Institute for Water Resources News

Water-related Disaster Risk Reduction under the COVID-19 Pandemic – UN HELP draft Principles (Input Requested by 15 May 2020)

Pentagon News — Fri, 08 May 2020 19:14:00 GMT

In April 2020, the UN High-level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters (HELP) released the Draft Principles to Address Water-related Disasters under COVID-19 Pandemics, and is seeking suggestions and opinions. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Institute for Water Resources (IWR) supported this effort through editorial contributions and technical content. Please send your suggestions and opinions directly to helpprinciples_covid19@wateranddisaster.org by May 15, 2020. You can access the full draft at www.wateranddisaster.org/cms310261/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/HELP-Draft-Principles-to-Address-Water-related-DRR-under-the-COVID-19-Pandemic-final_29042020-3.pdf.

Projects restore floodplain ecosystems while reducing flood risk

Jeff Opperman The Nature Conservancy and Larry Buss Omaha District — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Floodplains are extremely productive ecosystems that support high levels of biodiversity and provide valuable ecosystem services that directly benefit society. One high profile study concluded floodplains ranked second among ecosystem types based on the monetary value of their ecosystem services, which include flood attenuation, fisheries, groundwater recharge, water filtration and recreation. However, to function as diverse, productive ecosystems, floodplains must periodically flood.

New technology improves river management

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 04:00:00 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and The Nature Conservancy have joined forces to develop the Hydrologic Engineering Center’s Regime Prescription Tool, software to help teams reach agreements on managing the flow regime of a river. The idea for this software was conceived during a Sustainable Rivers Project workshop, where scientists worked together to formulate a set of ecosystem flow recommendations needed to sustain or restore ecosystems connected to the river.

Joint project looks at Texas watershed

Clay Church Fort Worth District — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 04:00:00 GMT

A large portion of the central United States is still under drought conditions, which has forced many to protect and preserve the current sources of water and to seek future sources. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fort Worth District has agreed to work with numerous resource organizations to study how reservoir operations have affected ecological conditions in the Big Cypress Bayou and Caddo Lake in the piney woods of east Texas.

Joint team travels to China

Diédre Paterno Pai The Nature Conservancy — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 04:00:00 GMT

Stan Simpson, a Corps water manager for the Savannah River Basin, recently joined a team from the Conservancy and traveled to China, where a series of dams on the Yangtze are planned. The Conservancy is conducting a series of workshops, led by Andy Warner, to define the environmental flow needs of the river and to find a way to meet the needs of nature and the growing Chinese population, so both can continue to thrive.

Corps and The Nature Conservancy develop joint training

Fri, 19 Jan 2007 05:00:00 GMT

The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hydrologic Engineering Center (HEC) are working together to develop training courses that emphasize connections between hydrology and ecology and to outline how those connections can be taken into account in water resource management. Currently, two courses are offered as joint training opportunities, with each course being held once a year through the Corps’ Learning Center.

Green River Lake and Dam interim plan benefits ecosystem

Fri, 20 Oct 2006 04:00:00 GMT

This is the third in a series of articles about the Sustainable Rivers Partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and The Nature Conservancy. In 2002, the Corps implemented an interim plan designed with The Nature Conservancy to create more natural regimes of flow and stream temperature by changing the ways that water is released from Green River Dam in Kentucky. In May 2006, the interim plan was approved and officially integrated into the water management policies of Louisville District.

Ecosystem flows defined for Bill Williams River

Thu, 20 Oct 2005 04:00:00 GMT

Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of articles about the Sustainable Rivers Partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and The Nature Conservancy. The Bill Williams River was one of nine rivers enrolled at the inception of the Sustainable Rivers Project (SRP). The SRP, which started in 2002, is an ongoing nationwide partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and The Nature Conservancy to improve the health and life of rivers by changing the operations of Corps dams, while maintaining or enhancing project benefits.

River project brings together Corps, The Nature Conservancy

Fri, 22 Apr 2005 04:00:00 GMT

This is the first in a recurring series of articles about the Sustainable Rivers partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and The Nature Conservancy. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and The Nature Conservancy are collaborating on a broad array of projects, including reservoir management, dam removal, floodplain and wetland restoration, and coastal zone work. Based on number of projects, the Conservancy is now the largest nonfederal sponsor for Corps ecosystem restoration projects.