solutions to the nation's engineering challenges.