Also in 1824, the Corps undertook its first assignments
The Corps of Engineers began to implement major
to construct harbor improvements, such as breakwaters,
flood control projects in 1882 when Congress authorized
jetties and piers. During the following 30 years, the
the Mississippi River Commission to build flood control
Corps developed and used technology to deepen and
levees along the river. In 1907, Army engineers were
maintain harbor depths by dredging; Corps respon-
assigned major responsibilities for construction of the
sibility for harbors continues to the present day.
Panama Canal, which resulted in canal operations only
six years later, in 1913.
In 1825, the Corps was directed to improve the re-
cently-constructed Cumberland Road and to extend it
This sketchy outline of early Corps of Engineers
into the new territories of Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana. In
assignments rather accurately indicates the goals and
1831, the Army Engineers began to supervise construc-
needs which motivated the American nation during the
tion of lighthouses to aid navigation and commerce.
19th and much of the 20th Centuries. Because our young
Republic was preoccupied with economic development
In 1837, Corps of Engineers officers studied the
and growth, the Corps of Engineers carried out missions
navigation potential of the lower Mississippi and recom-
which reflected those national objectives.
mended deepening that river's navigation channel
through dredging. The Corps continued to develop and
Early Corps Contributions to Environmental
utilize dredging technology on the Mississippi up to the
Quality
outbreak of the Civil War.
In 1851, disastrous floods along the Mississippi River
Of course, the Corps did carry out some assignments
led to congressional authorization of the first comprehen-
which clearly were "conservationist" in nature, even dur-
sive topographic and hydrographic study of a major U.S.
ing the 19th Century. For example, Army engineers were
river basin. In response, Corps of Engineers officers com-
prime movers in exploring, mapping and convincing the
pleted a remarkably advanced technical study of the
government to preserve a number of natural areas, the
Mississippi, with recommended improvements for
most notable being Yellowstone, Yosemite and Sequoia
navigation and flood control. The Corps' work on the
National Parks. Corps of Engineers officers were pri-
Mississippi eventually led Congress, in 1879, to create
marily responsible for protecting those parks from com-
the Mississippi River Commission, which was con-
mercial exploitation and vandalism, and for designing
stituted to include three Corps officers as members.
roads and bridges which blend harmoniously with their
natural settings,11 Furthermore, in the last decade of the
In 1874, Congress gave the Corps extensive respon-
sibilities to modernize, restore, and maintain essential
19th Century, Congress directed the Corps to perform a
services for the Federal District of Washington, D.C.
few missions which had "environmental" spin-off
benefits. In 1893 Congress asked the Corps to control hy-
Among other projects, the Corps completed the Wash-
draulic mining abuses in California, where that gold-
ington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Tidal
mining technology threatened to ruin many rivers for
Basin, and the Washington water supply system.
Army Engineers were among the first to explore the Yellowstone area and to urge that it be set aside and protected.
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