Environmental Impact Research Program: Visual Resources Assessment Procedure for US Army Corps of Engineers
Abstract
This report documents the Visual Resources Assessment Procedure (VRAP) for the US Army Corps of Engineers. The VRAP is a systematic method to (1) evaluate and classify existing aesthetic or visual quality; (2) assess and measure visual impacts caused by Corps water resource projects; (3) evaluate the beneficial or adverse nature of the visual impacts; and (4) make recommendations for changes in plans, designs, and operations of water resource projects. The VRAP was developed to provide planners with a systematic, tractable method for incorporating aesthetic considerations in Corps planning studies. As such, the VRAP is consistent with existing Federal and Corps water resources planning and environmental policies and regulations. The VRAP uses changes in visual resources to measure and evaluate the visual impacts caused by a Corps project. The visual resources considered are water resources, landform, vegetation, land use, and user activities. The VRAP is composed of two parts, the Management Classification System (MCS) and the Visual Impact Assessment (VIA) Procedures. The MCS establishes an Assessment Framework for a project area and sets the visual resource criteria that are used throughout the visual assessment. Keywords: Aesthetics, Aesthetic impacts, Aesthetic quality, Environmental impacts, Environmental management, Environmental planning, Master planning, Scenic quality, Visual impacts, Visual quality, Water resources planning, Human relations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA196308
Entities
People
- Alfred Knopt
- James F. Palmer
- Jim E. Henderson
- Kate Grinde
- Linda D. Peyman-dove
- Richard C. Smardom