The Trump administration has now reportedly cancelled the US Army Corps of Engineers, Institute for Water Resources, Hydrologic Engineering Center (HEC) at UC Davis, jeopardizing a long-standing institution central to water resources research.
From the Vanguard News Davis:
The headline from a trade publication was: “US has now canceled about one in 10 active federal commercial real estate leases.”
That news directly impacts Davis, as the Trump administration has now reportedly cancelled the US Army Corps of Engineers, Institute for Water Resources, Hydrologic Engineering Center (HEC).
The abrupt decision not only jeopardizes a long-standing institution central to water resources research, but also threatens the broader engineering and hydrology ecosystem in Davis, which has relied on the center’s presence for decades.
With an 11,180-square-foot space in the Brinley Building and an annual lease of over $500,000, the HEC has played a vital role in supporting water resources engineering, flood modeling, and environmental planning. Its closure comes as part of a sweeping federal government initiative spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has terminated roughly 10% of all active federal commercial real estate leases, including crucial research and training facilities across the nation.
For Davis, a city deeply intertwined with UC Davis, the loss of the HEC could have far-reaching economic and academic consequences. The center has long served as a hub for engineers, hydrologists, and scientists who conduct critical research on water management, a topic of increasing importance given California’s ongoing drought challenges and climate change concerns.
Continue reading at Vangard News Davis.
