Seattle District provides military and civil public works services as well as support for other agencies. The district also plays a key role in environmental protection and improvement—from protecting wetlands to ecological restoration and cleaning up hazardous and toxic waste pollution.
Seattle District’s civil works boundaries encompass 99,000 square miles and contain 4,700 miles of shoreline. The boundaries include the Columbia River system upstream of the mouth of the Yakima River, much of eastern Washington, Northern Idaho and western Montana to the Continental Divide.
In cooperation with local sponsors (such as counties and dike districts), the Seattle District plans, designs and builds flood risk management, navigation, water supply and ecosystem restoration projects. Through collaboration with our partners, the Corps provides comprehensive, innovative, sustainable solutions to water resources problems.
The Army Corps of Engineers regulates work in navigable waters under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act. It also regulates deposit of dredge and fill materials into waters and wetlands under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Seattle District’s regulatory jurisdiction covers the entire state of Washington.
The Corps’ lake recreation areas afford inexpensive and convenient leisure activity for the public. Seattle District oversees more than 10,000 acres of public land and water. Our public lands, including the Chittenden Locks in Seattle and campgrounds on Lake Pend Oreille in Idaho, host more than 2 million visitors a year.
The Corps responds to natural and national disasters. The district provides assistance in flood fighting, rehabilitation of flood control works damaged or destroyed by floods, and advance measures prior to floods. The district has responded to floods, earthquakes, bombings, hurricanes and other emergencies. Also, the district, upon request, provides both technical advice and direct assistance to the Federal Emergency Management Agency under the National Response Framework.
Seattle District’s military mission includes designing and building projects for the Army, Air Force and Army Reserves. Installations served include Malmstrom, Mountain Home and Malmstrom Air Force Bases, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Yakima Training Center and the Umatilla Chemical Depot. The Corps provides real estate services for the Army and Air Force, including recruiting facilities. The district also provides technical services to other armed forces upon request.
Seattle District cleans up current and formerly used military sites, Superfund sites and areas managed by other federal agencies. Seattle District has worked successfully with the Army, Navy and Air Force to clean up contamination at their facilities. In addition, the district supports the Environmental Protection Agency with a number of cleanups around the Northwest.
Seattle District is a Corps-wide Technical Center of Expertise for Preservation of Historic Structures and Buildings. The district provides the Army and other agencies with planning, design and construction services to preserve the nation’s historic structures and buildings.
The Corps can do work for other federal, state, local and tribal agencies, similar to military or civil works projects. Facilities design and construction and environmental cleanup work are common projects.