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  Civil Works Strategic Plan

The Civil Works Strategic Plan

 About the Civil Works Strategic Plan

The Southwestern Division's Civil Works Strategic Plan (CWSP) is a holistic look at the increasingly challenging nature of managing national water resources. To ensure we are recognizing and responding to the challenges created by this complex web of requirements will take a coordinated and communicative team of professionals from many disciplines. It will require coordination between government agencies and private organizations, including many that have competing needs. CWSP seeks to create these relationships NOW and to ensure we are all sharing the same strategic vision of the future.

CWSP Workshop

On June 8-9, 2022, COL. Kenneth Reed, and the Southwestern Division leadership hosted a hybrid in-person and virtual Civil Works Strategic Plan Workshop in Dallas, Texas. This workshop brought together leaders from HQ USACE, SWD and all its districts, and state representatives from Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas, for the first regional meeting of its kind. Mr. Alvin Lee, USACE Director of Civil Works, provided opening remarks, and presentations from each of the five states helped paint a picture of current water use and future infrastructure needs across the region. The workshop is anticipated to kick off several more conversations highlighting the implementation of the Plan to promote Integrated Water Resources Management best practices for a sustainable regional water future.

Following the Workshop, the Workshop Synthesis was developed to summarize and synthesize the outcomes of that workshop.

The Strategic Response Plan was also developed to advance the implementation of the Civil Works Strategic Plan.

CWSP Implementation

Action Summary

Future Scenarios

Video by Edward Rivera
Integrated Water Resource Management - Water Supply
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Southwestern Division
May 11, 2022 | 4:36
In 2020, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Southwestern Division released its Civil Works Strategic Plan. This plan was developed with many of our stakeholders to address the uncertainties we face in the future with our water resources. What we found is that to be prepared for these uncertainties, it will take all of us, looking across all water uses to develop a comprehensive, integrated approach to how we use water. We call this approach Integrated Water Resource Management.
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 What is IWRM?

Water is very dynamic and used in almost everything we do. Unfortunately, most of us don't consider that every drop of water is connected. We do little to manage water quality and quantity in a holistic manner. Integrated Water Resource Management is an approach to understand water systems and drive policies and everyday usage to maximize multiple-use potential and ensure future sustainability. 

 How will IWRM make things better?

Water is a system with multiple inputs and outputs. Recognizing the interconnected nature of water allows us to extend the resource. Integrated Water Resource Management brings different organizations with different water uses together to see how they can collaborate and maximize water use. In its simplest form, Integrated Water Resource Management looks at all water needs and finds a way to meet those needs using the least amount of water. We see this with cities that regulate and establish natural buffers around waterways to help reduce flooding, improve water quality, and improve aquatic habitat. We se it in developments that use water-catch systems so rainwater can be used to water the grass and landscaping.

 How can IWRM become a reality?

We need everyone to think about their water needs and usage as a connected system. When we look at water as a system, we can begin to look at how the system can meet multiple needs at once. In addition, water resource agencies as well as local and state governments can share data, information, and planning documents with one another to assess potential mutual benefits of water management. When we recognize water is constantly being used and reused as it moves through its system, we can develop plans that makes its multiple purposes most effective.

 How can you become involved?    

We want to work with you in solving complex water resource issues. Reach out to us today! Let us know what your agency, city, state, group, or community can do it help.

 

Strategic Response Plan

Civil Works Strategic Plan