Encouragingly, they were receptive to our feedback and had already heard similar concerns from the public. As a result, they briefly paused all waterway debris removal work to retrain their contractors on properly-interpreting the standards and best practices, hopefully ensuring the retention of more live trees, ground cover, and legacy debris for the sake of bank stability and critical habitat. Additionally, the USACE has hired a new staff member dedicated to improving contractor training, and one of the primary in-stream debris contractors has brought on additional arborists for expert guidance.

We left the meeting feeling optimistic about these changes and hope to see improvements in the field, however, public vigilance remains crucial. Our community can play an important role in identifying potential violations against the standards that all USACE contractors must follow.

Key issues to watch for and report are:

• Lack of timber matting beneath vehicles and machines entering waterways.
• Spilled petroleum products or any other hazardous waste.
• Any form of excavation (digging) of soil or woody debris (versus pulling).
• Removal of live trees leaning less than 30%.
• Removal of rootballs with less than 50% exposure.
• Intact clumps of soil attached to the roots of removed trees.
• Removal of downed trees existing prior to the storm.
• Use of vehicles or machines in wetlands.

Use the form below to submit instances of perceived violations, which we will then relay to our contacts with the USACE. You are also welcome to send the information you collect (paired with the applicable standard) directly to your county’s County Manager and Emergency Management Director.