Core Civil Works Planning Guidance
	Signed Chief's Reports
	Signed Director's Reports
	Guidance Memos
	Planning Bulletins
	Other Bulletins
	Planning Engineer Circulars (ECs)
	Planning Engineer Manuals (EMs)
	Planning Engineer Pamphlets (EPs)
	Planning Engineer Regulations (ERs)
	Economic Guidance Memoranda (EGMs)
	Planning Guidance Letters (PGLs)
	Policy Guidance Letters
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	USACE Reports and Manuals
	Lessons Learned
	Fact Sheets
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USACE Reports and Manuals

Beyond technical manuals, USACE has produced several manuals, reports, and guides useful to planners.

2025

• NIPR GPT Introduction: Leveraging The Power Of AI
  This guide provides an overview and tutorial of the Air Force's AI chatbot, NIPR GPT, which assists users to complete various tasks, such as correspondence, background papers, and code.
• USACE Planner AI Prompt Guide
  This guide provides deep, actionable prompts aligned with the most common planning challenges to help Civil Works planners use AI tools like ChatGPT and NIPRGPT safely and effectively.

  2024

• Analysis of Tradeoffs Approaches Applicable to USACE Civil Works Planning
  This report summarizes tradeoffs approaches that USACE study teams can use when taking a multi-criteria, collaborative approach to analyzing comprehensive benefits to inform decision-making and the selection of a recommended alternative. This report presents various tradeoffs approaches including their general descriptions, data needs, advantages, disadvantages, levels of collaborative engagement, and overall levels of effort. Case studies are included as examples of how USACE study teams have used some of these tradeoffs approaches in planning studies.
• Department of the Army/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Invasive Species Strategic Plan
  The Department of the Army/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Invasive Species Strategic Plan (Plan), was developed pursuant to the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Recreation Act (Public Law 116-9), enacted March 12, 2019. The Plan provides an overarching framework for the broad spectrum of nationwide invasive species management activities performed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
• Enhancing Risk-Informed Decision Making in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Policy Review and Recommendations
  This paper analyzes USACE policies pertaining to risk, aiming to discern the commonalities and divergences between the many pieces of guidance and direction. The overarching goal of this effort was to provide insights into the terminology and processes used within the e-Risk Register and enhance risk-related policies across the enterprise.
• Planning Charette Handbook
  A charette is a structured, collaborative session in which a group comes together to develop a solution to a problem. The Planning Charette Handbook provides additional details and information for study teams undertaking a planning charette and the support team that will be assisting them.
• Policy and Legal Compliance Review Manager Roles and Responsibilities
  This document provides a general guide on the specific roles and responsibilities of the Policy and Legal Compliance Review Manager throughout the duration of the feasibility study, including the completion of the Chief's Report or Director's Memo/Report. This version of the document updates/consolidates the Review Manager standard operating procedures and vertical team responsibility documents, and includes attachments on the State and Agency Review process and report log-in procedures.

  2023

• Best Practices for Virtual Engagement
  This document guides USACE planners through key decisions when designing stakeholder engagement programs, with a focus on virtual outreach in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The report establishes guiding principles for effective stakeholder engagement and provides resources on collaborative technology tools and is appropriate for use by entry-level to senior planners.
• Displaying the Results of Alternatives Evaluation and Comparison: "Table of Effects"
  This tip sheet developed by the USACE Plan Formulation Community of Practice provides examples of approaches to developing and displaying a "table of effects" in a USACE feasibility report, presenting the performance of each alternative, relative to the baseline, the study objectives, the four formulation and evaluation criteria, and any other screening or selection criteria used in the analyses. Teams are encouraged to use these examples and build off of them to best display the effects of alternatives in their feasibility reports, including by using available editable examples tables and editable example diagrams.
• Feasibility Report Format and Content Guide
  This guide provides general recommendations for the format and content of USACE feasibility reports with an integrated Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The guide can be used as a starting point for nearly all feasibility reports and is appropriate for use by entry-level to senior planners. It may also be used as a reference for policy reviewers and technical specialists. The format described in the guide is not mandatory.
• How to Plan a Water Resources Project with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: A Guide for Tribal & Alaska Native Village Governments (5th Edition)
  The Tribal Nations Community of Practice has written this booklet to provide you, our Tribal partners, with a better understanding of how best to work with the US Army Corps of Engineers. Our processes and methods can be perceived as complex, and we hope to make them clearer for you.
• Insight into elevating: Elevating Historic Buildings for Flood Resilience
  Developed by the USACE Technical Center of Expertise for the Preservation of Historic Buildings and Structures, this guide provides visual examples of elevated historic buildings in flood prone areas, considering 4-foot and 10-foot elevations visualizing different ideas, concepts, and appropriate materials for elevating based on architectural style.
• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Categorical Exclusions Survey
  In 2018, USACE compiled information on the use of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) categorical exclusions by the districts, including frequency of use of categorical exclusions and the exclusion categories most frequently used in NEPA compliance for all activities including planning studies, operations and maintenance work, real estate outgrants, and Section 408 reviews.
• Planner Workforce Development Guide
  This document provides PCoP members guidance in holistic development based on their individual career goals and the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to excel in USACE water resources planning. The October 2023 update of the document includes the addition of KSAs and Career Roadmaps for all Planning Sub-Communities of Practice (Plan Formulation, Economics, Environmental, and Cultural Resources) as well as other updates to content and resources.
• Scoping Guide for Civil Works Planning Studies
  This guide highlights some of the key procedures, processes, and guidance that a study team should use during the initial scoping phase of a study, which is generally the first 90 to 120 days from the execution of the Feasibility Cost Share Agreement (FCSA). It especially highlights best practices for collaboration during initial scoping, which is critical for a study's success during this fast-paced timeframe when the foundation of the study is being developed. It also outlines best practices for confirming, refining, and adjusting the scope throughout the study. The guide does not discuss the process required in law for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) scoping.
• USACE Guide to Gathering Public Input in Accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act
  This guide developed by the USACE Collaboration and Public Participation Center of Expertise is for USACE staff seeking to collect information as part of public involvement and stakeholder engagement processes. Its primary purpose is to ensure that USACE staff comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). PRA requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve any "systematic collection of information from the public," such as through surveys, forms, interviews, focus groups, or websites, whether voluntary or required.
• Water Resources Development Act of 2020 Section 221 - Study on Water Supply and Water Conservation at Water Resources Development Projects
  This report responds to Section 221 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2020, which directed the development of a document that analyzes the benefits and consequences of including water supply and water conservation as a primary mission of the Corps of Engineers in carrying out water resources development projects.

  2022

• South Atlantic Coastal Study (SACS) Coastal Program Guide
  The objective of the South Atlantic Coastal Study (SACS) Coastal Program Guide is to provide accurate accessible information regarding the coastal resilience programs and partnerships available in the region. The Guide categorizes federal or regional programs as: Prepare, Absorb and Recover, and Adapt. The Guide also highlights tools and services such as disaster information, partnership and research opportunities, guidance and training documents, and data and web map applications.
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Doctrine Smart Book
  This report provides an overview of current Engineer Regulations and how they fit into the "doctrinal map" of capstone regulations, keystone publications, technical publications, and organizational publications.

  2021

• Feasibility Report Summary Format and Content Guide
  This Feasibility Report Summary Format and Content Guide is intended to assist users in the development of the content and structure of the Report Summary. The Report Summary is initiated prior to the Alternative Milestone, is updated at each subsequent milestone, and is used to support briefings, decision-related meetings and hearings.
• International Guidelines on Natural and Nature-Based Features for Flood Risk Management
  The International Guidelines on Natural and Nature-Based Features for Flood Risk Management (NNBF Guidelines) is a collaborative consolidated guide meant to advance and revolutionize sustainable infrastructure and flood risk management solutions.
• Planning Quick Takes: Timely Topics for Risk-Informed Planning Studies - Version 2.0
  Planning Quick Takes: Timely Topics for Risk-Informed Planning Studies is intended for all USACE planners, whether novice, journeyman, or senior, who may benefit from learning about the various tools and techniques that can collectively be used to facilitate the iterative six-step risk-informed planning process. Formerly known as the Planning Mentor Handbook, Planning Quick Takes provides a summary of many risk-informed planning concepts, including examples and references to other sources for more detail.

  2020

• IWR 2020-WP-01 - Managed Aquifer Recharge and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Water Security through Resilience
  Storing water underground (managed aquifer recharge, or MAR) can augment surface storage and increase resilience of USACE projects and improve our nation's water security. USACE and its partners are using, have considered or are considering using MAR, or conjunctive management of ground- and surface water, in at least 17 states in six of the seven USACE divisions in the Continental United States. USACE is using or considering MAR to help fulfill its primary missions of flood risk management and aquatic ecosystem restoration, and for secondary purposes such as drought resilience, water supply, and reducing saltwater intrusion.
• USACE National Nonstructural Committee Best Practice Guide 2020-01_Rev2: Calculating Interest During Construction for Nonstructural Alternatives
  This Guide establishes a best practice method for calculating interest during construction (IDC) expenditures for proposed nonstructural alternatives. Unlike the construction period used to calculate the IDC for structural alternatives, the construction period for nonstructural alternatives can be based on the time to construct one increment of the alternative.
• USACE National Nonstructural Committee Best Practice Guide 2020-05: Policy Considerations for Nonstructural Measures
  This Guide identifies policy considerations for each type of nonstructural measure commonly considered as part of USACE feasibility studies.
• USACE National Nonstructural Committee Best Practice Guide 2020-06: Structure Aggregation Methods Used in the Formulation and Evaluation of Nonstructural Alternatives
  This Guide establishes a best practice method for the aggregation of structures to be used in the formulation and evaluation of nonstructural alternatives. A disclaimer was added to this Guide in November 2021.
• USACE National Nonstructural Committee Best Practice Guide 2020-07: Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 & Architectural Barriers Act of 1968
  This Guide establishes best practices for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (ABA), for all USACE nonstructural projects.

  2019

• ERDC/EL SR-19-9: A Systems Approach to Ecosystem Adaptive Management: A USACE Technical Guide
  This technical guide, developed by the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), presents an operational definition of adaptive management and describes a scalable approach to developing and implementing adaptive management plans for USACE ecosystem restoration programs and projects. This guide is intended for USACE program and project managers, project delivery team (PDT) members, and technical staff involved in efforts related to managing ecosystem restoration, fish, wildlife, and wetland mitigation.
• Partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: A Guide for Communities, Local Governments, States, Tribes, and Non-Governmental Organizations
  Partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: A Guide for Communities, Local Governments, States, Tribes, and Non-Governmental Organizations provides potential sponsors with information on the programs and processes available for non-federal partners and USACE representatives to work together to address the Nation's water resources problems. The Guide includes an overview of the USACE Civil Works Program and describes how USACE can work with local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies and other non-Federal partners on activities ranging from technical services and advice to planning and constructing water resources projects. A previous version of this document was originally published as the Project Partnership Kit by IWR back in 1996 and revised in 2001.
• USACE National Nonstructural Committee Best Practice Guide 2020-02: Considerations for Estimating Participation Rates in Voluntary Nonstructural Measures
  This Guide establishes best practices for estimating participation rates in USACE nonstructural alternatives containing voluntary elements.
• USACE National Nonstructural Committee Best Practice Guide 2020-03: Sensitivity Analysis for Participation Rates in Nonstructural Alternatives
  This Guide applies to the planning process for all USACE flood risk management (FRM) and coastal storm risk management (CSRM) nonstructural measures.
• USACE National Nonstructural Committee Best Practice Guide 2020-04: Public Law 91-646: Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970
  This Guide establishes best practices for considering Public Law (P.L.) 91-646, Uniform Relocation Assistance and the Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 in nonstructural assessments.

  2017

• Planning Manual Part II: Risk-Informed Planning
  The Planning Manual Part II: Risk Informed Planning documents the state of the practice in risk-informed planning for the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Planning Community of Practice. It is a continuation of the original Planning Manual, published by the USACE Institute for Water Resources in 1996.
• Principles of Risk Analysis for Water Resources
  This report represents an effort to document the state of the practice in risk analysis for use by US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Transparent and defensible analysis provides a critical piece of information for decision making. It is incumbent on the analyst to inform others about sources and validity of all the data, models, and assumptions that are part of the analysis. The analyst must also acknowledge and highlight the key uncertainties by reporting a range of values with their likelihoods when possible. Additionally, the impacts of uncertainty on the results, and the overall confidence in the values of decision variables presented to decision makers must be part of any decision document.

  2015

• A Guide to Public Alerts and Warnings for Dam and Levee Emergencies
  The purpose of this guidebook is to assist emergency managers in issuing more timely and effective public alert and warning messages for floods caused by dam breaches, controlled dam releases, and levee breaches or overtopping.
• Environmental Evaluation and Compliance within the SMART Planning Framework
  This paper provides a general overview of how the environmental evaluation and compliance process fits into the SMART Planning framework. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) milestones are emphasized. More guidance to follow that is specific to the Endangered Species Act and other agency coordination milestones.
• SMART Planning Feasibility Studies: A Guide to Coordination and Engagement with the Services
  This guide was developed through a collaboration between the Corps, USFWS and NMFS. The Guide provides an overview of the SMART Planning process and demonstrates how key environmental coordination and compliance activities fit into that process. The Guide highlights opportunities for engagement and coordination at all stages of a planning study, re-emphasizing the need for early coordination.
• Use of Natural and Nature-Based Features (NNBF) for Coastal Resilience
  ERDC technical report cataloguing natural and nature based features and measures for coastal resilience projects.

  2013

• Applying Other Social Effects In Alternatives Analysis (IWR Report 2013-R-03)
  This paper is meant to assist planners at the District level by providing a practical framework and approach for the use of OSE in alternative development and evaluation. The framework and approach are general - planners are encouraged to adapt the process as appropriate based on the local conditions and experience.
• Coastal risk reduction and resilience: Using the full array of measures
  This report clarifies USACE terminology for describing the full range of coastal risk reduction measures, enhancing transparency and communication with partners and stakeholders.
• National Economic Development Manuals
  These manuals provide guidance on conducting economic analysis on Corps Civil Works planning projects.
• Other Social Effects: A Primer (IWR Report 2013-R-02)
  This Primer is intended to help USACE personnel understand the contribution that Other Social Effects (OSE) analysis can make to developing sound water resources plans. The Primer addresses what they are and why they are important. It looks at how OSE analysis is conducted in the planning process and what tools and methods are available for accomplishing it.

  2012

• Considering the Appropriate Level of Detail in a Flood Risk Management Feasibility Study
  A 22 August 2012 guide to help Project Delivery Teams walk through the process of conducting a Flood Risk Management Feasibility Study.
• Developing a Feasibility Study with Multiple Planning Objectives
  This paper provides an overview of formulation and evaluation approaches for planners developing a feasibility study with multiple planning objectives.
• ECO-PCX Ecosystem Restoration (ER) Planning SMART Paper: Developing Problem and opportunity Statements
  A 29 June 2012 paper that was developed by the National Ecosystem Restoration Planning Center of Expertise (ECO-PCX) to increase planners' awareness of planning issues specific to Ecosystem (ER) studies and projects. The purpose of this paper is to provide tips and best practices for developing problem and opportunity statements.
• Ecosystem Restoration (ER) Planning SMART Paper: Resource Significance and its Tie to Performance Based Budgeting
  A 26 June 2012 paper that was developed by the National Ecosystem Restoration Planning Center of Expertise (ECO-PCX) to increase planners' awareness of planning issues specific to Ecosystem (ER) studies and projects. The purpose of this paper is to provide information on resource significance and budgeting for teams working on Ecosystem Restoration planning studies.
• Ecosystem Restoration (ER) Planning SMART: Hydrology and Hydraulics - Draft
  A 3 July 2012 paper that was developed by the National Ecosystem Restoration Planning Center of Expertise (ECO-PCX) to increase planners' awareness of planning issues specific to Ecosystem (ER) studies and projects. This paper discusses how H&H analyses and input fit into the planning process, the categories of tools, when they might be used, data needs, and the purpose of the tools.
• Review of Civil Works Projects: Planning SMART Guide
  High level overview of internal review processes conducted as part of USACE feasibility studies and project development.

  2011

• Coastal Storm Risk Management (Report Number: IWR-11-R-09)
  This manual is designed to help planners calculate National Economic Development (NED) benefits for Hurricane and Coastal Storm Damage Prevention Studies. It provides procedures for estimating the NED effects of Coastal Storm Risk Management projects, including damage reduction and benefit calculations. While the manual outlines established methods, it is not the sole approach for conducting these analyses, as multiple valid techniques can account for the various uncertainties and variables involved.
• Regional Economic Development (RED) Procedures Handbook (IWR Report 2011-RPT-01)
  This handbook provides USACE planners with the concepts, methods, and procedures for meaningfully addressing and integrating regional economic development (RED) effects into the water resources planning process.

  2009

• Handbook on Applying "Other Social Effects" Factors in Corps of Engineers Water Resources Planning (IWR Report 2009-R-04)
  The Corps has recognized that there are many implementation issues that need to be addressed if OSE factors are to play a greater role in water resources planning. IWR was directed to provide tools to Corps planners to help integrate OSE analysis into project planning.

  2007

• Theoretical Underpinnings of the Other Social Effects Account
  This report, published by the USACE Engineer Research and Development Center, was prepared to support the application of collaborative planning, particularly the use of the Other Social Effects account in project development and analysis in the Civil Works program.

  2005

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Policy Pocket Reference
  This Pocket Reference has been developed to provide a succinct summary of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers authorities and policies available in 2005 that address its water resources missions.

  2002

• Civil Works Environmental Desk Reference (IWR Report 96-PS-3)
  The Environmental Desk Reference is a document intended to serve as a desk top reference on environmental statutes and executive policy for Corps of Engineers personnel. It contains summary profiles of environmental laws applicable to the Civil Works program.

  1998

• IWR Report 96-PS-4 Water Supply Handbook
  This document is intended to serve as a comprehensive desk top reference on water supply topics that are spread throughout a voluminous body of Corps regulations, manuals, technical letters and memoranda, and also literature from the private sector.

  1997

• Planning Primer
  The Planning Primer is a condensed version of the Planning Manual. It is an introduction to planning and how it is done using the six-step planning process for those who have no formal training in planning.
• Resource Significance Protocol for Environmental Project Planning, IWR Report 97-R-4
  This report provides a short, easy-to-use guide, or protocol, for identifying and describing resource significance in environmental project planning. The protocol provides an iterative procedure for identifying and describing resource significance in environmental plan formulation and evaluation. Four phases of the protocol are identified: scoping, analyzing, evaluating, and communicating. One or more iterations of these four phases will guide a planning team through the process of identifying and describing resource significance.

  1996

• Planning Manual
  The Planning Manual describes what planning is and how it is best practiced by the Corps of Engineers. It focuses on water resources planning, though the principles, tools and methodologies discussed are equally applicable to other planning functions as well. The Manual walks planners through the six-step planning process used by the Corps and applicable to all the Corps' water resources and other planning functions.
• Project Partnership Kit
  The 1996 Project Partnership Kit was updated and republished by IWR in 2019 as Partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: A Guide for Communities, Local Governments, States, Tribes, and Non-Governmental Organizations.

  1994

• Cost Effectiveness Analysis for Environmental Planning: Nine EASY Steps
  This document was developed to help USACE planners conduct cost effectiveness and incremental cost analyses in planning for environmental restoration and mitigation. It presents step-by-step instructions about how to conduct the analyses, using an example to illustrate their application to a planning problem.

  1993

• Review and Evaluation of Programs for Determining Significance and Prioritization of Environmental Resources
  This report presents summary abstracts of ninety-five Federal, regional, state, and nonprofit organization programs that evaluate environmental projects and/or determine the significance of, or prioritize environmental resource areas or activities. The abstracts present information on the program's goals and objectives; the types of activities associated with the program; the sources of priority recognition; and the process of determining the "significance" of environmental resources, or which environmental resources deserve a level of priority for mitigation protection, or restoration efforts. A comparative analysis of these programs was conducted to facilitate some generalizations about the determination of national and regional resource priorities, the bases for determination of significance, and the potential applicability of the process or products to the USACE environmental program.

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