1 August 2025 - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Enhances Aquatic Resource Delineation Reporting with New Resources

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Regulatory Program is pleased to announce the availability of new resources designed to enhance consistency of aquatic resource delineation reports (ARDRs) and facilitate more efficient and more timely USACE reviews.

These resources include:

• Recommended Minimum Standards for Aquatic Resource Delineation Reports (ARDR): This document provides recommended standards for documenting aquatic resource delineations. An accompanying Aquatic Resource Delineation Report Template is included to assist practitioners in standardizing report format for more efficient USACE verification.
   
• Guide for Recording Aquatic Resource Delineations Using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS):  This guide offers recommendations for using high-accuracy GNSS receivers and GIS to accurately map aquatic resource boundaries electronically. Consistent application of these guidelines will support accurate data collection, quantification of aquatic resource extent, and spatial assessment of potential project impacts.

These resources are intended to promote national consistency and accuracy in documenting aquatic resource delineations, which are critical for assessing project impacts, determining appropriate levels of review, and evaluating compensatory mitigation requirements.

While the use of these resources is encouraged to ensure complete and verifiable ARDRs, they are not mandatory. USACE believes these tools will be valuable in supporting accurate and consistent aquatic resource delineations.

The documents are available on the USACE Regulatory Program's Technical and Biological Resources page, in the Wetlands Delineation and Classification section: https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Regulatory-Program-and-Permits/techbio/