The Regulatory Program

The Department of the Army's Regulatory Program is one of the oldest in the federal government. Initially, it served a simple purpose: to protect and maintain the navigable capacity of the nation's waters. Changing public needs, evolving policy, court decisions and new statutory mandates have changed several aspects of the program including its breadth, complexity and authority.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, through the Regulatory Program, administers and enforces Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (RHA) and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA). Under RHA Section 10, a permit is required for work or structures in, over or under navigable waters of the United States. Under CWA Section 404, a permit is required for the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States. Many waterbodies and wetlands in the nation are waters of the United States and are subject to the Corps' regulatory authority.

The Regulatory Program is committed to protecting the Nation's aquatic resources and navigation capacity, while allowing reasonable development through fair and balanced permit decisions. The Corps evaluates permit applications for essentially all construction activities that occur in the Nation's waters, including wetlands.

WATCH: Regulatory informational video

We Are Paperless

New requests for a pre-application meeting, jurisdictional determination, or permit should be submitted through the Regulatory Request System (RRS) at rrs.usace.army.mil.  You can also report a potential violation using the RRS.  Other requests will continue to be accepted in digital format though the Sacramento District Regulatory mailbox at SPKRegulatoryMailbox@usace.army.mil.












Learn more about submitting a permit application here.

Latest News

  • March 12, 2025 – The EPA Administrator, Mr. Lee Zeldin, announced next steps to revise the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act to fully align with the Supreme Court’s direction in Sackett v. EPA. https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/administrator-zeldin-announces-epa-will-revise-waters-united-states-rule-0.  The EPA and United States Army Corps of Engineers will undertake a rulemaking process to revise the 2023 definition of (WOTUS) with a focus on clarity, simplicity, and improvements that will stand the test of time. While this rulemaking process proceeds, the agency will provide guidance on WOTUS to ensure consistency with the law of the land. Questions can be directed to wotus-outreach@epa.gov

  • January 28, 2025 - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), as part of an interagency effort with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, is announcing the availability of the draft changes to the 2024 NWPL and its web address to solicit public comments. The public now has the opportunity to comment on the proposed changes to wetland indicator status ratings for one plant species in the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain and Eastern Mountains, and Piedmont regions and one species in the Midwest and Northcentral and Northeast regions. Additionally, changes to eight species in the Alaska Region are proposed and available for public comment. The Federal Register Notice (FRN) for the 2024 NWPL update can be found at: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/28/2025-01798/national-wetland-plant-list. The public comment period ends on 31 March 2025. USACE encourages public input in the form of data, comments, literature references, or field experiences, to help clarify the status of the species reviewed for this update. Comments on these proposed changes should be emailed to nwpl@usace.army.mil. Additional information on the NWPL can be found at the NWPL website (https://wetland-plants.sec.usace.army.mil/), including a new video on how to use the newly redesigned site, which can be found here: https://wetland-plants.sec.usace.army.mil/reference/.

  • January 8, 2025 - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) jointly announce the availability of the Final National Ordinary High Water Mark Field Delineation Manual for Rivers and Streams (Final National OHWM Manual). The Final National OHWM Manual serves as a non-mandatory technical resource which can be used to assist with identifying and delineating the ordinary high water mark (OHWM) of rivers and streams located throughout the Nation.  Final National OHWM Manual: https://dx.doi.org/10.21079/11681/49526

  • January 6, 2025 - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announces the launch of the Public Notice module on the Regulatory Request System (RRS). The new feature allows users nationwide to search, review, and comment on projects being reviewed under the Regulatory Program, significantly enhancing transparency, accessibility, and efficiency. The Public Notice module provides the public with access to proposed projects requiring a standard permit, proposed mitigation banks and in-lieu fee programs under review, and proposed general permits or Section 404 Letter of Permission procedures.  It organizes notices by state and district, which can be viewed in a table format or on an interactive map. Users can easily search for notices by project name or address and submit comments directly through the platform, streamlining public engagement and reinforcing USACE's commitment to improving transparency and the permitting process. The RRS is a web-based platform, currently in its beta version, designed to simplify the permitting process and enhance user experience. In addition to the new Public Notice Module, RRS enables users to submit permit applications, request jurisdictional determinations, and schedule pre-application meetings, all through a user-friendly interface. Explore the Regulatory Request System and its new features by visiting rrs.usace.army.mil. For additional information or to provide feedback, please contact rrs@usace.army.mil.

  • November, 27 2024 - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announces the availability of new and updated Engineer (ENG) forms for the Regulatory Program. All forms for use nationwide can now be accessed at https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Regulatory-Program-and-Permits/Regulatory-Program-Forms/.  Note that most regulatory requests, such as requests for permits and jurisdictional determinations, can be completed online through USACE’s Regulatory Request System at rrs.usace.army.mil.

  • 28 October 2024 - The final Streamflow Duration Assessment Methods (SDAMs) for the Arid West and the Western Mountains regions are now available. SDAMs provide a rapid evaluation of streamflow duration for use whenever there is uncertainty concerning the duration of stream flows. For information about SDAMs, visit  https://www.epa.gov/streamflow-duration-assessment.

Our Commitment to Public Service

Public Service is a Public Trust. As Corps Regulators, we must earn this trust and, to keep this trust, we must conduct ourselves in a manner that reflects the following principles:

Professional. We will conduct ourselves in a professional manner in dealings with all our customers, including applicants, violators, agencies, interest groups and the general public.
Fair and Reasonable. We will be open-minded, impartial, and consistent in our interactions with all our customers to ensure all actions and decisions are free from bias and are not arbitrary or capricious. Customers will be treated equally and with tolerance.
Knowledgeable. We will remain knowledgeable of applicable laws, regulations, and scientific and technical advances which affect our program.
Honesty. We will be truthful, straightforward, and candid in all dealings with our customers.
Timeliness. We will strive to provide our customers with timely regulatory responses regardless of whether those responses are favorable or adverse.
Accountability. We will be decisive in all actions and accept responsibility for any of our decisions and resulting consequences. All decisions will be factual and properly documented.
Respect. We will treat our customers with dignity, courtesy, compassion, and sensitivity.

Contact information

    Contact Your Local Office   



Take our Customer Survey               

Questions about the Regulatory Program or 408 Program?

Call: (916) 557-5250
Email: SPKRegulatoryMailbox@usace.army.mil

You can also check out our
Frequently Asked Questions