§1005. Works of improvement

(1) Engineering and other services; reimbursement; advances

At such time as the Secretary and the interested local organization have agreed on a plan for works of improvement, and the Secretary has determined that the benefits exceed the costs, and the local organization has met the requirements for participation in carrying out the works of improvement as set forth in section 1004 of this title, the local organization may secure engineering and other services, including the design, preparation of contracts and specifications, awarding of contracts, and supervision of construction, in connection with such works of improvement, by retaining or employing a professional engineer or engineers satisfactory to the Secretary or may request the Secretary to provide such services: Provided, That if the local organization elects to employ a professional engineer or engineers, the Secretary shall reimburse the local organization for the costs of such engineering and other services secured by the local organization as are properly chargeable to such works of improvement in an amount not to exceed the amount agreed upon in the plan for works of improvement or any modification thereof: Provided further, That the Secretary may advance such amounts as may be necessary to pay for such services, but such advances with respect to any works of improvement shall not exceed 5 per centum of the estimated installation cost of such works.

(2) Federal construction; request by local organization

Except as to the installation of works of improvement on Federal lands, the Secretary shall not construct or enter into any contract for the construction of any structure: Provided, That, if requested to do so by the local organization, the Secretary may enter into contracts for the construction of structures.

(3) Transmission of certain plans to Congress

Whenever the estimated Federal contribution to the construction cost of works of improvement in the plan for any watershed or subwatershed area shall exceed $25,000,000 or the works of improvement include any structure having a total capacity in excess of twenty-five hundred acre-feet, the Secretary shall transmit a copy of the plan and the justification therefor to the Congress through the President.

(4) Transmission of certain plans and recommendations to Congress

Any plans for works of improvement involving an estimated Federal contribution to construction costs in excess of $25,000,000 or including any structure having a total capacity in excess of twenty-five hundred acre-feet (a) which includes works of improvement for reclamation or irrigation, or which affects public or other lands or wildlife under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior, (b) which includes Federal assistance for floodwater detention structures, (c) which includes features which may affect the public health, or (d) which includes measures for control or abatement of water pollution, shall be submitted to the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, or the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, respectively, for his views and recommendations at least thirty days prior to transmission of the plan to the Congress through the President. The views and recommendations of the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, if received by the Secretary prior to the expiration of the above thirty-day period, shall accompany the plan transmitted by the Secretary to the Congress through the President.

(5) Rules and regulations

Prior to any Federal participation in the works of improvement under this chapter, the President shall issue such rules and regulations as he deems necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of this chapter, and to assure the coordination of the work authorized under this chapter and related work of other agencies, including the Department of the Interior and the Department of the Army.

(Aug. 4, 1954, ch. 656, §5, 68 Stat. 667 ; July 19, 1956, ch. 639, 70 Stat. 580 ; Aug. 7, 1956, ch. 1027, §1(f), 70 Stat. 1089 ; Pub. L. 87–703, title I, §105, Sept. 27, 1962, 76 Stat. 609 ; Pub. L. 90–361, June 27, 1968, 82 Stat. 250 ; Pub. L. 92–419, title II, §201(g), Aug. 30, 1972, 86 Stat. 669 ; Pub. L. 95–113, title XV, §1506(b), (c), Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 1022 ; Pub. L. 97–98, title XV, §1512(e), (f), Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1333 ; Pub. L. 115–141, div. A, title VII, §761(b), Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 396 ; Pub. L. 115–334, title II, §2821(a), Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4602 .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018-Subd. (3). Pub. L. 115–141, §761(b)(1), substituted "$25,000,000" for "$5,000,000".

Subd. (4). Pub. L. 115–334 substituted "Secretary of Health and Human Services" for "Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare" in two places and, in item (b), substituted "floodwater" for "goodwater".

Pub. L. 115–141, §761(b)(2), substituted "$25,000,000" for "$5,000,000".

1981-Subd. (3). Pub. L. 97–98, §1512(e), substituted "$5,000,000" for "$1,000,000".

Subd. (4). Pub. L. 97–98, §1512(f), substituted "$5,000,000" for "$1,000,000".

1977-Subd. (3). Pub. L. 95–113, §1506(b), substituted "$1,000,000" for "$250,000".

Subd. (4). Pub. L. 95–113, §1506(c), substituted "$1,000,000" for "$250,000".

1972-Subd. (4). Pub. L. 92–419 substituted in item (a) "works of improvement for reclamation or irrigation" for "reclamation or irrigation works", in item (b) "goodwater" for "floodwater", added items (c) and (d), required submission of plans to Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, or the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and transmittal of views and recommendations of such officials to the Congress.

1968-Subd. (2). Pub. L. 90–361 inserted proviso authorizing the Secretary to enter into contracts for the construction of structures if requested to do so by the local organization.

1962-Subd. (1). Pub. L. 87–703 designated existing provisions as subd. (1); substituted "local organization may secure" for "local organization with such assistance as it may request from the Secretary, which assistance the Secretary is authorized to give, shall secure" and "by retaining or employing a professional engineer or engineers satisfactory to the Secretary or may request the Secretary to provide such services" for "and in order to properly carry out such services in such projects as to such structures therein providing for municipal or industrial water supplies, the local organization shall, and in such projects not providing for municipal or industrial water supplies, the local organization may, retain or employ a professional engineer or engineers satisfactory to the Secretary"; struck out ", except that if the local organization decides not to retain or employ a professional engineer or if the Secretary determines that competent engineering services are not available he may contract for a competent engineer to provide such services or arrange for employees of the Federal Government to provide such services" after "chargeable to such works of improvement"; provided for reimbursement for other services; and required the reimbursement not to exceed the amount agreed upon in the plan for works of improvement or any modification thereof.

Subd. (2). Pub. L. 87–703 designated existing provisions as subd. (2), and struck out "unless there is no local organization authorized by State law to undertake such construction or to enter into such contract, and in no event after July 1, 1956: Provided, That in participating in the installation of such works of improvement the Secretary, as far as practicable and consistent with his responsibilities for administering the overall national agricultural program, shall utilize the authority conferred upon him by the provisions of this chapter" after "structure".

Subds. (3) to (5). Pub. L. 87–703 designated existing provisions as subds. (3) to (5) and made phraseological changes.

1956-Act Aug. 7, 1956, required local organization to secure engineering and other services and to employ engineers, except in projects not providing for municipal or industrial water supplies, when the local organization may or may not employ engineers, provided for reimbursement of costs of engineers, authorized the Secretary to contract for engineers or to utilize engineers employed by the Federal Government when local organizations do not employ any, permitted advances, required transmittal of plans when Federal contributions to construction costs are more than $250,000 or the works include any structures with more than 2,500 acre-feet of total capacity, eliminated provisions which required transmittal 45 days prior to commencement of installation, and reduced the period for submission of plans to the Secretaries of the Interior and the Army from 60 days to 30 days prior to transmittal to Congress.

Act July 19, 1956, substituted "fifteen" for "forty-five".

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–98 effective Dec. 22, 1981, see section 1801 of Pub. L. 97–98, set out as an Effective Date note under section 4301 of Title 7, Agriculture.

Effective Date of 1977 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 95–113 effective Oct. 1, 1977, see section 1901 of Pub. L. 95–113, set out as a note under section 1307 of Title 7, Agriculture.

Extension of Benefits to Projects Authorized Before Aug. 7, 1956

Amendment by act Aug. 7, 1956, as applicable to all works of improvement and plans for such works under the provisions of this chapter, see Extension of Benefits note set out under section 1001 of this title.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of certain enforcement functions of Secretary or other official in Department of Agriculture under this chapter to Federal Inspector, Office of Federal Inspector for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, and subsequent transfer to Secretary of Energy, then to Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects, see note set out under section 1002 of this title.

Ex. Ord. No. 10584. Rules and Regulations Relating to Administration

Ex. Ord. No. 10584, Dec. 18, 1954, 19 F.R. 8725, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 10913, Jan. 18, 1961, 26 F.R. 510, provided:

Section 1. Scope of order. This order shall apply (a) to the planning, construction, operation, and maintenance of all works of improvement under the authority of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (Public Law 566, as approved August 4, 1954, as amended; U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) [this chapter], hereinafter referred to as the Act, and (b) to other programs and projects of the Department of Agriculture, and to programs and projects of the Department of the Interior, the Department of the Army, and other Federal agencies to the extent that such programs or projects affect, or are affected significantly by, works of improvement provided for in the Act.

Sec. 2. General administration. The Secretary of Agriculture shall have the following-described responsibilities under the Act [this chapter]:

(a) Approval or disapproval of applications for Federal assistance in preparing plans for works of improvement, and the assignment of priorities for the provision of such assistance.

(b) Establishing criteria for the formulation and justification of plans for works of improvement and criteria for the sharing of the cost of both structural and land-treatment measures which conform with the provisions of the Act and with policies established by or at the direction of the President for watershed protection, flood prevention, irrigation, drainage, water supply, and related water-resources development purposes.

(c) Establishing engineering and economic standards and objectives, including standards as to degrees of flood protection, for works of improvement planned and carried out under the authority of the Act.

(d) Determination and definition of (1) those land-treatment measures and structural improvements for flood prevention and measures for the agricultural phases of conservation, development, use and disposal of water or for fish and wildlife development which are eligible for assistance under the Act and (2) the nature and extent of such assistance and the conditions under which such assistance shall be rendered.

(e) Planning and installing works of improvement on lands under his jurisdiction, and arranging for the participation of other Federal agencies in the planning and installation of works of improvement on lands under their jurisdiction. Recommendations of the heads of other Federal agencies for necessary works of improvement on lands under their jurisdiction shall be submitted as an integral part of the plans of the Department of Agriculture for works of improvement. Arrangements for construction, operation, and maintenance of works of improvement on such lands shall be mutually satisfactory to the Secretary of Agriculture and the head of the Federal agency concerned.

(f) Submitting plans for works of improvement to the State Governor or Governors concerned and to the Federal agencies concerned for review and comment when the Secretary and the interested local organization have agreed on such plans; and, when and as required by the Act, submitting such plans to the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of the Army for their review and comment prior to transmission of the plans to the Congress through the President.

(g) Giving full consideration to the recommendations concerning the conservation and development of fish and wildlife resources contained in any report of the Secretary of the Interior which is submitted to him, in accordance with section 12 of the Act [section 1008 of this title] and section 5 of this order, prior to the time he and the local organization have agreed on a plan for works of improvement, and including in the plan such works of improvement for fish and wildlife purposes recommended in the report as are acceptable to him and the local organization.

(h) Holding public hearings at suitable times and places when he determines that such action will further the purposes of the Act.

Sec. 3. Notification. (a) The Secretary of Agriculture shall:

(1) Notify in writing the State Governor or Governors concerned, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of the Army, and other Federal agencies concerned of his decision to initiate any survey or field investigation involving water-resources development work, and furnish them with appropriate information regarding the scope, nature, status, and results of such survey or investigation.

(2) Notify the following, severally, in writing of all approvals or disapprovals of applications for planning assistance: the sponsoring organization, the State Governor or Governors concerned, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of the Army, and other Federal agencies concerned.

(b) The Secretary of the Interior shall notify in writing the State Governor or Governors concerned, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of the Army, and other Federal agencies concerned of his decision to initiate any survey or field investigation involving water-resources development work, and furnish them with appropriate information regarding the scope, nature, status, and results of such survey or investigation.

(c) The Secretary of the Army shall notify in writing the State Governor or Governors concerned, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of the Interior, and other Federal agencies concerned of his decision to initiate any survey or field investigation involving water-resources development work, and furnish them with appropriate information regarding the scope, nature, status, and results of such survey or investigation.

Sec. 4. Coordination. In order to assure the coordination of work authorized under the Act [this chapter] and the related work of other agencies, so that the proper use, conservation, and development of water and related land resources through Federal programs and financial assistance may be achieved in the most orderly, economical, and effective manner.

(a) The Secretary of Agriculture, before authorizing planning assistance in response to an application from a local organization for assistance under the Act [this chapter] shall:

(1) When an application applies to a watershed located in one of the seventeen western reclamation States or Hawaii and it appears that a major objective is the agricultural phases of the conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water for irrigation purposes, request the views of the Secretary of the Interior concerning the feasibility of achieving equivalent irrigation benefits by means of works of improvement constructed pursuant to the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902 (43 U.S.C. 391), and acts amendatory or supplementary thereto, or by means of assistance furnished pursuant to the Small Reclamation Projects Act of 1956, as amended (43 U.S.C. 422a–422k) [43 U.S.C. 422a to 422k–1], and authorize planning assistance under the Act only after carefully considering whether works of improvement under the Act would be a more appropriate method of achieving that objective.

(2) When it appears that a major objective of an application is the reduction of flood damages in urban areas (as defined in the most recent census), request the views of the Secretary of the Army concerning the feasibility of achieving equivalent urban flood protection benefits by means of works of improvement constructed pursuant to the Flood Control Act of March 1, 1917 (39 Stat. 948), the Flood Control Act of May 15, 1928 (45 Stat. 534), the Flood Control Act of June 22, 1936 (49 Stat. 1570), or acts amendatory or supplementary thereto, and authorize planning assistance under the Act only after carefully considering whether works of improvement under the Act would be a more appropriate method of achieving that objective.

(3) When an application applies to a watershed located in the Tennessee River drainage basin, request the views of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority concerning the feasibility of achieving the objectives of the application by means of works of improvement for flood control or watershed protection constructed under the Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933, as amended (16 U.S.C. 831 et seq.), and authorize planning assistance under the Act only after carefully considering whether works of improvement under the Act would be a more appropriate method of achieving such objectives; and when such planning assistance is authorized, consult with the Tennessee Valley Authority throughout all phases of project development concerning the relationship of works of improvement under the Act to the unified development and regulation of the Tennessee River system.

(b) The Secretary of the Interior shall, prior to undertaking any survey or field investigation under the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902 (43 U.S.C. 391), and acts amendatory or supplementary thereto, or prior to initiating investigations after receipt of a Notice of Intent to apply for a loan under the Small Reclamation Projects Act of 1956, as amended (43 U.S.C. 422a–422k) [43 U.S.C. 422a to 422k–1], relating to works of improvements wholly within a watershed or subwatershed area of not more than 250,000 acres, request the views of the Secretary of Agriculture concerning the feasibility of achieving the major objectives of the project proposal by means of Federal assistance furnished pursuant to the Act [this chapter], and submit a report on such a survey or field investigation or approve such application for assistance only after carefully considering whether works of improvement under his authorities would be a more appropriate method of achieving such objectives.

(c) The Secretary of the Army shall, prior to undertaking any survey or field investigation pursuant to the Flood Control Act of March 1, 1917 (39 Stat. 948), the Flood Control Act of May 15, 1928 (45 Stat. 534), the Flood Control Act of June 22, 1936 (49 Stat. 1570), and acts amendatory or supplementary thereto, relating to works of improvement wholly within a watershed or subwatershed area of not more than 250,000 acres, request the views of the Secretary of Agriculture concerning the feasibility of achieving the major objectives of the project proposal by means of Federal assistance furnished pursuant to the Act [this chapter], and submit a report on such survey or field investigation only after carefully considering whether works of improvement under his authorities would be a more appropriate method of achieving such objectives.

(d) The Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority shall, prior to undertaking any survey or field investigation under the Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933, as amended (16 U.S.C. 831 et seq.), relating to works of improvement for flood control or watershed protection to be installed wholly within a watershed or subwatershed area of not more than 250,000 acres, request the views of the Secretary of Agriculture concerning the feasibility of achieving the major objectives of the works of improvement for flood control or watershed protections by means of works of improvement constructed under the Act [this chapter], and proceed with such survey or investigation only after carefully considering whether works of improvement under the Tennessee Valley Authority Act would be a more appropriate method of achieving such objectives.

(e) Whenever the foregoing provisions of this section require an agency head to request the views of another agency head, such request shall be effected prior to the making of any commitment to local interests, and local interests shall be informed at the outset of negotiations that any plan resulting therefrom is subject to coordination as required by this section.

(f) When any agency having responsibilities for water resources development is considering the initiation of surveys or field investigations in a watershed or subwatershed area of not more than 250,000 acres and it appears that the purposes to be served by the project under investigation could more advantageously be met by means of a combination of works of improvement under the statutory authority available to that and other agencies, the appropriate agency head shall consider with the other agency heads concerned and the cooperating local interests the feasibility of preparing a jointly developed plan for coordinated action under available statutory authority.

Sec. 5. Fish and wildlife development. Upon receipt of the notice required by section 12 of the Act [section 1008 of this title] and section 3(a)(1) of this order, the Secretary of the Interior, as he desires, may make surveys and investigations and prepare a report with recommendations concerning the conservation and development of fish and wildlife resources and participate, under arrangements satisfactory to the Secretary of Agriculture, in the preparation of a plan for works of improvement which will be acceptable to the local organization and the Secretary of Agriculture.

Sec. 6. Relationship to comprehensive development. (a) The Secretary of Agriculture shall submit plans for installation of works of improvement under the Act [this chapter] to the Congress through the President only if the Secretary is satisfied that such works constitute needed and harmonious elements in the comprehensive development of the river subbasin or river basin involved.

(b) Federal agencies having responsibilities for water resource developments shall, in the design and justification of works of improvement, take cognizance of all upstream and downstream works in place and in operation, or soon to be brought into operation. The guiding principle shall be to adjust the nature, capacity, and operating characteristics of works of improvement in a manner that (1) reflects the respective contributions of upstream and downstream works to flood protection and to the conservation, development, use, and disposal of water, and (2) provides the best use and control of water resources at minimum cost. Whenever approximately equivalent benefits can be obtained from alternative works of improvement, or combinations of improvements, with approximately the same cost the alternative or combination lease costly to the Federal Government shall be given preferential consideration. In case benefits are produced jointly by more than one work of improvement, or in case complementary relationships exist between the projects and plans of the several agencies, the benefits claimed in justification of a system of improvements shall not include any duplication or compounding of benefits.

Sec. 7. Basic data. In the utilization of existing basic physical and economic data, and in the acquisition of additional basic data required for planning, design, construction, operation and evaluation of works of improvement authorized under the Act [this chapter], the Department of Agriculture shall be assisted by the principal basic-data collection agencies, including the Geological Survey in the Department of the Interior and the Weather Bureau [now the National Weather Service] in the Department of Commerce. The basic-data collection agencies shall assist and cooperate with the Department of Agriculture with respect to the following:

(a) Provision of pertinent information in the preliminary planning of works of improvement.

(b) Collaboration in planning programs of hydrologic-data collection in project areas, in the selection of station sites and installation of equipment for collecting hydrologic data, and in the collection of such data.

(c) Collaboration in the analysis and interpretation of hydrologic data collected specifically for projects initiated under the Act, and of relevant data which may contribute to an analysis of the effects of such projects.

Dwight D. Eisenhower.      

Ex. Ord. No. 10654. Delegation of Functions to Director of Bureau of the Budget

Ex. Ord. No. 10654, Jan. 20, 1956, 21 F.R. 511, provided:

The functions vested in the President by the third proviso of section 5 of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (68 Stat. 667) [this section], relating to the transmittal to the Congress of copies of plans for certain works of improvement and the justifications therefor, are hereby delegated to the Director of the Bureau of the Budget.

Dwight D. Eisenhower.      

[Functions vested by law (including reorganization plan) in Bureau of the Budget or Director of Bureau of the Budget, referred to in Ex. Ord. No. 10654, transferred to President by section 101 of Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1970, eff. July 1, 1970, 35 F.R. 7959, 84 Stat. 2085, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. Section 102 of Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1970 redesignated Bureau of the Budget as Office of Management and Budget and Director of Bureau of the Budget as Director of Office of Management and Budget.]