Information on Corps of Engineers' Clarence Cannon Dam and Mark Twain Lake Project
RCED-83-149: Published: May 25, 1983. Publicly Released: May 25, 1983.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
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In response to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the status of land lease agreements and flooding problems at the Clarence Cannon Dam and Mark Twain Lake site and actions taken by the Corps of Engineers to address flood concerns of downstream landowners, and it updated the project's cost and schedule analysis discussed in a 1977 report.
In 1981, the Corps' temporary dam construction and flood control efforts resulted in flood damage to lands leased above and below the dam, and extensive damage was sustained by the main dam. The land above the dam had been leased by the Corps for agricultural purposes, and the leases stated that the government was not liable for flood damage. However, the lessees filed damage claims on the flooded lands. These claims were denied both by the Corps and GAO because of the nonliability clauses in the leases and because the action which caused the flooding was an exercise of the Corps' discretionary authority to control flood waters and involved no negligence. Investigations have revealed that the maximum flow needed to produce capacity power might still prevent access to some downstream fields. The latest Corps project construction cost estimate was $76 million greater than the 1977 GAO report estimate because of revisions to data, correction of errors or omissions, contract costs, design changes, and inflation. Since the 1977 report, the Corps has revised its cost-estimate manuals to require complete documentation and to allow for inflation. However, GAO found that about 18 percent of the cost estimates for the project are not adequately documented and the scheduled project completion date is now 4 years later than estimated in 1977. Finally, GAO found that the cost-benefit ratio has returned to that projected in the 1977 report.
Jan 22, 2021
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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:
Information on the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability ProgramGAO-21-240R: Published: Jan 22, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 22, 2021.
Jan 19, 2021
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Chemical Assessments:
Annual EPA Survey Inconsistent with Leading Practices in Program ManagementGAO-21-156: Published: Dec 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Jan 19, 2021.
Jan 15, 2021
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Environmental Liabilities:
NASA's Reported Financial Liabilities Have Grown, and Several Factors Contribute to Future UncertaintiesGAO-21-205: Published: Jan 15, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 15, 2021.
Jan 13, 2021
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Nuclear Waste:
Congressional Action Needed to Clarify a Disposal Option at West Valley Site in New YorkGAO-21-115: Published: Jan 13, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 13, 2021.
Jan 7, 2021
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Hanford Cleanup:
DOE's Efforts to Close Tank Farms Would Benefit from Clearer Legal Authorities and CommunicationGAO-21-73: Published: Jan 7, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 7, 2021.
Dec 18, 2020
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Drinking Water:
EPA Could Use Available Data to Better Identify Neighborhoods at Risk of Lead ExposureGAO-21-78: Published: Dec 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 18, 2020. -
Recycling:
Building on Existing Federal Efforts Could Help Address Cross-Cutting ChallengesGAO-21-87: Published: Dec 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 18, 2020.
Dec 9, 2020
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Environmental Protection:
Action Needed to Ensure EPA's Enforcement and Compliance Activities Support Its Strategic GoalsGAO-21-82: Published: Dec 9, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 9, 2020. -
Oil and Gas:
Onshore Competitive and Noncompetitive Lease RevenuesGAO-21-138: Published: Nov 19, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 9, 2020.
Dec 7, 2020
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Air Pollution:
Opportunities to Better Sustain and Modernize the National Air Quality Monitoring SystemGAO-21-38: Published: Nov 12, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 7, 2020.
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