BUILDING STRONG ® 1 Watershed Planning & the Corps of Engineers Robyn S Colosimo USACE - Headquarters

BUILDING STRONG ® 2 Increasing Demand for Water Water Resources Challenges

BUILDING STRONG ® 3 Watershed Planning Not a new concept But appears to be a new answer Could be argued that all studies are “watershed based” Scale is the segregating measure But what is all the “noise” about watershed planning Why is it getting so much attention?

BUILDING STRONG ® 4 Watershed Planning Success- Key Questions What does right look like? Is it one size fits all? What is the role of the federal government? State government? Local government? Are river basin commissions the only model for success? Key – Incentivizing watershed planning and not “development of the plan”

BUILDING STRONG ® 5 Mission Impossible Modernize the Corps Civil Works Delivery Model (authorization) Strategic Target = 5 to 10 years out Key Points: –Apply lessons of the past –Avoid incremental change; balance radical unacceptable change –Keep the goodness of the current project authorization process while removing the unnecessary constraints Challenge: thinking broadly, not narrowly – not being deterred by the anti-change reaction Real job: Challenge conventional thinking Key to future success: Our ability to change (adapt)

BUILDING STRONG ® 6 Scope of Activity 2 year effort –Year 1 – research & relationship cultivation –Year 2 – cultivation of ideas Targets of Opportunity –Policy & Guidance –WRDA 10 (simpler measures/corrections)–June 10 –WRDA 11 (culmination of effort)- June 11

BUILDING STRONG ® 7 Progress to Date Conducted Interviews of 50+ individuals (March – September) Synthesizing Problem (not symptoms) Rough list of ideas Next Step – Further solicitation of ideas Begin to build support for ideas Move out on actions concurrently

BUILDING STRONG ® 8 Fundamental Questions Change or not to Change? Or is Change Needed? What is wrong with status quo? Do we continue to ignore warning shots? Do we let change happen to us? What is on the table for consideration? How can we best serve the taxpayers needs?

BUILDING STRONG ® 9 Problems (Perceived) Lack of Federal Vision for Water Outdated Federal Interest Definitions Corps in Leadership Role Complex Problems Legal and Policy Constraints Changing Workforce Program that is a collection of projects

BUILDING STRONG ® 10 Problems (Perceived) – Continued Fiscal Limitations Special Legislation Authorization Vehicle Review Process (Peer and Agency Technical) Separation of Authorization and Appropriation Determinations Cost-Sharing Less Focused and Coordinated Action Collaboration

BUILDING STRONG ® 11 Some Things I Have Learned in the Last Few Months Congress is additive in providing direction Corps may simply be a decision support agency (mission is to educate & inform?) Need to understand motivation of sponsor (money, permits, expertise or something else?) Cost-sharing (WRDA 86) had strong unintended consequences More tools & science – complicates decision making Project by project decision making – has the effect of incrementally building a program Not good at dealing with competing interests It is impossible to predict the future with accuracy

BUILDING STRONG ® 12 Some Things I Have Learned In the Past Few Months (con’t) Technology is both a solution and problem Corps litmus test for investment is “best buy” versus “good enough” Good behavior must be “incentivized” Cost codes/cost sharing undermine teamwork Experts are few and far between (& spread thin) Vision is owned by those “in charge” Decision making IS political Personalities matter It is all about EXPECTATIONS/GOALS Time for bold action is NOW

BUILDING STRONG ® 13 Some Initial Ideas Move away from rigid b-c analyses Alter cost-sharing in feasibility phase Alter delivery of services to meet needs to region Create specialized teams to work virtually with authority Build support for federal priority setting (authorization & appropriation) Initiate priority setting through major basin studies Build Federal – State partnerships

BUILDING STRONG ® 14 Some initial ideas (continued) Incentivize watershed planning Grants? Modify authorization & appropriations processes (benchmark with other agencies) No Chiefs Report Modify Administration Review procedures Create Study/Review Boards (Honest Broker) Examine legal constraints & remove them

BUILDING STRONG ® 15 Ultimate Goal Simple, elegant, responsive, predictable and productive Civil Works program that meets contemporary and future water resources needs Real goal – make necessary adaptations before we are “thrown under the bus”

BUILDING STRONG ® 16 US Army Corps of Engineers BUILDING STRONG ®