1 Introduction 



Monitoring Completed Navigation Projects 

 Program 



The goal of the Monitoring Completed Navigation Projects (MCNP) Program 

 (formerly Monitoring Completed Coastal Projects Program) is the advancement of 

 coastal engineering technology. It is designed to determine how well projects are 

 accomplishing their purposes and are resisting attacks of the physical environment. 

 These determinations, combined with concepts and understanding already available, 

 will lead to more credibility in predicting engineering solutions to coastal problems; 

 to strengthening and improving design criteria and methodology; to improving 

 construction practices and cost-effectiveness; and to improving operation and 

 maintenance techniques. Additionally, the monitoring program will identify where 

 current technology is inadequate or where additional research is required. 



To develop the direction for the program, the Corps of Engineers established an 

 ad hoc committee of coastal engineers and scientists. The committee formulated the 

 program's objectives, developed its operational philosophy, recommended funding 

 levels, and established criteria and procedures for project selection. A significant 

 result of their efforts was a prioritized listing of problem areas to be addressed, 

 essentially a listing of the program's areas of interest. Areas of interest for the 

 MCNP program are shown in Table 1 . 



Corps coastal offices are invited to nominate projects for inclusion in the 

 monitoring program as fiinds become available. A selection committee, comprised 

 of members of the MCNP Program Field Review Group (representatives from 

 District and Division offices) and civilian members of the Coastal Engineering 

 Research Board, reviews and prioritizes the projects nominated. The prioritized list 

 is reviewed by the Program Monitors at Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of 

 Engineers (HQUSACE). Final selection is based on this prioritized list, national 

 priorities, and the availability of funding. 



The overall monitoring program is vmder the management of the U.S. Army 

 Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (WES), Coastal and Hydraulics 

 Laboratory (CHL), with guidance from HQUSACE. Operation of individual 



Chapter 1 Introduction 



