Responsiveness and Reliability: A History of the Philadelphia District and the Marine Design Center, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1972-2008
Abstract
This history covers the operations of both the Philadelphia District and the Marine Design Center (MDC), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, from 1972 to 2008. These were years of transition and change for the Corps as a whole and for the district and MDC in particular. In 1972, dams and other flood control structures were still seen as the most effective solutions to flooding, but by 2008 mainly because of environmental and economic considerations dams were for the most part no longer viable. By 2008, owing to the influence of a growing environmental movement in the United States, the Corps had added a separate ecosystem restoration component to its traditional civil works missions of navigation, flood control, and military construction. Also, the misleading term flood control had given way to a more realistic emphasis on risk reduction for both floods and coastal storms, the latter of which now account for the lion s share of the district s civil works construction program. During this period, Congress directed the Corps to extend its expertise outside its own boundaries and to provide support to other federal, state, and local agencies. As the Corps adjusted to these new responsibilities, it undertook internal restructuring to make itself more efficient, more responsive, and more cost-effective in its work.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA581690
Entities
People
- Joshua Pollarine
- Matthew C. Godfrey
- Paul Sadin