When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Latin America & Caribbean District elevated concerns to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) about internal processes slowing delivery of the Guajataca Dam Permanent Repair project in Puerto Rico, FEMA took decisive action. By implementing new, streamlined procedures, the FEMA–USACE collaboration is expected to trim 2–3 years off the project timeline and save tens of millions of taxpayer dollars. This new collaborative model is reshaping how FEMA works with USACE and other federal agencies to deliver infrastructure more efficiently for the communities they serve.
“The Trump Administration has made clear that federal agencies must deliver critical infrastructure faster, more efficiently and with greater accountability to taxpayers,” said Region 2 FEMA Administrator Christopher Hartnett. “That is exactly what this partnership is doing. By working with USACE and PREPA earlier in the process, FEMA is helping cut years from the schedule, reduce costs and advance permanent repairs that will protect communities and support reliable water service for more than 300,000 Americans in northwestern Puerto Rico.”
Guajataca Dam, owned by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), has been identified as a high-risk structure requiring specialized engineering expertise. The dam, which serves as a key water source and flood risk management structure for more than 300,000 residents, businesses and agricultural operations in northwestern Puerto Rico, sustained significant damage during Hurricane María in 2017. Temporary emergency repairs stabilized the structure, but permanent repairs are still required to ensure long-term safety and reliable water service.
Through a collaborative Memorandum of Agreement with PREPA, the Latin America & Caribbean District is leading the technical and engineering work alongside the USACE Dam Safety Production Center–Huntington District, which provides advanced dam safety engineering, risk analysis and design capabilities for complex, high-risk structures nationwide. As part of this collaborative approach, USACE is pursuing aggressive contracting initiatives that allow early construction features to move forward while final design is underway, supported by FEMA’s ability to secure project funding early.
“Guajataca Dam is a critical piece of Puerto Rico’s water and public‑safety infrastructure, and permanent repairs are essential to ensuring it continues to serve the communities that rely on it every day. With FEMA’s support and PREPA’s partnership, USACE is applying the full strength of our dam‑safety engineering expertise to deliver a modern, long‑term solution that strengthens the structure, reduces risk, and improves reliability for more than 300,000 people across the region. This is exactly the kind of mission where coordinated federal and local action makes a lasting difference.” — Brig. Gen. Zachary Miller, Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers South Atlantic Division
Together, these efforts reflect a shift toward earlier alignment, clearer roles and more efficient execution across all partners. These improvements are made possible through FEMA’s early funding actions, which provide the resources needed to begin Phase 1 work. FEMA’s Region 2 Puerto Rico Recovery Office obligated nearly $509.5 million for the first phase of the project, focused on site preparation activities that include demolishing buildings, relocating utilities, routing and detouring traffic, and reconstructing the water siphon system. The estimated cost to complete the permanent construction phase of this project ranges from $1 to $1.75 billion.
For USACE, these coordinated actions demonstrate the principles of the Secretary of the Army for Civil Works’ Build Infrastructure, Not Paperwork initiative by leveraging shared expertise, streamlining requirements, strengthening collective response capabilities, and ensuring contract actions directly support infrastructure that protects communities and delivers value to taxpayers.
Release no. 26-001