US Army Corps of Engineers - Letters of Permission

Appreciate the response.

I filed mine with em in beginning of March. Ill give them another few weeks.

My plan was to build a road/dam across a brake on the back of my property and be able to control the water level. I wanted to get NRCS on board to help me fund this “wetland project”. They are the ones who had me ask the corp first for their permission. The Corp granted it within 3-4 weeks. But to build what I wanted to NRCS’s specs it was going to cost a shitload of money, even with them paying 30-40%. So I ended up doing it with the front end loader on my tractor. A project thats been in progress for about 6 years

If you are talking about a 404 permit it could take between 60-180 days. That's before all this Corona stuff kicked off so who knows now.

You talking about a USACE permit? We plan on 180-270 days but usually a small private job is 90-180 days.

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Now if you are breaking ground greater than (I think) 12" or something into natural grade while the river is above XX at Carrolton gauge you need a permit.

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Can you link that?

I am not pressed now, but the river typically starts dropping in the next couple months and I plan on knocking out some work.

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Between 12'-15' you need permission.
Above 15' no work is getting done if I remember correctly.

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Is this river stage or size of project?

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Between 12'-15' you need permission.
Above 15' no work is getting done if I remember correctly.


Is this river stage or size of project?

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I deal with this all the time for work. You are dealing with the Completed Works folks at the Corps.

"Subsurface, seismic, and demolition work have the greatest potential to cause levee failure. Levee failure
during high river stages can be catastrophic! Therefore, subsurface work within 1500’ of a MR&T levee
(mainline Mississippi River levee) and seismic surveys/demolition using explosives within 5000’ of any
MR&T project is restricted by stipulations in the LONO to being conducted only when the stage of the
Mississippi River is below elevation +11.0 feet NGVD on the Carrollton gauge, New Orleans, Louisiana, unless
a waiver is granted for higher stages. No work of any kind is allowed within 1500’ of an MR&T levee when
the river stage is above +15.0 feet NGVD at the Carrollton gauge."

"Waivers are considered on a case-by-case basis, and are dependent on the surrounding subsurface ground
conditions in the vicinity of the project, the distance the project is away from the levee, and the forecasted river
stages. Waivers are only considered when the river stage is forecast to exceed +11.0 feet at the Carrollton gage.
Applicants are advised to monitor the river stages by calling (504) 862-2461 or checking www.rivergages.com for
daily updates and forecasts."

With the river stages so high, those completed works folks are on flood fight, daily levee inspections. So most of them are out of the office and hard to reach. That may be why its taking so long. I've worked with the Corps over 15 years and nothing moves as quick as they say it will. Also, if you are within 1500' of the levee toe, doesn't matter what you do when river levees are high, you have to get a LONO for any subsurface work. Last year when the river was real high, they were shutting down folks left and right. Wouldn't approve truck parking near the levee..... You'll get your letter, just gonna take some time, be patient and nice with Corps folks.

good luck

Yeah what flimfam posted.

If you are just putting in a septic tank, go ahead and just do it since its a few hour project. I didn't pull a permit for mine. Obviously I had to on the house though since thats highly visible.

Can't speak to what you are doing, but I can tell you that you wont get a permit to do anything ground disturbance wise with the river over 15'. The company I work for is an engineering company that designs industrial docks and driving piles is at a standstill with the river over 15'.