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Waters of the United States
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Final Rule: The Navigable Waters Protection Rule

The Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the agencies) are in receipt of the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona’s August 30, 2021, order vacating and remanding the Navigable Waters Protection Rule in the case of Pascua Yaqui Tribe v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In light of this order, the agencies have halted implementation of the Navigable Waters Protection Rule and are interpreting “waters of the United States” consistent with the pre-2015 regulatory regime until further notice. The agencies continue to review the order and consider next steps. This includes working expeditiously to move forward with the rulemakings announced on June 9, 2021, in order to better protect our nation’s vital water resources that support public health, environmental protection, agricultural activity, and economic growth. The agencies remain committed to crafting a durable definition of “waters of the United States” that is informed by diverse perspectives and based on an inclusive foundation.


On April 21, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Army (Army) published the Navigable Waters Protection Rule to define “Waters of the United States” in the Federal Register.

  • The Navigable Waters Protection Rule: Definition of "Waters of the United States" (pdf)
  • Waters of the United States Home
  • About Waters of the United States
    • Current Definition of Waters of the United States
    • Programs Utilizing the Definition of Waters of the United States
  • Current Implementation of Waters of the United States
    • Training and Implementation Memos
    • Implementation Tools and Methods
  • Revising the Definition of Waters of the United States
    • Public Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement Activities
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on September 3, 2021
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