Section 203 Studies: Delivering Value Through Our Expertise

Why HDR: Your USACE Section 203 Study Partner and Feasibility Study Consultant

We are a leader in the Section 203 space, with firsthand experience delivering the first modern Section 203 study under the current framework in 2025. As an owner's advisor, prime consultant, and technical lead, we have guided USACE-compliant studies nationwide and helped sponsors advance projects from concept to authorization and funding. Our practical, proven approach combines deep technical expertise with a clear understanding of the federal process, helping clients maintain momentum and turn project ideas into implementable solutions.

Learn more in these videos:

USACE-Led Section 203 Feasibility Study Workshop Series

We're excited to be participants in the USACE-led Section 203 Feasibility Study Workshop Series. Our team looks forward to connecting with you and answering any questions you may have.

Workshop Details

Contact Us

For inland waterways and ecosystems or unique authorities, hydropower and water supply-related topics, contact Travis Rayfield.

For coastal storm risk management (CSRM) and deep draft navigation-related topics, contact Tim Vail.

For more info contact

Travis Rayfield

Water Resources Management Lead

Email

For more info contact

Tim Vail

Texas Area Water Manager

Email

What’s Changing in USACE Studies: Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), Section 203, and Federal Funding Shifts

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) feasibility studies are evolving. While the General Investigations (GI) program remains the traditional path for advancing large water resources projects, increasing competition for federal study resources and growing infrastructure needs are prompting many sponsors to consider alternative delivery approaches. Section 203 gives non-federal sponsors the opportunity to lead a USACE-compliant feasibility study using local funds, providing greater control over schedule, study development, and project momentum while maintaining a pathway toward congressional authorization and future federal participation.

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Why It Matters: Navigating Your USACE Feasibility Study as a Non-Federal Sponsor

Section 203 helps communities keep priority infrastructure projects moving through a streamlined process, increased local control, and access to non-competitive federal funding opportunities. For HDR, it is an opportunity to partner with clients from concept to implementation, delivering resilient solutions that create lasting value.

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Section 203 Experience Across USACE Divisions

USACE Division Map where HDR also has completed Section 203 studies.

Our team supports flood risk management studies, ecosystem restoration feasibility studies, and navigable channel modifications across USACE divisions, helping non-federal sponsors advance Section 203 studies toward a federal investment decision.

Image: U.S. map of USACE District Headquarters, USACE Division Headquarters, and Divisions with HDR Section 203 Experience: Portland, Oregon; San Francisco, California; Dallas, Texas; Vicksburg, Mississippi; Atlanta, Georgia.

Cedar Port | Baytown, Texas

Flood Risk

In 2025, HDR helped redefine USACE Section 203 delivery, turning a complex assignment into a national milestone. As owner advisor to the Cedar Port Navigation Improvement District, HDR helped to charter the approach that led to the first Section 203 completed and submitted to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works (ASA (CW), with USACE providing technical assistance and supporting National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) federal activities during the planning process. This approach has been possible only since 2020, when Congress authorized the Corps to provide these services to non-federal interests. Integration of the Corps into the 203 process streamlined reviews and enabled the submission of a complete, fully compliant, technically robust study to the ASA(CW) in under three years.

SAFER Program | Harris County, Texas

Flood Risk

Harris County is advancing the nation’s largest USACE Section 203 effort — enhancing flood resilience for over four million residents. As lead firm for the SAFER Program, HDR is driving this transformative, multi-project initiative with rigorous economic analysis, federal coordination, and innovative approaches to flood risk management. Through SAFER, HDR is setting a new standard for large-scale, resilient infrastructure — and creating a model for nationwide flood risk reduction.

Sabine Neches Navigation Channel Widening | Texas and Louisiana

Navigation

Along the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast, the Sabine Neches Waterway is a nationally significant freight corridor long overdue for modernization. HDR is helping the Navigation District advance a Section 203 study that targets strategic channel improvements—enhancing safety, efficiency, and economic performance.

With deep expertise in channel design, hydrodynamics, and navigation impacts, HDR is delivering critical analyses that move the study through federal review, helping align sponsor priorities with lasting, high-impact improvements.

Sabine Neches Navigation Channel Widening, Section 203 Study

Flood Risk and Ecosystem Restoration of Monument and Fountain Creek | Colorado Springs, Colorado

Flood Risk & Ecosystem Restoration

The City of Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs Utilities, and Pikes Peak Waterways are partnering to restore over 10 miles of Monument and Fountain Creeks through downtown — tackling sedimentation, erosion, and barriers to aquatic life. HDR is supporting this sponsor-led Section 203 study to improve water quality, restore habitat, and create resilient, naturalized channels — all while establishing a clear framework for phased federal and local investments. As the first Section 203 study in the South Pacific Division, HDR is helping set a replicable model for urban watershed restoration that aligns community goals with federal priorities.

Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan | Florida

Flood Risk & Ecosystem Restoration

HDR is advancing a nationally recognized Section 203 study for the South Florida Water Management District — quickly becoming a model for others to follow. By tackling complex, compound flood risks and quantifying real-world benefits, our team is helping build a compelling case for federal investment.

With momentum toward Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 2026, this effort showcases how the right technical approach can turn complexity into opportunity.

South Florida Water Management District aerial.

Proven Leaders. Trusted Advisors.

Col. (R) Travis Rayfield, P.E., PMP

Water Resources Management Lead
(816) 625-8595 | Travis.rayfield [at] hdrinc.com (Travis[dot]Rayfield[at]hdrinc[dot]com)
Former Kansas City and San Francisco District Commander and District Engineer

Travis is a water resources leader with 27 years of experience, including senior leadership roles with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where he led large-scale feasibility programs and WRDA-authorized studies. He specializes in delivering USACE-aligned and Section 203 feasibility efforts, guiding non-federal sponsors through complex studies, coordination, and implementation.

Col. (R) Tim Vail

Texas Area Water Manager
(713) 412-9294 | Timothy.Vail [at] hdrinc.com (Timothy[dot]Vail[at]hdrinc[dot]com)
Former Galveston and Walla Walla District Commander and District Engineer

Tim is a water resources and civil works leader with 27 years of USACE experience, including command of multiple Corps Districts and service as military advisor to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works). He specializes in USACE Section 203–aligned feasibility studies and civil works programs, guiding complex projects from planning through implementation while coordinating federal, state and local partners.

Andrew Thiess, P.E.

Ports and Maritime Program Manager
(843) 327-7295 | Andrew.Thiess [at] hdrinc.com (Andrew[dot]Thiess[at]hdrinc[dot]com)
Section 203 Study and HDR Resource Coordinator

Andrew is a senior project manager with over 30 years of experience leading complex industrial and infrastructure projects in the U.S. and internationally. His expertise spans construction management, engineering design, feasibility studies, and planning for maritime ports, petrochemical facilities, pipelines, power plants, and environmental remediation, enabling him to keep projects on track through challenging technical, environmental, and political conditions.

Leslie Tice, CEP

Environmental Director, Water
(925) 465-2803 | Leslie.Tice [at] hdrinc.com (Leslie[dot]Tice[at]hdrinc[dot]com)
Integrated Planning and Environmental Strategist/Regulatory Compliance Specialist

Leslie is the environmental director for our water practice, with over 28 years of experience guiding environmental programs through planning, regulatory compliance, and impact analyses. She serves as an early-planning environmental strategist before a project is defined and works with project and program teams to define the optimal environmental approach, needs, risks and opportunities. She leads NEPA and state environmental impact analyses, integrating environmental considerations into planning and design early.

Pete Perez, P.E.

Army Civil Works Program Manager
(210) 278-0415 | Pete.Perez [at] hdrinc.com (Pete[dot]Perez[at]hdrinc[dot]com)
Former Chief of Engineering and Construction at USACE Headquarters

Pete brings over 32 years of board experience across all aspects of civil works. As the chief of engineering and construction for USACE, he was responsible for delivering the diverse civil works portfolio, which included dam and levee safety, coastal resiliency and flood risk management, natural and nature-based features, and non-structural solutions. In his current capacity at HDR, he supports the team in navigating the complex civil works processes.

Angela Schedel, Ph.D., P.E.

Coastal Programs Director; Resiliency
(904) 401-4623 | Angela.Schedel [at] hdrinc.com (Angela[dot]Schedel[at]hdrinc[dot]com)
Coastal Resilience Leader Specializing in Sea Level Rise Adaptation

Angela is the director of coastal programs, leading teams that restore and protect vulnerable coastlines. With 24 years in the U.S. Navy and a doctorate in civil engineering focused on sea level rise adaptation, she brings expertise in coastal resilience, dredged material reuse, and ecosystem restoration. Angela has taught ocean engineering at the U.S. Naval Academy, led national research teams at the Army Engineer Research & Development Center, and serves on multiple professional boards, guiding clients and communities in addressing coastal impacts.

A Diverse Team Supporting Section 203, Environmental Studies, and Sponsor Services Coast to Coast

Successful USACE Section 203 studies require more than leadership—they demand a multidisciplinary team with nationwide experience. Our broader bench includes specialists in planning, engineering, environmental compliance, economics, and stakeholder engagement who have supported feasibility studies across the country. Together, they bring the depth, technical rigor, and regional insight needed to advance sponsor-led studies efficiently, meet USACE expectations, and move projects from concept to authorization. These highlighted team members are just a sample of our broader team.

Gretchen Brown

Senior Project Manager, Water Resources

Five years as a civil works project manager at USACE, Galveston District, managing feasibility studies in shallow and deep draft navigation, shoreline stabilization, and flood risk management. Experience includes Section 203 studies for the Raymondville Drain Study (flood risk management) and Cedar Port Channel (deep draft navigation), as well as one year at HDR managing the SAFER 203 Study, a flood risk management effort spanning 11 watersheds in Harris County, Texas.

Colleen Roberts, P.E.

Water Business Development Lead

Eleven years supporting USACE feasibility and mega studies, including major river and levee systems and complex, nationwide flood risk and watershed programs. Representative projects: Little Blue River (MO); Manhattan Levee Improvements (KS); Shunganunga Creek (KS); Missouri River Bed Degradation Study; Lower Missouri River Navigation Study; Jefferson City, MO L-142 Flood Risk Management Feasibility Study.

Ryan Hammons, PWS

Senior Wetlands Specialist
(702) 435-4975 | Ryan.Hammons [at] hdrinc.com (Ryan[dot]Hammons[at]hdrinc[dot]com)
Section 203 Environmental Lead Specializing in Permitting Strategy and Risk Reduction for USACE Approval

Ryan is a senior wetland specialist and certified Professional Wetland Scientist with experience supporting USACE Section 203 studies through environmental planning, permitting strategy, and regulatory coordination. He specializes in Section 404 permitting, Section 7 consultation, and Migratory Bird Treaty Act compliance, key to developing permit-ready deliverables. Ryan supports water, federal, energy, and transportation clients, aligning environmental documentation with USACE expectations. He also contributes to ecosystem restoration and holds an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate for sUAS data collection.

Dean McLeod, Ph.D.

Principal Economic Consultant

Twenty‑five years supporting USACE and USBR water resources economics, including recent service as flood risk management economics regional technical specialist for the South Pacific Division. Experience includes economic leadership and technical review for major studies such as the Yolo Bypass Comprehensive Study, American River Common Features, Folsom Dam Raise, Pajaro River flood risk and life‑safety assessment, and the Central Valley Project Cost Allocation Study..

Stu Townsley

Senior Management Water Resources Consultant

Twenty-three years supporting USACE in a variety of roles, including DPM for the San Francisco District and chief of operations and regulatory for the South Pacific Division. Experience includes work on an abbreviated Pajaro study, the Oakland Harbor Turning Basin study, a General Reevaluation Report for the Upper Guadalupe River in the San Jose area, and a Regional Dredge Material Management Plan covering ports and channels throughout San Francisco Bay, as well as multiple studies under the Continuing Authorities and Tribal Partnership Programs.

David Moore, P.E.

Civil Works Lead
(614) 787-3102 | David.l.Moore [at] hdrinc.com (David[dot]l[dot]Moore[at]hdrinc[dot]com)
Dam and Levee Safety Expert Specializing in Flood Risk Analysis

David brings over 30 years of experience in dam and levee safety, flood risk reduction, and coastal resiliency. He has supported the USACE and local sponsors on flood risk and storm management projects, delivering FEMA levee certifications and advising on over 300 dams and levees nationwide. His expertise in hydraulic modeling, consequence analysis, and practical flood protection design and construction enables clients to make risk-informed decisions.