About Us

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Vision

Trusted, enterprising professionals strengthening South Carolina and the nation.

Mission

The Charleston District's mission is to deliver comprehensive solutions through exceptional customer service, collaboration and commitment to quality.

Our Civil Works programs include water resource development activities including navigation safety, hurricane and storm risk management, ecosystem restoration, beach nourishment, environmental conservation, hydropower, and recreation.

One of the Corps primary missions is to ensure that boat traffic can move safely, reliably, and efficiently with minimal impact on the environment. Navigation responsibilities include planning and constructing new navigation channels, ports, harbors, locks and dams, and dredging to maintain channel depths at U.S. harbors and in inland waterways. Personnel oversee dredging and construction projects to keep the nation’s waterways navigable. Coastal navigation is a key element of state and local government economic development and job-creation efforts, and is essential in maintaining economic competitiveness and national security.

Charleston District looks for ways to naturally store floodwaters, improve water quality, restore fish and wildlife habitat, promote energy reduction and minimize waste. Nationwide, the Corps applies its environmental commitment—to all its decision-making and programs—through its Environmental Operating Principles.

The Corps of Engineers protects the nation’s aquatic resources, while allowing reasonable development through fair, flexible and balanced permit decisions. Charleston District is responsible for administering the regulatory program throughout the state of South Carolina. The Corps evaluates permit applications for construction activities that occur in the Nation’s waters, including wetlands. Corps permits are also necessary for any work, including construction and dredging, in the Nation’s navigable waters.

We provide current and accurate floodplain information to the public and decision makers, identify flood hazards posed by aging flood damage reduction infrastructure, improve public awareness, integrate flood damage and flood hazard reduction programs across local, state and federal agencies, and improve collaboration among agencies to deliver and sustain flood damage reduction and flood hazard mitigation services to the nation.

Our emergency management mission is to pre-position assessment teams and contractors, and the deployment of other advanced elements in preparation for an emergency. We assess needs and damages following a disaster, clear debris to enable reconnaissance of the damaged areas and passage of emergency personnel or equipment for lifesaving, health & safety, and property protection. We provide expedient emergency access routes, which include repairs to damaged streets, bridges, ports, waterways, airfields, and other facilities necessary for emergency access. The emergency response mission includes providing for potable water, ice, power, or temporary housing, as well as technical assistance, including inspection of private residential structures and commercial structures.

Charleston District serves Overseas Contingency Operations by sending volunteer employees to serve at the Corps Districts in Afghanistan and Iraq, helping to rebuild infrastructure and stabilize the region while serving both the United States military and the people of Afghanistan and Iraq.

As part of its Military Construction program the Corps contributes to the defense mission by building Communities of Excellence from which U.S. military power can be projected worldwide. This work includes building ranges and other training facilities, barracks, dining halls, hospitals and workplaces for the Army; design, construction management and real estate services for the Air Force; and quality-of-life facilities such as recreation centers, commissaries and exchange.