Continuing Authorities Program

Congress has delegated the Corps a number of standing authorities to study and build water resource projects for various purposes without the need for further Congressional approval.

The CAP is comprised of legislative authorities under which the secretary of the Army, acting through the chief of engineers, is authorized to plan, design and implement certain types of water resources projects.  Each authority has its own program authority and strict limits on the federal contribution.

 

AUTHORITY  PROJECT PURPOSE Design/Implementation Phase
(Construction) Costs* 
PER PROJECT FEDERAL LIMIT 
Section 14 Emergency stream bank and shoreling protections for public facilities, such as roads, bridges, hospitals, schools, and water & sewage treatment plants, that are in imminent danger of failing 65% Federal
35% Non-Federal, 
(5% minimum in cash)
 $5,000,000
Section 103 Protection of public and private properties and facilities against damages caused by storm driven waves and currents by the construction of revetments, groins, and jetties, and may also include periodic sand replenishment   65% Federal
35% Non-Federal 
 $5,000,000
Section 107 Improvements to navigation including dredging of channels and widening of turning basins.  50-90% Federal
50-10% Non-Federal
(Dependent upon depth) 
 $10,000,000
Section 111 Prevention or mitigation of erosion damages to public or privately owned shores along the coastline when damages are a result of a federal navigation project. Cost sharing correlates to existing navigation poject  $10,000,000
Section 204 Regional sediment management and beneficial uses of dredged material from new or existing federal projects.   75% Federal
25% Non-Federal
$10,000,000
Section 205 Local protection from flooding by non-structural alternatives (e.g. flood warning systems) or by construction of structural flood damage reduction features such as levees, channels, and dams.   65% Federal
35% Non-Federal, 
(5% minimum in cash)
$10,000,000 
Section 206 Aquatic ecosystem restoration.  65% Federal
35% Non-Federal  
$10,000,000 
Section 208 Local protection from flooding by channel clearing and excavation, with limited embankment construction by use of materials from the clearing operations only.   65% Federal
35% Non-Federal 
$500,000
Section 1135 Modifications of USACE constructed water resources projects to improve the quality of the environment. 
Also, restoration projects at locations where an existing Corps project contributed to the degredation.  
75% Federal
25% Non-Federal  
$10,000,000 
 * The first $100,000 of the feasibility phase is fully federally funded.  Everything more than that amount is cost shared on a 50/50 basis between the Corps and non-federal sponsor after an FCSA is signed.

 

Here's how the CAP process starts:

Graphic of the 4 steps of the CAP process

The initial efforts of  the feasibility phase are to identify the problem and the study area, determine if there is a federal interest in proceeding with more detailed work under one of the CAP authorities, and identifying a non-federal cost-sharing sponsor.

If the above crieteria is met, the following must be done with the help of the non-federal sponsor:
• Complete a Feasibility Phase Project Management Plan
• Prepare and execute (sign) a Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement 

The purpose of the feasibility phase is to: 
1. Identify problems and opportunities/objections and constraints 
2. Inventory and forecast conditions(existing and future without project conditions) 
3. Formulate alternative plans 
4. Evaluate alternative plans 
5. Compare alternative plans 
6. Select the recommended plan

The following tasks are generally necessary in order to accomplish the above six steps:

Graphic of steps to support feasiblity phase

Once the feasibility phase is complete, the project moves to the design/implementation (construction) phase and subsequently to the operation and maintenance phase.