The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) helps plan, design, build, maintain, monitor, and modify levees through the Levee Safety Program.

Levees are one of many measures used throughout the nation to address flooding. There are more than 7,000 levees across the United States that help keep water away from communities, business, farms, and people.

USACE is responsible for 1,600 levees and works in partnership with levee sponsors to ensure they continue to reduce flood risk to people, businesses, critical infrastructure, and the environment.

Levee Design Manual Update

USACE is updating Engineer Manual (EM) 1110-2-1913, which provides guidance for evaluating, designing, and constructing levees. This is the first significant update to the manual since 2000.

• The latest draft of the manual is available for download and review here.
• The latest draft of the manual appendices is available for download and review here.

All final comments were due to EM1913@usace.army.mil by January 31, 2024.

• A fact sheet about EM 1110-2-1913 is available here.
• A recorded presentation from the team responsible for updating the manual summarizing updates and feedback to date is available here.

For more information about the manual, please email EM1913@usace.army.mil

Relief Wells Engineer Manual Update

USACE is finalizing updates to Engineer Manual (EM) 1110-2-1914, which provides guidance for the design, construction, and maintenance of relief wells, focusing on their use at dams and levees. This is the first update to the manual since it was published in 1992.

• The latest version of EM 1110-2-1914 – Design, Construction, and Maintenance of Relief Wells is available for download and review here.
• A fact sheet on EM 1110-2-1914 is available here.
• USACE hosted webinars to discuss the draft for review – View at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPBMGLCv95w. A copy of the webinar presentation is available here.