OUR IMPACT
Americans love recreating on the water, and when they do – it’s most likely on a lake or waterway managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the largest provider of water-based recreation in the country! The Corps Foundation is the only nationwide nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to supporting our nation’s lakes, rivers and the lands surrounding them. The Corps Foundation works to connect contributors, businesses, communities and “Friends” organizations to benefit visitors and help ensure healthy lakes and waterways for current and future generations.
Watch and learn more about the Corps Foundation’s work.
BREAKING NEWS
HOW WE ARE HELPING
Supporting Recreation
Did you know that USACE operates and manages over 430 recreation sites and 12 million acres of land and waters in 42 states? Over 270 million visitors annually enjoy the recreation activities at these sites, and their tourism dollars support local, mostly rural, gateway communities. Federal funding for boating and fishing facilities and management has declined in spite of increased public demand. LEARN MORE…
Donations and memberships to the Corps Foundation provide financial support to improve programs and facilities that directly benefit the public.
Stewarding Public Lands
We partner with agencies, organizations and local community efforts to sustain operations, improve recreational facilities, preserve natural and cultural resources and enhance the visitor experience. The Corps Foundation pursues a variety of fundraising, and grant opportunities to help keep USACE public lands open to the public, support the outdoor recreation economy and leverage public-private resources.
Education and Advocacy
Visitor safety is a #1 priority for USACE. The Corps Foundation supports USACE and the efforts of their employees and volunteers to educate the visiting public in ways that promote safe and sustainable use of lands and waters managed by USACE. The Corps Foundation has secured over $1 million in funds to help promote the award-winning Life Jackets Worn…Nobody Mourns campaign. Free campaign materials are available for at PleaseWearIt.com and by following Please Wear It on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The Corps Foundation educates and supports the visiting public and volunteers to promote safe and sustainable use of Corps lands and waters. Visitor safety is the #1 goal when using lakes and waterways managed by USACE. The Corps Foundation secured $1 million in funding for the award-winning “Life Jackets Worn…Nobody Mourns” campaign for water safety. Read about our success at PleaseWearIt.com.
The Corps Foundation advocates for increased funding to address operational needs, unfunded maintenance and infrastructure restoration. We advocate for policy changes to increase opportunities for partnering, and leverage public-private resources. We work to build a case for stakeholder support by communicating the limitations of Federal Funding and the importance of partnerships to help meet public demand.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR WORK
Why Join
People join the Corps Foundation to help keep access available to their favorite lake or waterway. Your financial support benefits the parks, and the volunteers who dedicate their service to maintaining water recreation for everyone. JOIN US…
HOW YOU CAN HELP
The Corps Foundation uses 100% of your membership and donation funds to directly support education programs, stewardship projects and contribute toward partnership opportunities. Americans are enjoying their public lands more than ever before. In fact, outdoor recreation now comprises over 2% of the American economy. Despite this demand, public lands agencies, including the US Army Corps of Engineers, continue to face reduced Federal funding that could impact your access to lands and waters of the US.
Your financial support helps Corps projects and their friends groups connect, grow, and increase their capacity to fulfill the Corps’ natural resource education mission on lakes and waterways across America.
Advocate for America’s Waterways!
Advocacy Toolkit PDF
Advocacy Toolkit XLSX
See our latest advocacy efforts here.
Water Water Everywhere
Thanks to the Corps, there are countless parks at the many lakes and waterways. Click on the map to find your favorite.
THE LATEST FROM OUR FACEBOOK PAGE
Throwback Thursday for 5 June 2025, Part 2.
Photo from the same day.... Lewis and Clark Commemoration Support Staff. From Left: Jay Vanhoose, Susan Maynard, Jamie Kordack, Jean Hixson, Davis White, Ken Wilk, Susie Kline, Patti Williams, Ariel Kline, Craig Rockwell, Kathleen Bennett, Brian Westfall, Jean Nauss, Dan Sandersfeld, Bob Cifranic. Photo credit: Rich Deline.
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
Looks like everyone is having a great time!
Thank you for sharing these great photos! Sally Wilk
Throwback Thursday for 5 June 2025. Did you know that a group of Corps rangers and other USACE employees spent several years as part of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial? The caption for this photo: Captain Lewis' Company at Pompey's Pillar, Montana 2006. Back row L to R: John Steinle, Jim McElhinney, Pat Kline, Jeff Boutwell, Ed Shirley, Rick Magee, Jon Carlson, Don Ferricks, Jim Hebb, Robbie Henderson. Front row L to R: Dennis Nichols, Gene Hermann, Charlie Dutsch, Jeff Bender, Larry Spisak, Tim Bischoff. Phot courtesy of Rich Deline (founding member of the Corps Foundation).
4 CommentsComment on Facebook
Great group of people. It's sad that some of the people in this photo are not walking on the planet anymore.
One of the best experiences. An amazing group of guys right there!
Three years from 2003 to 2006 . 15 major events across three major river systems (Ohio, Missouri and Columbia) .
The Corps Foundation Celebrates Another Outstanding Volunteer!
This one comes from Conchas Lake in Albuquerque District. Thank you, Nadine Carter, for the nomination.
Paula Waller has made an extraordinary impact on our community by single-handedly tackling litter control around the lake. With unwavering dedication, she walks the shoreline regularly, picking up trash and ensuring that the area remains clean and inviting for all. Her commitment goes beyond mere cleanup; she takes pride in preserving the beauty of our natural environment.
What truly sets her apart is her proactive approach and passion for the cause. spending countless hours each week, Paula not only enhances the lake's aesthetics but also inspires others to care for their surroundings. Her efforts have transformed the area into a cleaner, healthier habitat for wildlife and a more enjoyable space for visitors.
Through her hard work and determination, Paula exemplifies the spirit of community service, making her a remarkable role model for us all. We are incredibly grateful for her selfless dedication to keeping our lake beautiful.
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In the second iteration of our "Throwback Thursday" feature, we are sharing a photo of USACE Park Ranger John Bowling, on Jake, the "Buckhorn Mule." Jake helped rangers check boundary lines in the steep eastern Kentucky terrain. This photo was taken at Buckhorn Lake during the mid-to-late 1960s. Note the "sheriff style" hat that rangers wore back then. Thanks to Bonnie F. Bryson, Ed.D for supplying the photo, and for the corrections.
1 CommentComment on Facebook
Always good to see this photo reshared on along.
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.0 CommentsComment on Facebook