The many districts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have differing positions on whether or not roadside ditches are jurisdictional waters of the U.S. This task will determine how USACE districts are asserting jurisdiction over roadside ditches, how the state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) are responding within the Section 404 permitting process, and whether any USACE districts and DOTs have agreed upon procedures for assessing whether or not a specific roadside ditch segment is jurisdictional. If the research shows a pattern of making viable roadside ditches jurisdictional determinations, the researcher will propose guidelines for nationwide application.
