What is the Army Corps of Engineers?

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Most people have heard of the name, "The Army Corps of Engineers", but they're not exactly sure what it is they do.

While they don't come up in conversation often, when they are talked about it's usually associated with a flooding disaster like Hurricane Katrina, or Hurricane Harvey.

The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers is as old as the United States. George Washington appointed the first engineer officers of the Army in 1775.

The Corps as we know it today was established in 1802. Throughout the 19th century, the Corps built coastal fortifications, surveyed roads and canals and explored and constructed buildings and monuments in the nation's capital.

In the 20th century, the Corps became the lead federal flood control agency and expanded its civil works activities. The Corps built the Addicks and Barker reservoirs in the 1940's to protect Houston from flooding from the Buffalo Bayou watershed and the Corps of Engineers still owns and operates the two dams today.