I thank the organizers of this conference for this opportunity to speak before you. I recognize the importance of this conference in meeting the goals of all our nations - economic development, protection of the environment, and public safety.rnIn the United States, the Army Corps of Engineers has been involved in water resources work since 1824. Part of the reason is historic - in those days, the U.S. Military Academy was the new Nation's only engineering school and the Army had the only organization of trained engineers. Our earliest work was in navigation to link the country together and give us access to world markets, and also for military use. Then over the years, our expertise in one area of water resources led Administrations and Congresses to assign us related missions - flood risk reduction, hydroelectric power, water supply, recreation, regulation of work by others in waters of the U.S., emergency response, and our newest missions in natural resource management and aquatic ecosystem restoration.
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