(a) Local protection works. On projects authorized subject to specified conditions of local cooperation, no construction is undertaken by the Department of the Army until satisfactory assurances of the required local cooperation have been accepted by the Secretary of the Army and until any lands, easements, and rights-of-way required to be furnished by local interests have been made available for at least a complete unit of the project. The District Engineers notify local interests concerned of the requirements of local cooperation and request assurances by registered mail prior to the preparation of final plans and specifications. Regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Army for the maintenance and operation of local flood protection works are contained in § 208.10 of this chapter. When assurances satisfactory to the District Engineer are received, they are forwarded through the Division Engineer to the Chief of Engineers for consideration of the Secretary of the Army. The District Engineers advise local interests of the action taken by the Department. Completed projects or completed useful units thereof are normally turned over to local interests for maintenance and operation as soon as the construction and testing of equipment is completed and the project is in proper condition for the assumption of maintenance and operation by local interests. The transfer is accomplished by formal notice from the District Engineer to the local interests that the completed facilities are being turned over to them for maintenance and operation as of a specific date. During construction, District Engineers keep the local interests concerned advised as to the probable date of transfer.

(b) Use of storage allocated for flood control or navigation at reservoirs constructed wholly or in part with Federal funds. Regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Army in accordance with section 7 of the Flood Control Act of December 22, 1944 (58 Stat. 890; 33 U.S.C. 709) are for the purpose of coordinating the operation of the flood control features of reservoirs constructed wholly or in part with Federal funds and other flood control improvements to obtain the maximum protection from floods which can reasonably be obtained with the proper operation of all flood control improvements. Proposed regulations are determined by the District Engineer in cooperation with the persons responsible for the maintenance and operation of the reservoir involved after a detailed study of the flood problems and the characteristics of the reservoir project. The proposed regulations are forwarded by the District Engineer through the Division Engineer to the Chief of Engineers for consideration of the Secretary of the Army. When approved by the Secretary of the Army, these regulations are published in part 208 of this chapter.