---
kind: "section"
citation: "33 U.S.C. § 2339"
title: "33"
title_heading: "Navigation and Navigable Waters"
number: "2339"
heading: "Assistance programs"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/33/2339"
units:
  - "Chapter 36 — Water Resources Development"
  - "Subchapter V — General Provisions"
---

# §2339. Assistance programs

- (a) **Conservation and recreation management—** To further training and educational opportunities about water resources development projects under the jurisdiction of the [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2), the [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2) may enter into cooperative agreements with non-Federal public and nonprofit entities for services relating to natural resources conservation or recreation management.
- (b) **Rural community assistance—** In carrying out studies and projects under the jurisdiction of the [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2), the [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2) may enter into cooperative agreements with multistate regional private nonprofit rural community assistance entities for services, including water resource assessment, community participation, planning, development, and management activities.
- (c) **Youth service and conservation corps organizations—** The [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2), to the maximum extent practicable, shall enter into cooperative agreements with qualified youth service and conservation corps organizations for services relating to projects under the jurisdiction of the [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2) and shall do so in a manner that ensures the maximum participation and opportunities for such organizations.
- (d) **Cooperative agreements—** A cooperative agreement entered into under this section shall not be considered to be, or treated as being, a cooperative agreement to which [chapter 63](/usc/31/chstV/ch63.md) of title 31 applies.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 106–541, title II, § 213, Dec. 11, 2000, 114 Stat. 2593; Pub. L. 113–121, title I, § 1047(e), June 10, 2014, 128 Stat. 1257; Pub. L. 114–322, title I, § 1101, Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1632.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Water Resources Development Act of 2000, and not as part of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 which comprises this chapter.

### Amendments

2016—Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 114–322 added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d).

2014—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 113–121 substituted “about” for “at”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### “Secretary” Defined

Secretary means the Secretary of the Army, see section 2 of Pub. L. 106–541, set out as a note under section 2201 of this title.