This United States Army Corps of Engineers publication, Engineering Manual EM 1110-2-3600 Engineering and Design: Management of Water Control Systems October 2017, provides guidance to field offices for water management at all U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) owned and Corps-operated reservoirs, locks, dams, and other water control projects in which water storage is managed and operated for multiple authorized purposes such as flood risk management, navigation, and other uses. It also applies to Corps actions in developing water control plans and manuals or in operating non-Corps reservoirs, locks, dams, and other water control projects in which water storage is managed and operated for flood risk management or navigation, and which are subject to Corps direction pursuant to Section 7 of the Flood Control Act of 1944 or other law. This manual may also provide guidance to the Corps in other cases where water resources infrastructure is similarly operated for flood risk management or navigation and subject to Corps direction through the establishment of water control or operational plans. Water management of these systems, however, may require special techniques beyond those used in the planning, design, and construction phases, to analyze and regulate water conditions at individual projects to meet authorized water management objectives. This manual incorporates, by reference, other USACE guidance documents, but unless expressly stated, this manual does not alter or supersede other USACE guidance. Additionally, this manual does not alter or supersede any law or binding regulation, or determine the authorized purposes of any USACE reservoir project, nor does it impose legal requirements on any entity.
This manual applies to all Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (HQUSACE) elements, major subordinate commands (MSCs), districts, laboratories, and separate field operating activities (FOAs) having civil works responsibilities and activities related to or affecting water control management. This manual also applies to Corps actions in developing water control or operational plans for projects not owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), as defined in Para. 1.