Inside the Water Resources Development Act of 2007

The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2007 became law November 9, 2007 after both houses of Congress voted to override a presidential veto. A pork‐barrel bill by design, members of Congress seeking particular project authorizations exerted tremendous pressure to pass the bill. The legislation authorizes flood control, navigation, and environmental projects and studies by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps). If fully funded, WRDA 2007 is estimated by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to result in about $11.2 billion of spending from 2008 to 2012 ( CBO, 2007 ). An additional $12 billion would be needed over the 10‐year period beyond 2012, with some construction and operations costs continuing or commencing even after the first 15 years. This article describes the WRDA as federal legislation that is the main vehicle for authorizing water projects undertaken by the Corps. It is also the vehicle used to implement policy changes in Corps water resource projects and programs. The article discusses how WRDA legislation was developed, project funding, and the nine titles of the 2007 WRDA.