What are General Investigations (GI)?
The traditional and most common way for USACE to help a community solve a water resource problem is through individually authorized studies and projects. These types of studies are undertaken in response to a Congressional Resolution from the House Committee on Public Works and Transportation, The Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works, or a Public Law. In this program, USACE jointly conducts a study with a non-federal sponsor and, if shown by the study to be feasible, constructs the project. This approach requires that Congress provide USACE with authority and funds to first accomplish a feasibility study and, secondly, to construct the project. Local sponsors share the study and construction costs with USACE and usually pay for all operation and maintenance costs. This approach may be used to address any one of a variety of water resource problems, including navigation, flood damage reduction and ecosystem restoration. General Investigations funds studies, design, coord
