95The Military Engineer ? No. 666 Historical Perspective By David J. Lipsky W ater resource planning has been a key discipline in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) since its beginning in 1775, when Gen. George Washington appointed Col. Richard Gridley as the ?rst Chief Engi- neer of the U.S. Army and directed him to plan and build seacoast forti?cations. In the 1790s, USACE began planning and constructing lighthouses and other aids to navigation in the Northeast. In 1852, Con- gress commissioned the construction of the Washington Aqueduct to supply water to the nations capital and nearby commu- nities. USACE planners designed its 12-mi pipeline, parts of which became active Jan. 3, 1859, with the full pipeline becoming op- erational in 1864. Today, operating under the control of the USACE North Atlantic Divisions Baltimore District, the aqueduct produces an average of 180-million-G of water daily at two treatment plants in the District of Columbia. The aqueduct sup- plies water for approximately one million citizens living, working, or visiting in the District of Columbia, Arlington County, Va., and Falls Church, Va. The planning and project management disciplines required to execute these his- torical projects evolved over time and con- tinue today. The current boundaries of the North Atlantic Division include all or part of the 14 states from Maine to Virginia and the District of Columbia. Through ?ve of its six districts—New England, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Norfolk— the North Atlantic Division operates and maintains ?ve canals, four locks, 3,165-mi USACE Water Resource Planning The USACE North Atlantic Divisions water planning mission addresses water investigations, navigation studies and environmental restoration while carrying on a centuries-old legacy of civil works stewardship. Editors Note: For the purpose of this historical feature, The Military Engineer edi- torial staff selected an article submission that has not been previously published. Rather it is an historical examination of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Divisions water planning mission and its legacy. Prompton Lake State Park, located in eastern Pennsylvania, is a USACE-managed recreation area that includes a 290-acre lake and boat launch. USACE photo
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