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<br />the flood plain. Levees, ch.n",,) improvements, and flood wa1ls built for flood control by the Corps of
<br />Engineers are turned over to non-Federal authorities for operation and maintenance.
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<br />Reservoirs constructed for flood control storage often include additional storage capacity for
<br />multiple-purpose uses, such as 1he storage of water for municipal and industrial use, navigation, development
<br />of hydroelectric power, irrigation, conservation of fish and wildlife, and recreation.
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<br />The Corps fights 1he Nation's flood problems by not only constructing and maintaining flood control,
<br />structures, but also by providing detailed technical information on flood hazards. Under the Flood Plain
<br />Management Services Program, the Corps provides, on request, flood hazard information, technical assistance
<br />and planning guidance to other Federal agencies, States, Tolles, local governments, and private individuals.
<br />This informatiOn is designed to aid in planning for floods and regulation of flood plain area, thus avoiding
<br />unwise development in flood-prone areas. Once community officials know the flood-prone areas in their
<br />communities and how often floods would be like1y to occur, they can take necessary action to prevent or
<br />minimi7'.e damages to buildings and facilities by adopting and enforcing zoning ordinances, building codes, and:
<br />subdivision regulations. The Flood Plain Management Services Program also provides assistance to other
<br />Federal agencies and to State agencies in the same manner. In many cases, fees are collected to cover a
<br />portion of the costs of these services.
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<br />ENVIRONMENTAL
<br />
<br />Federal involvement in environmental quality, including environmental restoration, is supported in ,
<br />law, Executive Order, and treaty. A m.mMr of sta1u1es, e.g., the FISh and WJldlife Coordination Act of 1958,
<br />the Federal Water Project Recreation Act of 1965, the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and the
<br />last severa1 Water Resources Development Acts, most notably 1986 and 1990, have declared a national policy ~~
<br />that full consideration be given to opportunities which projects afford to ecological resources.
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<br />Within the Civil Works Program, priority will be given to projects for the restoration of degraded
<br />ecosystem functions and values, ~uding theirhydrology, plant and animal ,communities. Priority,is also
<br />given to commercia1 navigation and flood damage reduc1ion. Thus, our projects seek to, address environmental
<br />restoration in two ways: (1) for fhosetraditional commercial navigation and flood damage reduCtion projects
<br />they must not only include facilities and activities to mitigate unavoidable environmental damages, but to also
<br />seek opportunities for ecological restoration created by such projects and (2), for those single purpose
<br />environmental projects they must deInomtl'ate that opportunities to restore degraded environmental conditions
<br />will be achieved in a cost efficient manner. Such opportunities could include: species management activities
<br />under the Fish and WJldlife Coordination Act of 1958, protection of habitat and species management under
<br />the F.tvl'ngered Species Act of 1973, and the preservation of historic, cultural ;mdIor archeological resources
<br />under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. Consideration of the nearly 50 Federal environmental
<br />statutes should provide sufficient freedom to elf.minP. numerous alternative environmental opportunities as part
<br />of any Congressionally authorized pl.nning and subsequent construction effort.
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<br />SHORE AND HURRICANE PROTECTION
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<br />The Corps' work in shore protection began in 1930, when Congress direc1ed it to study ways to reduce
<br />erosion along U.S. seacoasts and the Great Lakes. Corps of Engineers hurricane protection work began in
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