About SWD

The Southwestern Division, headquartered in Dallas, is a Major Subordinate Command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. SWD has served the region since 1937, overseeing hundreds of water resources development and military design and construction projects that bring value to our communities, our Nation and our Warfighters. The Division's regional team, which includes four District offices in Little Rock, Ark., Tulsa, Okla., and Galveston and Fort Worth, Texas, provides diverse engineering and construction expertise and other services in all or part of six states. The Division's area of responsibility covers some 2.3 million acres of public land and water, with an annual program totaling more than $2 billion.  

In addition to the valuable contributions it provides each day to the communities it serves, SWD, known as the Pacesetters, supports emergency response and recovery efforts when hurricanes or other natural disasters occur, whether within or beyond its area of responsibility.

SWD was established on July 14, 1937, in Little Rock to manage large-scale construction projects authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1936. It moved to Dallas in 1941.  Most of SWD’s work falls into three major mission areas:   

  • Civil Works, including  flood risk management,  navigation, hydropower, water supply, recreation, regulatory, and disaster relief;   
  • Military Programs, including engineering, construction, and environmental management services for the Army and Air Force; and    
  • Interagency and International Services, which includes planning and engineering and construction management services for other federal, state and local agencies.

Southwestern Division Mission Statement

SWD provides vital public engineering services and stewardship of water resource infrastructure, in peace and war, to strengthen our Nation’s security, energize the economy, and reduce risks from disasters.