Engineer Circulars (ECs)

Engineer Manuals (EMs)

Engineer Pamphlets (EPs)

Engineer Regulations (ERs)

Engineer Pamphlets (EPs)

Institute for Water Resources

Guidance Memos

Lessons Learned

Institute for Water Resources

HR

Lessons Learned

Institute for Water Resources

Guidance Memos

Institute for Water Resources

Lessons Learned

Institute for Water Resources

Lessons Learned

Institute for Water Resources

Webinars

2024
• Civil Works Planning Modernization Effort - Planning MAP (Modernize, Adapt, & Partner) (18 April)
  
  This webinar provided an overview of the new Planning MAP (Modernize, Adapt, & Partner) initiative. Presenters Susan Werning (Deputy Chief, Planning Community of Practice), Monique Savage (PCoP Senior Water Resource Planner), and Evan Stewart (Supervisory Economist, MVD Regional Economics Branch) outlined current and future efforts and, the results of the planning survey and other relevant analyses.
  
  2023
• Planning Fundamentals: An Introduction to the Scoping Guide for Civil Works Planning Studies (9 November)
  
  This webinar is part of the Planning Fundamentals Series and introduced the Scoping Guide for Civil Works Planning Studies, a new resource for project delivery teams to conduct feasibility phase scoping. This presentation provided an overview of what scoping for planning studies is, the contents of the Scoping Guide, and how the resource can assist teams. This webinar was presented by Rhiannon Kucharski (Chief of Planning, Honolulu District) and Leigh Skaggs (Senior Plan Formulator, St. Paul District), lead developers of the Scoping Guide and members of the PCoP's Planning Workforce Development Committee.
• Planning Fundamentals: Role of the Lead Planner (26 October)
  
  This webinar is part of the Planning Fundamentals Series and provided an overview of the lead planner's roles and responsibilities throughout a feasibility study. Presenters Susan Henshaw (Senior Planner) and Hana Schlang (Junior Planner) from the Regional Planning and Environmental Center (Fort Worth District) discussed lessons learned, resources, risk informed planning tools, and ideas for study team collaboration.
• An Introduction to the Net Emissions Analysis Tool (NEAT) (19 October)
  
  This webinar provided an overview of the Net Emissions Analysis Tool (NEAT). Presenter Jason Emmons (Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analysis Sub-CoP) discussed the quantification of gross and net greenhouse gases (GHG) with their associated social costs, which should be included in National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents per the White House Council on Environmental Quality’s Interim NEPA Guidance on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change. Despite the numerous models available for quantifying emissions, a model is needed that can quantify and integrate air pollutant and GHG emissions from diverse emissions sources to compute the net effects relevant for USACE projects. To this end, the NEAT model was developed to utilize output data from pre-existing air pollutant and GHG emissions models while providing the capability to quantify GHG fluxes from Federal actions such as wetland restoration, flood risk management, and vertical construction. NEAT leverages the benefits of pre-existing models, while innovating new capabilities for quantifying emissions using an expandable tabular methodology that can accommodate additional GHG sources and sinks as needed. NEAT combines results from these sources and sinks to calculate the net emissions for air pollutants and GHG species and their corresponding social costs over a project lifetime. These calculations are essential for project planners in USACE as they quantify net emissions for NEPA purposes.
• Planning Fundamentals: Comprehensive Documentation of Benefits - Guidance, Requirements, and New Tools (28 September)
  
  This webinar is part of the Planning Fundamentals Series and provided an overview of the guidance and requirements associated with the comprehensive documentation of benefits in decision documents. Presenters Jeff Strahan (Economics Team Lead, HQUSACE Office of Water Project Review); Tim Fleeger (Policy and Environmental Coordinator, Northwestern Division); Max Millstein (Senior Economist, South Atlantic Division); Susan Durden (Economist, Institute for Water Resources); and Janet Cote (Project Manager, New England District) introduced new tools to aid study teams in the selection of metrics and analysis for different Civil Works mission areas, including Comprehensive Benefit Evaluation and Scoping Tool (C-BEST), IWR’s suite of Quick Look Tools, and examples of the Table of Effects to display the performance of alternatives against a variety of fields. Presenters also discussed a case study to highlight a practical application of comprehensive benefits.
• Planning Fundamentals: Plan Formulation Strategies and Required Plans (14 September)
  
  This webinar is part of the Planning Fundamental Series and offered an overview of plan formulation strategies and required plans. Senior Economist Nick Applegate (HQUSACE Office of Water Project Review) and Regional Integration Team (RIT) Planner Nate Richards (North Atlantic Division RIT) discussed the importance of critical thinking and the application of strategies that fit the study area and mission for successful plan formulation. The presenters reviewed different methods and examples for developing and executing effective plan formulation strategies, how the required alternatives in the new Planning Engineer Regulation 1105-2-103 (Policy for Conducting Civil Works Planning Studies) should factor into plan formulation, and common plan formulation problems to avoid.
• Planning Fundamentals: Future without Project Condition, Inventory & Forecast, and Evidence Gathering (31 August)
  
  This webinar is part of the Planning Fundamental Series and offered an overview of Future Without Project Condition, Inventory and Forecast, and Evidence Gathering, which are critical planning tasks both in the early stages of any USACE planning investigation and throughout the investigation. Senior Planners Leigh Skaggs (St. Paul District) and Monique Savage (HQUSACE) explained how the Future Without Project Condition is the single most important planning scenario to establish, as it helps guide plan formulation as well as provides the baseline against which all alternative plans are evaluated. The presentation also addressed the data needed to inventory and forecast physical, environmental, economic, and social conditions, and how the level of detail necessary to make decisions varies throughout the risk-informed planning process.
• Planning Fundamentals: The Four P&G Criteria (17 August)
  
  This webinar is part of the Planning Fundamental Series and offered an overview of the four Principles & Guidelines criteria of Completeness, Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Acceptability and how to apply them. Presenter Patrick O’Donnell (Water Resources Planner, HQUSACE Office of Water Project Review) discussed the application of these criteria in feasibility reports and similar decision documents. The presentation aimed to improve understanding and application of the four criteria, which are fundamental to plan formulation.
• Planning Fundamentals: The "POOCs" (Problems, Opportunities, Objectives, and Constraints) (3 August)
  
  This webinar is part of the Planning Fundamental Series and offered an introduction to the "POOCs" - the problems, opportunities, objectives, and constraints - that are the foundation of any USACE planning investigation. Presenter Leigh Skaggs (PCoP Senior Planner) explained how the POOCs fit into the scoping task of the 6-step planning process, as well as defined each concept and provided examples from several USACE studies. This webinar serves as both a primer to new planners just learning about how to conduct USACE planning studies, as well as a refresher for those who have more experience but could benefit from reminders about how to use the POOCs appropriately.
• Evolution of USACE Planning Policy and Guidance (20 April)
  
  This webinar provided an overview of the evolution of USACE policy on formulation of water resources projects. Presenter Amy Frantz (HQUSACE Senior Policy Advisor) discussed the evolution of Planning policy along with insights into how policy is developed, updated, and maintained. First presented as a PCoP Webinar in 2022, Ms. Frantz repeated this webinar in May 2023. Planning Guidance Notebook (Engineer Regulation 1105-2-100). Presenter Amy Frantz (HQUSACE Senior Policy Advisor) discussed the evolution of Planning policy along with insights into how policy is developed, updated, and maintained.
• New Policy for Conducting Civil Works Planning Studies EC - Planning Guidance Notebook Update (23 March)
  
  This webinar provided an overview of the pre-publication Policy for Conducting Civil Works Planning Studies Engineer Circular (EC), which will replace the core chapters of the USACE Planning Guidance Notebook (Engineer Regulation 1105-2-100). Presenter Amy Frantz (Headquarters Senior Policy Advisor) shared key updates to the guidance, which incorporates 23 years of legislation, official policy memoranda, Planning Bulletins, and implementation guidance. She also shared the timeframe for publication of the EC and of the business line evaluation procedures (currently Appendix E in the Planning Guidance Notebook), which will be published as separate Engineer Pamphlets.
• Interim Guidance on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change (9 March)
  
  This webinar provided an overview of the Interim Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Guidance on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change, issued on 9 January 2023. Presenters Jason Emmons (San Francisco District) and Ken Wong (Los Angeles District) from the Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Planning Sub-CoP discussed key details for planners and environmental managers on the new guidance, including how to perform a greenhouse gas analysis starting from base assumptions for scoping to the end goal of incorporating effects analysis into current NEPA studies. The presenters also addressed how to frame inclusion of different topics for all classes of projects enterprise-wide, including baseline effects, no-action alternative emissions, avoided emissions, gross and net alternatives emissions, and social cost of greenhouse gas emissions.
  
  2022
• Interim Environmental Justice Guidance for Civil Works Planning Studies (17 November)
  
  In order to ensure consistent incorporation of environmental justice in Civil Works planning studies and to meet the goals and objectives of the Administration, HQUSACE is providing guidance to ensure focused identification and engagement with underserved and disadvantaged communities, full inclusion of those communities in the study development and decision-making process, and additional requirements for the Alternatives Milestone Meeting (AMM). During this webinar, Ray Wimbrough (HQUSACE Senior Policy Advisor) gave an update on the new HQUSACE guidance and discussed next steps for study teams. <1>Note: the Implementation of the Interim Environment Justice Strategic Plan Memorandum and Interim Plan discussed during the webinar was signed on 16 December 2022.
• Life Safety Risk Indicator (20 October)
  
  This webinar provided an overview of the Life Safety Risk Indicator (LSRI). In an effort to develop a consistent way to recommend projects that warrant funding based on risk to life safety, USACE has developed the LSRI tool, which provides a screening-level, relative representation of the life risk (average annual life loss) that would be reduced if a given structural or non-structural flood damage reduction project was constructed. The LSRI is intended to serve as a budget tool to prioritize studies and projects starting with the FY25 budget development process. The LSRI builds off of and replaces the Life Safety Hazard Index (LSHI) tool by incorporating not just consequence information, but also likelihood of the consequences. Presenter Jason Needham (Consequence Specialist, Risk Management Center) described the LSRI methodology and introduced the web-based LSRI tool and how to use it.
• Developing and Applying a Logical Aggregation Methodology in the First 90 Days of a Study (22 September)
  
  Planning Bulletin 2019-03 requires that nonstructural analyses formulate and then evaluate measures and plans using a logical aggregation method. This webinar presented strategies for developing and applying a logical aggregation methodology in the first 90 days of a feasibility study, a critical step in study scoping and development of the initial array of alternatives. Presenters Michelle Kniep and Eric Thaut (National Flood Risk Management Planning Center of Expertise (FRM-PCX)) provided best practices, focusing on the study scoping phase prior to the alternatives milestone meeting (AMM).
• Strategies for Successful Nonstructural Planning (8 September)
  
  Nonstructural planning can be challenging. On this webinar, Rachel Williams (Omaha District planner and project manager) and Danielle Tommaso (New York District plan formulator) of the National Nonstructural Committee (NNC) shared strategies to help planning team succeed. In addition to sharing an overview of the latest hot topics, important guidance, and best practices for nonstructural planning success, the presenters facilitated an interactive brainstorming session to allow participants an opportunity to share lessons learned and ask questions.
• Plan Formulation Career Roadmap and KSAs Update (10 March)
  
  This webinar provided an overview of the Plan Formulation Career Roadmap and the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) Crosswalk. The Career Roadmap provides an overview of the practice of Plan Formulation within USACE, and also provides guidance to Planning professionals, particularly plan formulators, regarding career development expectations throughout a person’s career within a Planning discipline. It is paired with the KSAs crosswalk that indicates the point in one’s Plan Formulation career at which each KSA will likely be acquired or significantly upgraded. The crosswalk also provides recommended sources of training and guidance to assist in acquiring each KSA. Presenter Ray Wimbrough (HQUSACE Senior Policy Advisor) discussed how KSAs can be used by planners on all levels to focus their development in specific areas as well as by supervisors to refine Individual Development Plans and help guide and mentor planners throughout their careers.
  
  2021
• Ecological Benefits, Resource Significance, and Their Impact on Project Budget (18 November)
  
  This webinar provided an overview of how significance, benefits, and budget work together. Presenter Debby Scerno (Environmental Reviewer, Office of Water Project Review) focused on Ecosystem Restoration projects, but much of the information provided can also be applied to compensatory mitigation. The webinar highlighted tools and resources to help project teams describe resource significance for both Ecosystem Restoration and mitigation, as well as to determine what benefits will be sought for a project.
• Lessons Learned from the Tribal Partnership Program Clear Creek Ecosystem Restoration Study (7 October)
  
  This webinar provided an overview of the Tribal Partnership Program (TPP) Clear Creek Ecosystem Restoration Study, including lessons learned from applying innovative methods to complete a study on time and under budget. In addition, presenters Elise Jarrett and Lindsay Floyd (Sacramento District Water Resources Planners) shared ideas on how to appropriately scale studies and how the successes from this study might be implemented across the enterprise to continue strengthening the TPP.
• Planning Quick Takes: Timely Topics for Risk-Informed Planning Studies (15 July)
  
  This webinar provided an overview of the recently-completed “Planning Quick Takes: Timely Topics for Risk-Informed Planning Studies,” which was previously known as the “Planning Mentor Handbook.” Planning Quick Takes is intended to be used by all project delivery team members and not just Planning Mentors, and offers brief summaries on many risk-informed planning topics. The webinar focused on three new topics added to the document: Life Safety Assessment, Climate Change Assessment, and Incorporating the Four P&G Accounts and was presented by Leigh Skaggs (Senior Planner, St. Paul District), Karen Miller (Senior Planner, Huntington District), Kendall Zaborowski (Planning Team Lead, Dam Safety Modification Mandatory Center of Expertise), Ariane Pinson (Climate Specialist, Albuquerque District), Dena Abou-El-Seoud (Senior Economist, Great Lakes & Ohio River Division), and Zack Hartley (Regional Economist, Chicago District).
  
  2019
• Economic Guidance Memorandum (EGM) 19-06: Ability to Pay for Tribal Partners (14 November)
  
  This webinar provides a step-by-step overview for gathering the data needed to establish if Tribal partners involved in Corps of Engineers activities, including watershed assessments, feasibility studies, and projects, are eligible for a cost-share reduction following the methodologies in Economic Guidance Memorandum (EGM) 19-06, "Supplemental Guidance for Section 1121 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2016, as amended-Tribal Partnership Program Reduced Cost Share Eligibility Criteria (Ability to Pay)"
  
  2017
• Planning Manual Part II: Risk-Informed Planning (17 August)
  
  This webinar introduced Risk-Informed Planning and the new publication available from IWR titled Planning Manual Part II: Risk Informed Planning.
• Environmental Resource Significance in Civil Works Planning (2 February)
  
  Ms. Camie Knollenberg, Plan Formulation Branch Chief, Regional Planning and Environmental Division North, St. Paul District described how the significance of environmental and other resources are determined, and how this information is used in civil works planning. Resource significance drives plan formulation in the aquatic ecosystem restoration mission and drives mitigation planning in other civil works mission areas.
  
  2016
• Southwest Coastal Louisiana NED/NER Multi-Purpose Study: Lessons Learned (15 December)
  
  Andy MacInnes, (MVN Plan Formulation), Brian Maestri (MVN Economics) and Bill Klein (MVN Environmental), and Eddie Douglass (HQ MVD Regional Integration Team) shared key insights related to plan formulation, real estate, economics and environmental for this large project that recommended $1 billion in non-structural and $2.4 billion in ecosystem restoration for the 4,700-square- mile study area. The team shared how they overcame challenges unique to formulation and evaluation of non-structural measures.
• Flood Risk Management and New Risk Communication Tool in The Netherlands (20 October)
  
  Ms. Vera Konings from Rijkswaterstaat, Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, the Netherlands presented on Flood Risk Management and the new Risk Communication Tool in the Netherlands. Ms. Konings is working with the USACE Risk Management Center as part of a partnership between USACE and the Netherlands. She explained the Dutch water system and provided information on the three circles of flood risk management activities including operations and maintenance, periodic assessments and long-term strategies. Ms. Konings demonstrated the Netherlands risk communication website: residents input their zip code and receive specific information regarding the flood risk to their home and helps them decide whether to stay or evacuate during a flood. The website also provides visual information to communicate the risks associated with flooding.
• Initial Plan Formulation Strategies (7 April)
  
  Mr. Leigh Skaggs, HQ Office of Water Project Review, presented this webinar focusing on Planning Step #3 of the six-step planning process  Formulation of Alternative Plans, and specifically, developing initial plan formulation strategies. Leigh discussed tools and helpful tips for this step, engaging the audience with polls, feedback via chat, etc.
  
  2014
• Sutter Basin: A Lessons Learned Webinar (6 March)
  
  A presentation by members of the Sutter Basin PDT on lessons learned in completing their Planning Pilot feasibility study that are informing the development / implementation of the SMART Planning process.