▁on ▁the ▁east ▁and ▁g ulf ▁coast s ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁Int rac o ast al ▁Water way ▁is ▁an ▁in land ▁navig ational ▁water way ▁exc av ated ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁Tw enti eth ▁century ▁that ▁runs ▁over ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁miles ▁from ▁Nor folk , ▁Virginia ▁to ▁the ▁Florida ▁Ke ys ▁and ▁from ▁the ▁Florida ▁Ke ys ▁to ▁Brow ns ville , ▁Texas . ▁The ▁water way ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁source ▁of ▁transport ation , ▁commerce , ▁and ▁le is ure ▁since ▁its ▁completion . ▁ ▁Another ▁large - scale ▁project ▁carried ▁out ▁by ▁the ▁Army ▁Corps ▁of ▁Engine ers ▁is ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁Hart well ▁Lake ▁on ▁the ▁border ▁of ▁Georgia ▁and ▁South ▁Carolina . ▁Hart well ▁Lake ▁was ▁built ▁between ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 3 . ▁The ▁main ▁purposes ▁that ▁the ▁lake ▁serves ▁are ▁flo od ▁risk ▁management , ▁water ▁quality , ▁water ▁supply , ▁hyd rop ower ▁production , ▁wild life ▁protection , ▁and ▁recre ation . ▁ ▁The ▁Army ▁Corps ▁of ▁Engine ers ’ ▁military ▁engine ers ▁are ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁construction ▁and ▁maintenance ▁of ▁the ▁southern ▁Louisiana ▁le vee ▁system . ▁Much ▁of ▁southern ▁Louisiana ▁lies ▁below ▁sea ▁level ▁making ▁the ▁area ▁pr one ▁to ▁flo oding ▁and ▁land ▁er os ion . ▁The ▁le vee ▁system ▁serves ▁as ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁d ams ▁along ▁the ▁banks ▁of ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁River ▁that ▁prevent ▁land ▁from ▁flo oding . ▁ ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁Military ▁engine