Section 729 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986, as amended, authorizes the US Army Corps of Engineers to study water resources on a watershed level. Watershed assessments are planning initiatives that have a multi-purpose and multi-objective scope and are designed to address integrated water resources management. 

The outcome of a watershed assessment will generally be a Watershed Management Plan. The Watershed Management Plan may identify further Corps studies or implementation projects, or it may highlight actions that can be implemented by others for the benefit of the watershed.