America's Engineers: The People, Programs, and Projects of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers '24-'25 by America's Engineers

The People, Programs, and Projects of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2024-2025

FOR AMERICANS, BY AMERICANS

Zoeller Company, based in Louisville, KY, is one of the oldest family-owned manufacturers of submersible pumps, package systems, and controls for moving and treating water. With Zoeller, you’ll find the highest dependability backed by a family commitment to each of our customers.

Zoeller Engineered Products is the Built-toOrder division of Zoeller with over 30 years of experience in the commercial and municipal wastewater industry. ZEP designs and builds customized package systems for moving wastewater using our wide breath of submersible solids handling and grinder pumps.

Does not imply USACE or DOD endorsement

Over 90% of ZEP products are made in the USA using a majority of US content, ZEP is proud of our American heritage and U.S. commitment.

Check with factory or local sales representative for BAA and BABA certified package systems.

• Solids handling pumps available from 0.5 - 60 HP and grinders available from 1 - 15 HP

• Custom built basin package systems ready for field installation upon arrival to the job site

• Control panels are ready off the shelf or custom built based on project specifications

Does not imply USACE or DOD endorsement

Set an Example for Life Set an Example for Life

RESILIENCE ENGINEERING

Multidomain Operations and Optimization | Maneuver Support in Complex Environments | Coastal and Inland Modeling | Dredging | Data

Collection, Processing, Management, and Storage | Ship-to-Ship and Ship-to-Shore Logistics | Road, Bridge, Railway, Port, and Levy Design

WARFIGHTER SUPPORT INSTALLATION MANAGEMENT

Pumped Hydropower for Sustainable Energy Storage

Build it with AGRU

Geosynthetics

Long-lasting water storage reservoirs with high-quality geomembranes.

Use AGRU Integrated Drainage System (IDS) to create a robust dual-containment system.

Increase protection against leaks with AGRU Geosynthetic Clay Liners (GCL).

HDPE Pressure Pipes

Up to OD 3500 mm HDPE pressure pipes for large-volume flow.

Use electrofusion fittings and custom tooling to streamline installations. Achieve near-zero leakage rates and long service life with durable, flexible pipes.

Semi-Finished Products

A range of polyolefin semi-finished products for custom fabrications.

Tackle containment of highly aggressive media with AGRU fluoropolymers.

Consult the Plastics Experts for project-specific advice and technical support.

Ready to get started? Learn more at agru.life/home

Meet the Chief

Lt. Gen. William H. “Butch” Graham Jr.

Commanding General and Chief of Engineers

Army Engineer Regiment Supports Hurricane Helene Response

By Patrick Bloodgood

USACE Military Programs

Material support for Soldiers and their families

By Craig Collins

Historical Vignettes

The General Survey Act

By USACE Office Of History

Civil War: The Hero of Little Round Top

By USACE Office Of History

The Corps of Engineers and the First Federal Disaster Response

By USACE Office Of History

Army Engineers Saw Through the Building of the Panama Canal

By USACE Office Of History

The Great Depression and USACE Civil Works Projects

By USACE Office Of History

USACE, Missiles, and the Moon

By USACE Office Of History

The Terrorist Attacks of September 11th

By USACE Office Of History

Remembering the Longest Blackout in U.S. History

By USACE Office Of History

Great Lakes and Ohio River Division

Advancing Health Care for Veterans: A New Medical Center Takes Shape in Louisville By Louisville

Modernizing the Great Lakes: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Advances Soo Locks Infrastructure By Great Lakes and Ohio River Division

Modernizing the Ohio River Basin: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Advances Lock Systems By Michel Sauret and Jeremy Croft

A New Era for the Manhattan Project: Advancements in the Formerly Utilized Sites

Remedial Action Program By Buffalo District

Mississippi Valley Division

Building a Safer Tomorrow: FUSRAP’s

Cleanup Efforts in St. Louis By Jeremy Idleman

Critical Eastern Arkansas Groundwater Security Projects Underway By Ken Williams

Multiple Approaches, Same Level of Risk-reduction By Ricky Boyett

Fabrication is Necessary for Navigation By Kelcy Hanson

Sand Management Partnership

Pays Dividends By Patrick Moes

Revetment on the Mighty Mississippi By Christi Kilroy

USACE Civil Works Programs

North Atlantic Division

Beneficial Use Project Restores Vital Delmarva Habitat By Cynthia Mitchell

Reinforcing Regional Security Today and Into the Future By Chris Gardner

The July 2023 Flood – One Year Later By AnnMarie R. Harvie

Davis Barracks: Enhancing Cadet Experience and Military Readiness at West Point By Michael Embrich

Leading the Charge in Nature-based Solutions: Miami-Dade CSRM Pioneering Pilot Program By Breeana Harris

Philadelphia District Continues to Be Super With Superfund By Edward Voigt

Northwestern Division

Modernizing Post-war Era Infrastructure By Marcy Sanchez

Federal Government Makes Historic Commitments to Stay Litigation in Columbia River Basin By Tom Conning

Someplace They Can Feel at Home and Happy By Christine E. Paul

Omaha District Continues to Deliver

Innovative Solutions 90 Years On By Lisa Crawford

USDA Ushers in New Agriculture

Research Era for Pacific Northwest

By Louis Velasco

USACE Emergency Management

At an Inflection Point

By Craig Collins

Built to last since 1960, Vaughan pumps and systems are available in a variety of sizes and configurations to meet the needs of any operation. For federally funded projects, Vaughan pumps and pumping equipment meet the requirements to receive federal aid under the Build America, Buy America (BABA) act.

• All Vaughan Company products are manufactured in the United States.

• More than 55% of the cost of Vaughan Company products are from components mined, produced, or manufactured in the United States.

Pacific Ocean Division

Excellence in the Pacific By Cortland Henderson

Far East District Elevates Quality of Life for Service Members Stationed Across South Korea By Rachel Napolitan

Facilitating Cultural Ties and 21st Century

Learning in Japan By Patrick Ciccarone

Mission Maui: How USACE Engineered Lahaina’s Remarkable Debris Cleanup By Susan Lee

Infrastructure Laws, Military Construction

Stake USACE Presence in the Arctic By John Budnik

South Atlantic Division

USACE Establishes New District in Puerto Rico By Jennifer K. Garcia Torres

Renourishment of Bird Key Has Shorebirds Rejoicing By Dylan Burnell

Jacksonville District Delivers Services and Solutions By Michelle Roberts

Mobile District Truly Delivers, Now and in the Future By Chuck Walker

From the Bottom up: USACE Constructs Island for Birds Using Dredge Material By Michael Ariola

North Carolina’s Coastal Storm Risk Management By Jed Cayton

A New Era in Construction Management Innovation

Better tools for better construction management. By Craig Collins

South Pacific Division

Breaking the Pattern: Systemwide Improvements Aim to Prepare Sacramento for Future Storm Events By Tyler Stalker

Los Angeles District PDT Named “USACE Planning Team of the Year,” for Nontraditional Tribal Partnership Program Project By Stephen Baack

USACE’s Albuquerque District Makes Moves to Better Serve Tribal Nations By Albuquerque District Public Affairs

Taking a Historical Walk Through Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project By Brandon Beach

Southwestern Division

USACE Delivers the Cornerstone of USAF Aquatic Training

By Richard Bumgardner

Fort Sill AIT Barracks Design Guards Soldiers By Brannen Parrish

Hydraulic Engineer Learns Key Element in Water Infrastructure Projects By Carlos Gomez

MKARNS 2030: Inland Waterways

“Paving” the Way for the Nation’s Economic Growth By Tomas Rofkahr

Pacesetters Support Hawai’i Wildfires Recovery Mission By Edward Rivera

Transatlantic Division

Engineering the Future: USACE’s Role in Regional Security By Catherine Carroll Unique Challenges Require Unique Safety Program By Joe Macri

Serving at the “Tip of the Spear” By Amy L. Bugala

Strengthening Alliances and Partnerships Through Infrastructure By Joe Macri

USACE Environmental Programs

Protecting Human Health And the Environment By Craig Collins

USACE Logistics Activity

USACE Logistics Activity: Tools of the Trade By Amanda Rae Moreno

U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville By William S. Farrow

U.S. Army Geospatial Center

The Strategic Importance of the Army Geospatial Center’s LIDAR Collection Capability

By AGC Leadership and Communications

The Nation’s Problem Solvers

The U.S. Army Engineer Regiment and Corps of Engineers By Craig Collins

Institute For Water Resources

Charting a Sustainable Future: How America’s Waterways Connect Communities, Economies, and Supply Chains

By Ana Allen

USACE Report Offers New Approaches for Better Water Resource Planning

By Ana Allen

U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center

ERDC Upgrades Blast Effects Research Capabilities By Mary Miller Morgan

Racing Toward a Safer Nation at the Indianapolis 500 By Kaley Skaggs

Conecting Data for a Real-time Snapshot of Our Waterways By Tim Reeves

Helping interior designers and government facility managers make

Understanding complex issues unique to government buyers is nothing new to KI.

For more than half a century, we’ve provided workspace solutions to an array of local, state, and federal government agencies, including all military branches. From workplace concepts and training room configurations to ideas to enhance your designs, we call on our extensive knowledge of public and private sectors to deliver high quality, ergonomic products that elevate any environment and fit any budget.

Explore our comprehensive furniture portfolio at ki.com

www.americas-engineers.com www.acemllc.com

EDITORIAL

Editor in Chief

Chuck Oldham

Consulting Editor Karen Buehler

Managing Editor Rhonda Carpenter rcarpenter@spaceandcomma.com

Senior Writer

Craig Collins

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

Art Director Robin McDowall www.mcdowalldesign.com

ADVERTISING

Chief Sales Officer Beth Hamm +1 (727) 213-8844 beth.hamm@acemllc.com

Advertising Sales Representative Martin McAuliffe +1 (202) 280-7225 martin.mcauliffe@acemllc.com

ADVERTISING

EMEA Sales Director Andrew Moss +1 (727) 222-6953 andrew.moss@acemllc.com

AMERICAN CONFERENCE & EVENT MEDIA

Publisher Damion Harte +1 (727) 234-8760 damion.harte@acemllc.com

Cover photos, left to right: Concrete is placed in forms in the covered area at the temporary school, Dec. 29, 2023, in

USACE PHOTO BY CHARLES DELANO | Lincoln Memorial construction, May 1916. THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND PUBLIC PARKS OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL | Salvors with the Unified Command removing debris and wreckage, May 2, 2024, during the Key Bridge Response 2024. USACE PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER ROSARIO | July 18, 1956. Minot AFB Hangars and Operations Bldg. Maintenance Hangar. View shows workmen placing structural steel on southwest corner of Maintenance Hangar. PHOTO COURTESY OF USACE OMAHA DISTRICT | USACE Louisville District Commander Col. L. Reyn Mann, the debris commander, briefs USACE Great Lakes and Ohio River Division Commander Maj. Gen. Mark Quander (second from left) on the status of the debris mission for the Hurricane Helene recovery efforts during a trip to Old Fort, North Carolina, Oct. 12, 2024. USACE PHOTO BY CHARLES DELANO

Lahaina, Hawai’i.

USACE Meet the Chief

Lt. Gen. William H. “Butch” Graham Jr.

Lt. Gen. William H. “Butch” Graham Jr. assumed the role of 56th Chief of Engineers and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Commanding General Sept. 13, 2024.

In his capacity as the Chief of Engineers, Lt. Gen. Graham oversees the Army’s Engineer Regiment, which comprises more than 84,000 Soldiers assigned to engineer units across the Army’s Active, National Guard and Reserve components. He also serves as senior Engineer adviser to Army senior officials on matters related to general, combat, and geospatial engineering.

As USACE Commanding General, he manages more than 40,000 civilian and military personnel who execute a massive $95 billion program, delivering construction support, project management, and engineering expertise across more than 110 countries.

Prior to this assignment, Graham most recently served as USACE deputy commanding general and deputy commanding general for Civil and Emergency Operations at the Washington, D.C., headquarters. He has additional prior USACE experience as the North Atlantic Division commander in Brooklyn, New York, Pittsburgh District commander in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and USACE chief of staff in Washington.

“It is the honor of a lifetime to lead this group of dedicated professionals,” Graham said. “Together we will continue Building Strong!”

As the organization delivers a historic $95 billion program, USACE is focused on three priorities: Deliver today. Innovate for tomorrow. Focus on people always.

Deliver Today

USACE is responsible for delivering programs and projects every day to secure

Gen. William H. “Butch” Graham Jr., 56th Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. USACE PHOTO

“It is the honor of a lifetime to lead this group of dedicated professionals. Together we will continue Building Strong!” – Lt. Gen. William H. “Butch” Graham Jr., USACE

the nation, energize the economy, and reduce disaster risk. Across 44 districts, nine divisions, and multiple centers and labs, USACE leaders and employees at every level are focused on delivering on those commitments.

Innovate for Tomorrow

Staying ahead of emerging challenges, USACE professionals continually innovate in their respective fields. This spans various areas, such as exploring new methods of repairing infrastructure, improving construction, and enhancing contracting processes to harness private

-sector capabilities. USACE continues to leverage technology to help deliver vital engineering solutions for the nation, now and in the future.

Focus on People, Always USACE is a people-driven organization, and its leaders maintain a focus on the

well-being of its workforce. This means ensuring that all employees are treated with dignity and respect. It also means providing cutting-edge training and development to ensure personnel are well-prepared for their roles, with a focus on leadership development at all levels. AE

p Lt. Gen. William H. “Butch” Graham Jr., the 56th Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, engages with Larry Pierson, a local volunteer and deputy fire chief at Swannanoa Fire Department on how they are clearing roads affected by mudslides following Hurricane Helene.

USACE PHOTO BY MAJ. SPENCER GARRISON

USACE Hurricane Helene Response

Army Engineer Regiment Supports Hurricane Helene Response

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, which left a trail of destruction along the Appalachian Mountains from Florida to Virginia, Army Engineers from throughout the Engineer Regiment swung into action supporting the nation’s emergency response efforts.

“The regiment’s response to Helene’s devastation has been nothing short

BY PATRICK BLOODGOOD

of extraordinary. Our engineers have demonstrated unwavering commitment to support our fellow Americans in their time of need,” said Maj. Gen. Jason Kelly, USACE deputy commanding general

t North Carolina National Guardsmen assigned to the 130th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade conduct debris clearing and clean-up at Lake Lure, North Carolina, Oct. 8, 2024. Joint Task Force-North Carolina deployed military capabilities in support of Hurricane Helene relief efforts.

for Civil and Emergency Operations. “Through active collaboration with other federal, state and local entities regiment Soldiers and civilians have answered the call of these impacted communities.”

One of the first elements to respond was the 357th Engineer Company, a U.S. Army Reserve Unit based in one of the hardest hit areas, Asheville, North Carolina.

Within two hours of Yancey County’s official request for assistance, these reserve Soldiers were mobilizing, providing bulldozers to push aside fallen trees and broken asphalt and transporting quarry rocks to stabilize damaged roads and foundations.

Soldiers worked to clear roads, remove debris and restore critical infrastructure to the community in the first few critical hours of response efforts.

The North Carolina National Guard, with the 236th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 875th Engineer Company, 883rd Engineer Company, traveled door to door to assess the needs of residents in rural areas. These Guardsmen even reconnected a property to the main roadway, hastily building a new bridge that crossed over a creek where the resident’s driveway once existed.

“For us, it’s personal,” said 1st Lt. Hunter Maynor, assigned to the 236th Brigade Engineer Battalion, in an interview with Army. mil. “These are our people, our friends and our neighbors.”

On the active-duty side, Engineer Soldiers and equipment from XVIII Airborne Corps’ Task Force Castle performed emergency route clearance activities and assisted in distributing food and water to multiple

USACE Hurricane Helene Response

Appalachian communities throughout North Carolina. These Soldiers were also on hand for general manpower assistance.

“Task Force Castle partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to provide situational awareness from the USACE Operations Center, imagery from the Army Geospatial Center, imagery from UAS (unmanned aircraft systems) flown by the Engineer Research and Development Center, and recovery efforts through local government liaisons,” said Lt. Col. French Pope, commander, 27th Engineer Battalion, 20th Engineer Brigade. “This is in keeping with the 20th Engineer Brigade motto that ‘There is no better teammate than a Castle Brigade Soldier’.”

In addition to the National Guard, Reserve units, and active-duty Army Engineers, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) along with its 249th Engineer Battalion, have also been actively involved in the response efforts.

Two USACE temporary power teams and Soldiers from the 249th initially deployed and were prepositioned prior to Helene’s landfall, anticipating their services would be needed in Florida. As the full scope of impacts was being realized, the teams repositioned to support North Carolina, and provided comprehensive power assessments

evaluating the extent of outages to facilitate rapid recovery.

Helene’s devastation touched portions of Fort Eisenhower near Augusta, Georgia. Soldiers from the 249th deployed to the installation to begin infrastructure assessments on key facilities in preparation for supplying temporary power. Power was restored to the facility just before the generators were turned on.

Ultimately, the team installed 23 generators to power critical need facilities affected by Helene, including a wastewater treatment facility in Hendersonville, North Carolina.

“The USACE Temporary Emergency Power community has delivered an exceptional response to our nation’s needs, demonstrating unparalleled readiness and swift execution,” said Temporary Power Program Managers Dominic Basile and Nancy Church. “Their early involvement, unwavering commitment, and effective coordination have provided vital support to the communities affected by the crisis.”

USACE’s debris mission personnel are also on the ground in multiple states and will be for an extended period.

Debris personnel are working closely with FEMA, other federal agencies, and the

p Soldiers assigned to the 20th Engineer Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, and 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, work together to block off damaged roads from Hurricane Helene in Fairview, North Carolina, Oct. 5, 2024. XVIII Airborne Corps will work closely with FEMA and other agencies to assist with recovery and enable the distrbution of much needed supplies to the region. U.S.

states to gather debris from uplands and within waterways.

“For the first time in our Debris Management Program’s history, all seven of our dedicated planning and response teams are deployed across the United States supporting disaster events. Five of those teams are focused specifically on Hurricane Helene recovery efforts,” said Kayla Stull, USACE national debris program manager. “Our teams are providing critical support by providing technical assistance, technical monitoring, and direct federal assistance debris removal across six states impacted during this event. Through this mobilization, we remain committed to working alongside our partners and supporting impacted communities during this effort.”

Because of the size and scope of Helene’s impacts, multiple task forces have been set up in North Carolina to tackle the multiple recovery efforts, each one being led by an Army Engineer Officer.

In addition to the FEMA and state-led Debris Task Force, which USACE is a part of and covers debris removal programs that include right-of-way, waterway, and private property debris removal as required, USACE personnel are a part of a Multi-Agency Debris Task Force, which is working to solve debris impacts to drinking water and pollutants in freshwater systems.

USACE is also working with other agencies on providing potable water in North Carolina. Employees from USACE’s New Orleans and Mobile Districts are conducting field investigations and providing technical assistance to local and state government agencies outside the declared counties. Task Force Potable Water is

ARMY

PHOTO BY SGT. ALISON STROUT

A western North Carolina resident affected

Corps, after receiving cases of drinking water at

Carolina, Oct. 9, 2024. Soldiers and equipment

working closely with the task force that is conducting water/wastewater assessments and expediting the delivery of potable water to residents and critical facilities like schools, hospitals, public safety facilities, and elderly care locations.

One unique location the team is working on is at the University of North Carolina, Asheville, where they are supplying water to select portions of the campus, allowing students to return.

“This mission has leveraged the technical savvy and real-world experience from across the Corps. From the New Orleans District, to Mobile’s Water/Wastewater Technical Center of Expertise, and even the Engineer Research and Development Center at Vicksburg, Mississippi, this team of teams has delivered a temporary water treatment plant that will produce over 280,000 gallons of potable water per day enabling the University of North Carolina, Asheville, to return 1600 students to the dorms, reopen their commercial

food service, their library, and union hall, enabling students to resume schooling in a more normal collegiate environment” said Col. Cullen Jones, Task Force Water commander. “This mission will serve as an example of the value of point treatment of water in compromised water distribution networks to help hasten a return to normalcy after future extreme events such as Hurricane Helene.”

Though the impacts from hurricane Helene will be felt for months and years, the Engineer Regiment is on the ground in the affected areas helping to get residents back on their feet. Soldiers and civilians alike have answered the call to support their fellow Americans when they are in need.

“I am proud of the Engineer Regiment’s selfless service and dedication to help these areas recover from this disaster. Their efforts will have a lasting impact on our fellow citizens, and we will continue to stand by their side as they rebuild and recover,” Kelly said. AE

by Hurricane Helene hugs Soldiers from Task Force Castle, XVIII Airborne

Logistics Support Area (LSA) Castle, in Marion, North

from XVIII Airborne Corps were supporting efforts in western North Carolina communities affected by Hurricane Helene. PHOTO BY MAJ. SPENCER GARRISON

Weed Army Community Hospital. Its considerable energy requirements, including the level of air conditioning needed for its location in the Mojave Desert, are met entirely by solar power and other renewable energy sources, making it a net-zero

USACE Military Programs

Material support for Soldiers and their families

It felt like a homecoming. In 2015, when Brig. Gen. Kirk Gibbs first assumed a leadership role within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, commanding the Los Angeles District, he and his family were returning to California. From 2002 to 2004, Gibbs was stationed at Fort Irwin, located about 150 miles northeast of Los Angeles. His wife, a nurse, worked at the fort’s medical facility, Weed Army Community Hospital. Built in 1966, Gibbs remembered an outdated and inefficient hospital with services scattered among 17 buildings. Returning a decade later, he was glad that a new hospital was being built.

“We became a cohesive team and delivered a quality project on time and within budget. Now, everybody at Fort Irwin raves about the hospital’s level of care.” – Brig. Gen. Kirk Gibbs, USACE

However, the project hit roadblocks. “The partnership among the contractor, the stakeholders, and the Corps wasn’t optimal,” Gibbs recalled. “That’s when I learned the value of partnering. Eventually, we united through collaborative sessions, working toward a shared vision for the new hospital.”

In 2017, a brand-new, $211 million Weed Army Community Hospital opened with consolidated medical units. It was the third U.S. hospital to earn a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum rating. The Department of

BY CRAIG COLLINS

p Concrete arrives in trucks ahead of a placement for the eighth floor of a new barracks by the

Corps of Engineers – Far East District on Camp Humphreys, South Korea, on

The structures are built floor by floor, with an estimated 150 trucks arriving throughout the day to support the placement. The unaccompanied personnel housing is one of four on the contract, each supporting 302 personnel in suite-style accommodations. USACE

Defense’s (DOD) only carbon-neutral hospital, its considerable energy requirements –including extensive air conditioning for the Mojave Desert climate – are met by solar power and other renewable sources, making it a net-zero certifiable facility.

“We became a cohesive team and delivered a quality project on time and within budget,” Gibbs said. “Now, everybody at Fort Irwin raves about the hospital’s level of care.”

Gibbs continued witnessing the power of partnerships through military construction projects, spanning Korea to Alaska, while commanding USACE’s Pacific Ocean Division. Working closely with installation leaders, contractors, and the Republic of Korea, the Division has shepherded the multi-year Korea Transformation Program, aimed at enhancing life for DOD personnel stationed throughout South Korea.

U.S. Army

Sept. 3, 2024.

PHOTO BY RACHEL NAPOLITAN, FAR EAST DISTRICT

USACE Military Programs

This transformation’s centerpiece is the Yongsan Relocation Program, a joint effort between the United States and Republic of Korea to relocate DOD operations to U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Humphreys, near the city of Pyeongtaek. The sprawling base boasts a command headquarters, family housing, office buildings, barracks, a shopping center, and a golf course. In September 2023, USACE’s Far East District broke ground on a new elementary school for service members’ children.

Recently completed high-rise housing towers at USAG Humphreys feature American-style floorplans, playgrounds, and recreational areas, with easily accessible schools, gyms, libraries, and other amenities. Since 2009, 850 units have been built in 12 housing towers. The last three towers achieved LEED Gold

Jim Degraff,

the

construction

ensures safety and quality on project sites by investigating and reporting facts on the sites. He also “enforces the spec” by testing, measuring, and observing the status of construction compared to specifications in the contract. This ensures project sites are safe and that FED delivers quality projects.

certification. “They’re more water- and energy-efficient, which improves the quality of life for service members and their families,” Gibbs said.

Leveraging Expertise

In August 2024, Gibbs became Deputy Commanding General for USACE’s Military and International Operations. His chief responsibilities include military and installation readiness, national and regional security, and contingency response.

Gibbs assumes his role at a time of unprecedented demand for USACE expertise. “In the past ten years, our workload has grown from $20 billion to $90 billion,” Gibbs said. “We’ve also become an agency of 40,000 people, the largest workforce in our history.”

About 11,000 of USACE’s total workforce support the military programs portfolio, which includes building barracks and housing, training and operational facilities, schools, clinics, and hospitals that serve millions of Soldiers, veterans,

senior

control representative, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Far East District, speaks with

contractor for East Elementary School, Camp Humphreys, on Mar. 27, 2024. In his role, he

USACE PHOTO BY RACHEL NAPOLITAN, FAR EAST DISTRICT

“It’s often challenging to hire people to the federal government, because it takes a special person to contribute to the nation.” – Brig. Gen. Kirk Gibbs, USACE

civilians, and their families at hundreds of installations worldwide.

People and relationships – the two influential factors Gibbs saw in project successes at Fort Irwin and Camp Humphreys – remain his priorities. Gibbs believes focusing on people and relationships leads to strong partnerships and alliances.

“It’s often challenging to hire people into the federal government, because it takes a special person to contribute to the nation,” Gibbs said. “Candidates with engineering expertise, in the kind of cutting-edge projects the Corps wants to produce, can usually earn more in the private sector.” Gibbs continued, “Once we hire new people, we must train and take care of them to develop the Corps’ next generation of leaders.”

Accountability, responsiveness, and being thankful are three ingredients that Gibbs identifies as key to strong relationships. Within days of taking command of USACE’s Military and International Operations, he traveled to Texas to meet with two partner agencies at Joint Base San Antonio – the U.S. Army Installation Command (IMCOM), which is responsible for all Army installations and facilities, and the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC), which is responsible for full-spectrum installation engineering services.

“Those were important visits,” Gibbs said. “If you’re face to face and know each other, then you’re more likely and more comfortable picking up the phone and calling one another to solve problems together. The Texas trip was a critical first step.”

Looking Ahead

The U.S. military’s global presence –where and how it is positioned, equipped, projected, and supported – is undergoing significant transformation, and USACE’s military programs are leading the way. While costs increase and budgets are limited, the work is becoming more complex. Climate change compels USACE to innovate and deliver a new generation of projects and initiatives, focusing on sustainability and resilience.

These innovations are bolstered by efforts from USACE’s Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). For example, in Alaska – where USACE has completed improvements and expansions to the Port of Nome, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Fort Wainwright, and

Let Us Be Your Next FF&E Contractor

Recent Projects include:

• IMCOM Europe HQ - Matrix® Workstations

• USACE DC HQ - Matrix Workstations

• USAG Camp Humphreys - Multiple Buildings and 500 Matrix Workstations

• Presidio DLIFLC - 700+ tables, chairs, storage

GSA Sales

GSA Contract 47QSMA20D08Q4

Office Furniture | Packaged Office

AIS: gsa@ais-inc.com

FENS: info@fensllc.com

USACE Military Programs

Eielson Air Force Bases – the Corps often battles unpredictable weather and a construction season lasting only five months each calendar year.

About 30 miles from Fairbanks, Alaska, is ERDC’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) facility, where researchers are working on concrete technology using commercial, off-the-shelf additives to protect concrete from freezing. This technology will increase the pace and reduce emissions for winter construction projects, ultimately enabling cost and schedule savings for

p USACE’s senior leadership view an F-35 up close during a project site visit. The Department of Defense invested about $600 million on a beddown program at the installation located near North Pole, Alaska. Also known as the “Joint Strike Fighter,” two new squadrons of 54 aircraft now have the proper facilities to support their missions thanks to the design and construction work of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District. USACE PHOTO BY JOHN BUDNIK, ALASKA DISTRICT

building and repairing military infrastructure. Additionally, ERDC has collected data on ice thickness, ice strength, and floating ice safety to give Arctic military units greater flexibility and maneuver during on-ice operations.

Accurate data is what Gibbs says USACE needs to make better decisions.

Computer models that “allow us to see trends, shortfalls, and resource gaps help commanders make better decisions,” he explained. “Better data helps us deliver more effectively.”

Gibbs’ primary tactic for delivering solutions, while attempting to drive down costs, is using innovative and sustainable

construction practices. A growing number of military facilities, many built during and after World War II, are outdated and need renovation or replacement. “We awarded 11 barracks projects totaling $636 million just this past fiscal year,” Gibbs said. “An additional 25 projects are in the design phase, and the number one priority for our military installations is quality barracks for Soldiers and quality housing for families.”

At Joint Base Lewis McChord, USACE is building two 44,500-square-foot barracks to house 168 Soldiers, using sustainable design and building materials with the

goals of lowering utility and operating costs, increasing resilience to extreme weather, and improving Soldiers’ quality of life. The twin-style barracks are part of the Secretary of the Army’s Sustainable Building Materials Pilot Program. Building the most advanced, up-to-date facilities for our military community is a critical first step toward fulfilling the Army’s mission. “If we take care of them, and they live, work and train in the best facilities,” Gibbs said, “then we’ll recruit better. We’ll retain and equip great talent to serve in an ever-evolving world.” AE

team has proudly served the Department of Defense for more than 80 years. We stand with you, ready to listen, collaborate and provide the innovative solutions you need.

p Operations manager Gary Larsen trains a flashlight on an ice formation within the Permafrost Tunnel Research Facility while sharing information about the tunnel with visitors. The tunnel is operated by the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. U.S. ARMY

PHOTO BY EVE BAKER, FORT WAINWRIGHT PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE

The General Survey Act

On a blustery winter night in February 1823, the steamer Tennessee plowed her way upstream through the twisting currents of the Mississippi River near Natchez. It was snowing, and visibility

BY USACE OFFICE OF HISTORY

on the river was poor when the boat struck a snag and sank in turbulent waters. More than 60 passengers died that night in one of the first great river disasters in U.S. history. News of the tragedy drew public attention nationwide and worked in concert with a variety of other factors to drive passage of two vital pieces of congressional legislation in 1824 – a General Survey Act authorizing Army engineers to conduct surveys for roads and canals, and the first Rivers and Harbors Act to fund navigational improvements on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. The significance of these two acts can scarcely be overstated. The General Survey Act empowered the Army to chart transportation improvements vital to the nation’s military security and commercial growth

p Illustration of the steamer Tennessee sinking on the night of Feb. 8, 1823, after hitting a submerged tree trunk. LLOYD’S STEAMBOAT DIRECTORY, 1856

NATIONAL ARCHIVES

by authorizing Army engineers to design roads, canals, and railroads. The initial appropriation of $30,000 grew to a total of $425,000 by 1837, and saw the Corps undertake surveys and plan civil works projects in virtually every corner of the growing nation. The first Rivers and Harbors Act was a concession to western interests and an overdue recognition of the vital importance of maintaining navigable and safe waterways for commerce and transportation. Congress followed it up two years later with a second Rivers and Harbors Act that combined authorizations for both surveys and projects, and established a pattern that pushed spending in the next 100 years to more than $1 billion on thousands of rivers and harbors projects in every state. A major portion of the field work fell to the Army engineers, who thereafter set themselves to developing the modern USACE Civil Works program. AE

u Map of Henderson Island sandbar in the Ohio River, 1825. Clearing hazards from the Ohio River was a primary goal of the first Rivers and Harbors Act.

NATURE-BASED FLOOD MITIGATION FOR ARROYO STABILIZATION

Rio Rancho, New Mexico

The Arroyo de los Montoyas is a major arroyo that flows after sufficient rain events, eventually discharging into the Rio Grande River. The steep embankments of the channel were experiencing scour and erosion after several major flood events. To prevent impact to the Rio Rancho Waste Water Treatment Plant #6 located adjacent to the arroyo, the Southern Sandoval County Arroyo flood Control Authority (SSCAFCA) sought to stabilize the slopes with a permanent erosion solution.

CHALLENGE

SCCAFCA wanted a resilient flood control solution to provide protection up to the 100-year storm and allow for ground water recharge to infiltrate the soil instead of running onto concrete. Additionally, the water treatment’s water reclamation line needed to be kept in use. Challenges to this project included limited right of way on the left descending side, severe erosion of the existing channel banks and very sandy soils. PROPEX® Armormax® was selected to stabilize the slopes of the arroyo. The Armormax system utilizes earth anchors that are designed and tested for performance with PROPEX® Pyramat 75 high performance turf reinforcement mat (HPTRM) to improves the factor of safety and significantly reduces the probability of failure in slope applications. The system has been tested by the USACE and has been used to armor more than 100 miles of shorelines and river/stream banks throughout the United States.

PROPEX® Armormax® successfully installed on the slopes of the arroyo and helped reduce the amount of space needed for a right-of way. This project was featured in FEMA’s Mitigation Action Portfolio (MAP) as a nature-based, best practice for flood mitigation.

Project:

Application:

Location:

Product:

The Arroyo de los Montoyas Arroyo Stabilization

Southern Sandoval County

PROPEX® Armormax®

SOLUTION

Rock riprap and concrete was considered, but SSCAFCA did not want a hard armoring solution based on research that hard armoring in arid arroyos limits groundwater recharge. PROPEX® Armormax® helps to decrease sedimentation and pollutants and encourages infiltration of water back into the ground water table. These are two reasons why the EPA has identified systems that utilize HPTRMs as a Best Management Practice (BMP) for improving water quality.

Armormax® has been a trademarked brand for PROPEX® for nearly two decades. Solmax acquired PROPEX in December 2021, creating the largest geosynthetics provider in the world. Armormax is now part of the Solmax family of brands. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) visual information does not imply or constitute DOD endorsement.

Solmax is not a design or engineering professional and has not performed any such design services to determine if Solmax’s goods comply with any project plans or specifications, or with the application or use of Solmax’s goods to any particular system, project, purpose, installation, or specification.

Products mentioned are registered trademarks of Solmax in many countries of the world.

Advancing Health Care for Veterans: A New Medical Center Takes Shape in Louisville

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), in partnership with the Interagency and International Support (IIS) program, is making significant progress on a state-of-the-art medical center in Louisville, Kentucky. This $920 million project will provide world-class health care to more than 45,000 veterans in Kentucky and southern Indiana.

The new 910,115-square-foot medical center, located on Brownsboro Road, will be a full-service, 104-bed hospital that integrates modern, patient-centered care concepts. A key feature of the facility is its Women’s Health Clinic, specifically designed to meet

BY LOUISVILLE DISTRICT

the unique needs of women veterans, with four Patient Aligned Care Teams dedicated to their care.

Construction of the facility is well underway, with completion anticipated in 2026. The project includes not only the hospital itself, but also extensive supporting infrastructure, including

p The Louisville VA Medical Center will have a dedicated Central Utility Plant on site to provide a variety of support to the surrounding structures. It will be able to provide all necessary systems for daily operations of the hospital and is prepared to provide emergency power 24/7 in case of loss of power.

USACE

parking structures, a 42,205-square-foot central utility plant, roadways, sidewalks, and other site improvements.

This project represents a significant investment in the future of veteran health care, ensuring that those who have served our country receive the best possible care. As construction progresses, USACE and its partners remain committed to delivering a facility that meets the highest standards of health care and patient experience.

Upon completion, the new medical center will stand as a testament to the nation’s commitment to its veterans, providing them with cutting-edge medical services in a modern, welcoming environment designed to meet their diverse needs. AE

PHOTO BY MICHAEL MADDOX, LOUISVILLE DISTRICT

GREAT LAKES AND OHIO RIVER DIVISION Detroit District

Modernizing the Great Lakes: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Advances Soo Locks Infrastructure

For more than a century, steel has been the backbone of American industry and national defense, and much of that backbone passes through the Soo Locks in Michigan’s St. Marys River, connecting Lake Superior to the lower Great Lakes. These locks, historically vital to Indigenous Ojibwe communities and later to the burgeoning U.S. steel industry, have seen continuous growth to accommodate increasing trade demands. Today, the Soo Locks remain a critical junction for the nation’s iron ore and grain shipments, with 95% of America’s iron ore, essential for steel production, passing through these locks.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been responsible for the Soo Locks since

1881, and as ships grew larger, so did the locks. The current Poe Lock, completed in

BY GREAT LAKES AND OHIO RIVER DIVISION

t Phase 2 upstream approach wall rehabilitation work is substantially complete, allowing ships to moor to the new walls. U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS PHOTO BY CARMEN PARIS

1968, now handles 88% of the iron ore cargo due to its size, making it critical infrastructure for the nation’s economy. In any given year, the Soo Locks see more than 7,000 vessel passages carrying 80 million metric tons of cargo. The Great Lakes Navigation System saves $3.9 billion per year over the next least costly mode of transportation.

Major New Lock at the Soo construction began in 2020 with the first phase of construction. Scheduled for completion in 2030, the new lock will provide much-needed resiliency to the aging system. “While the process of locking a ship through chambers is old, the Corps of Engineers is taking advantage of new and innovative manufacturing processes and materials to ensure quality components and value for the American taxpayer,” noted a Corps of Engineers spokesperson. These innovations include 3-D additive manufacturing for complex components, which are more reliable, replaceable, and cost-effective.

The $3 billion project is being executed in three phases. Phase 1, deepening the upstream approach channel, was completed in August 2022. Phase 2, focusing on rehabilitating the upstream approach walls, was substantially complete this summer. This phase will also enable vessels to moor along the walls as they approach the new lock. Phase 3, the most extensive, includes demolishing the decommissioned Sabin Lock, constructing the new lock chamber, and installing advanced mechanical and electrical systems, including an innovative hands-free mooring system. The base contract for Phase 3 was awarded in 2022 and is on track for completion by 2030.

The new lock is designed to mirror the existing Poe Lock, but with modern enhancements. One of the key innovations is the hands-free mooring units, which use vacuum pads to secure ships in place, adjusting as the lock’s water level changes.

BUILDING THE FUTURE: DREDGING WITH NATURE

Looking back over the last few decades, there are pivotal moments that have revolutionized the development and maintenance of US waterways.

by Harwich Haven Authority – the UK’s largest port, spanning over 150 square miles, with 40% of the country’s container traffic. Tiamat, a hydrodynamic maintenance dredging solution, was developed to reduce the environmental impact of maintenance dredging and to integrate seamlessly into traditional dredging practices, whilst significantly reducing the cost of the activity.

A groundbreaking development, Tiamat harmonizes with natural processes, by using the power of nature to maximize its performance. It is a submersible modular dredging machine that consists of a towable unit which can be attached to most workboats, such as a multicat or workboat, using an A-frame and a crane. Tiamat utilizes hydrodynamic technology to pump water into the seabed, with another pump to extract the sediment, which is then released back into the central water column and naturally dispersed by tidal movements. By “Dredging with Nature” sediment is reintroduced into the water column at the right depth, without causing excess turbidity or impacting water quality. This process also encourages self-replenishment of the sediment through the natural re-suspension in the marine environment.

Additionally, by removing the need for sediment disposal at sites further afield, Tiamat lowers the environmental footprint of dredging activities and therefore the associated costs. This approach supports broader sustainability goals, heightening Haven Dredging’s commitment to reducing carbon footprints and achieving net-zero emissions.

With a focus on ecological preservation and maintaining vital environmental habitats, developments within the sector must seek to not only support infrastructure development, but find more effective and efficient ways to maintain bodies of water and their varying needs. From reservoirs and estuaries, to ports and harbors, each has a unique set of varying and complex needs, which demands a delicate balance of management to help ensure all life sources can thrive.

TIAMAT: Revolutionizing dredging with hydrodynamic technology Haven Dredging was incorporated in early 2023, following years of trials of a new maintenance dredging solution

The use of Tiamat also significantly reduces operational costs and greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting Tiamat’s efficiency and benefits to vital marine ecosystems, as well as the bottom line for businesses.

Integration within traditional practices

While Tiamat introduces an innovative approach, it also addresses a significant

The appearance of or reference to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Department of Defense, or the U.S. government does not imply or indicate endorsement by any of these entities.

Modernizing the Ohio River Basin: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Advances Lock Systems

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is undertaking a significant modernization effort across the Ohio River Basin to update aging locks and dams, some of which are nearly a century old. The Ohio River Basin, a critical waterway supporting 179 million tons of commodities annually and providing drinking water to more than 10 million people, faces urgent infrastructure challenges due to outdated technology and equipment.

“Modernization could mean replacing old and aging locks, incorporating new materials, or innovating them with remote lock operations,” said Christopher Phillips,

deputy chief of operations for the USACE Great Lakes and Ohio River Division.

For example, the Pittsburgh District recently completed the John P. Murtha

BY MICHEL SAURET AND JEREMY CROFT

Locks and Dam, featuring a modern control tower equipped for potential future remote operations. “During the entire design process, we incorporated technology for the possibility of remote operations,” explained John Dilla, who leads navigation modernization for the Pittsburgh District. The tower utilizes advanced human-machine interfaces, allowing operators to control the facility from a centralized location, setting a precedent for future upgrades across the region. Similar modernization projects are underway in the Nashville District at the

CORPS OF ENGINEERS PHOTO BY CARRIE FOX

GREAT LAKES AND OHIO RIVER DIVISION Pittsburgh & Nashville Districts

p USACE’s Pittsburgh District constructed a new lock chamber and control tower at the John P. Murtha Locks and Dam in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, as part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. The lock seen in this photo is the old lock, which has been operating since 1931. The new control tower uses a human-machine interface with touch screens, cameras, intuitive designs, and push-button controls to open gates and valves rather than pulling mechanical levers. It includes cameras and screens to see every inch of the facility from one place. Once the Pittsburgh District upgrades the system at other facilities on the Monongahela River, the tower will be able to control locks miles away at the push of a button.

p This is an aerial view of the Chickamauga Lock Replacement Project, June 18, 2024, on the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, Tennessee. USACE’s Nashville District is constructing the new lock. When completed, it will be 600 feet long and 110 feet wide and will handle nine barges per lockage. It will reduce commercial transit times by 80%. USACE PHOTO BY NASHVILLE DISTRICT

Chickamauga and Kentucky locks. The Chickamauga Lock, essential for transporting goods on the Tennessee River, is being replaced to accommodate larger barges and reduce delays. “The industry upstream of Chickamauga Lock sees a lot of benefit for this project, decreasing lockage time by nearly 80%,” said Joe Cotton, Nashville District project manager for the Chickamauga Lock Replacement Project.

The Kentucky Lock is also being expanded to double its capacity, significantly reducing vessel wait times. “The Kentucky Lock facilitates movement of goods to over 16 states,” noted Capt. Rachel Nelson, a member of the project management team.

These upgrades aim to enhance the reliability and efficiency of the entire river system, supporting both commercial and recreational activities. “Even without plugging into remote operations, modernizing our equipment and our controls is very important for us to sustain reliability,” Dilla emphasized. By modernizing these vital infrastructures, USACE ensures continued economic growth and national security, ultimately transforming the Ohio River Basin into a more integrated and resilient navigation system. AE

USACE PHOTO BY MICHEL SAURET, PITTSBURGH DISTRICT

A New Era for the Manhattan Project: Advancements in the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program

Fifty years after the initiation of efforts to clean up sites contaminated by the Manhattan Project and early Atomic Energy Commission activities, the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) is reaching a pivotal moment under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Buffalo District.

In 2024, the Buffalo District saw significant growth in its environmental mission, marked by the completion of remediation at a FUSRAP site surrounded by local homes, the safe disposal of tens of thousands of cubic yards of contaminated material, and the commencement of active remediation efforts at four additional sites.

“This is a critically important time for the Corps of Engineers and FUSRAP,” said Lt. Col.

BY BUFFALO DISTRICT

Robert Burnham, Buffalo District commander. “Our team has dedicated significant effort to maintain safety and progress FUSRAP projects for decades, while the communities around them patiently waited. Now, it’s time for action, and a bright future is ahead.”

Prior to 2024, the Buffalo District successfully completed work at five sites in New York and Ohio, transferring them to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Legacy Management (DOE-LM) for long-term stewardship. This number grew

to six in May, with the successful remediation and transfer of the Tonawanda Landfill in western New York.

The district also made significant strides at the Luckey, Ohio, FUSRAP site, safely excavating and disposing of nearly 39,000 cubic yards of contaminated material, keeping the project on track for timely completion.

Moreover, 2024 saw the beginning of remediation work at four additional sites: Harshaw in Cleveland, the Shallow Land Disposal Area in western Pennsylvania,

GREAT LAKES AND OHIO RIVER DIVISION Buffalo District

t Staff from Tonawanda, New York, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management, and Buffalo District celebrate the then-upcoming transfer of the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program Tonawanda Landfill site from USACE to DOE-LM during a visit to the landfill in Tonawanda, April 23, 2024. DOE-LM works closely with USACE as it works to remediate locations within the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program, where radioactive contamination remains from the Manhattan Project and early U.S. Atomic Energy Commission activities.

U.S.

and the Seaway and Niagara Falls Storage sites in New York. “We’re bringing the full experience of a highly skilled technical team to the investigations and clean-up work on these sites,” said Stephen Buechi, chief of the district’s Environmental Project Management Section.

The Buffalo District’s FUSRAP team is composed of a diverse group of experts,

including health physicists, chemists, industrial hygienists, hydrogeologists, environmental engineers, geospatial experts, risk assessors, and outreach specialists. Their collective expertise ensures thorough and effective remediation of each site.

In 2024, the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) became unique among FUSRAP projects with the establishment of a new Integrated Technical Office (ITO) at the project site. Staffed by ten experts in technical and construction fields, the ITO is dedicated to the success of the NFSS project, with plans for further expansion as the project’s scope and complexity increase in the coming years.

“Since 1997, the environmental branch has grown, especially to work on the FUSRAP program,” said Neil Miller, Buffalo District Environmental Branch chief. “Because of the expertise of people in this branch, we’ve been able to take on more projects

and programs outside of FUSRAP, supporting other agencies and organizations with hazardous, toxic, and radiological waste expertise.”

Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, the Buffalo District anticipates new investigation and decision reports for FUSRAP sites, continued work across multiple locations, another start of active remediation on a project, and the completion of full remediation at at least one site. These efforts mark a new era in the cleanup of Manhattan Project legacy sites and a step toward a safer, healthier future for the nation.

The collaborative efforts between USACE, the DOE-LM, and local communities underscore the commitment to addressing the long-standing environmental affects of the Manhattan Project and ensuring that these sites are remediated to protect public health and the environment for generations to come. AE

ARMY PHOTO BY AVERY SCHNEIDER

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DIVISION St. Louis District

Building a Safer Tomorrow: FUSRAP’s Cleanup Efforts in

St. Louis

The Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program, or FUSRAP, managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) St. Louis District, is at the forefront of efforts to remediate and restore sites contaminated by early atomic energy and weapons programs. Since USACE took over the program in 1997, FUSRAP has made significant progress in addressing radiological contamination, protecting public health, and revitalizing communities.

FUSRAP’s mission in the St. Louis District has been marked by numerous significant successes. The program’s removal of more than 850,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil at the north St. Louis County sites alone has significantly reduced the risk to residents and the environment. A notable achievement is the successful remediation of the St. Louis downtown site, involving the meticulous removal and safe disposal of hazardous materials in industrial and commercial zones. This effort has not only safeguarded community health, but also restored the area for beneficial use, a testament to the program’s dedication and effectiveness.

BY JEREMY IDLEMAN

Other recent successes include the completion of the final remediation phase of the “former ballfields” in Hazelwood, Missouri, marking a significant milestone in the cleanup of the 60-acre site. Additionally, the complete remediation and restoration of a Coldwater Creek bank behind a former elementary school showcases FUSRAP’s engineering prowess through its meticulous planning, innovative techniques, and precise execution. This complex project required a deep understanding of environmental engineering, soil science, and hydrology to safely remove contaminants and restore the natural landscape, demonstrating the program’s technical expertise and commitment to excellence.

t A loader skillfully transfers potentially contaminated soil into the bed of a dump truck, being careful not to spill dirt over the sides, Sept. 5, 2023, as part of ongoing remediation efforts along Coldwater Creek under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. The soil is then taken to a St. Louis Airport site to be loaded onto railcars and shipped to an approved disposal facility outside Missouri.

USACE PHOTO BY JEREMY IDLEMAN

“Our work under FUSRAP is not just about removing contaminants; it’s about restoring communities and ensuring these areas are safe for future generations. The technical challenges are immense, but our commitment to the mission is unwavering,” said Col. Andy Pannier, St. Louis District commander and district engineer.

Despite its successes, FUSRAP continues to face challenges. The complex nature of radiological contamination often involves deep and widespread pollutants, often in very small amounts. The Pre-Design Investigation Report process, which guides the cleanup, requires extensive sampling and analysis to map out contamination. This meticulous process ensures that all contaminated areas are identified and addressed, but it is time-consuming and resource-intensive.

Looking ahead, FUSRAP is poised to tackle its planned projects and continue its vital work in the St. Louis District. The team is currently focusing on cleaning up Coldwater Creek, a site with historical contamination. The current remediation under and around McDonnell Douglas Boulevard in Hazelwood involves complex logistical challenges, including coordinating with local authorities and securing necessary rights of entry. The replacement of the McDonnell Douglas bridge by St. Louis County, which provided an opportunity for remediation beneath it, exemplifies the integrated approach FUSRAP takes to address contamination comprehensively and work with multiple partner agencies to complete projects.

As FUSRAP moves forward, its commitment to the community remains steadfast. The program is dedicated to meeting its technical goals and fostering trust and collaboration with the communities it serves. AE

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DIVISION Memphis District

Critical Eastern Arkansas Groundwater Security Projects Underway

When you think about our nation’s freshwater resources, lakes, streams, and rivers like the Mighty Mississippi are naturally front of mind. You may not immediately think about our largest source of freshwater under the Earth: groundwater.

According to the National Groundwater Association, U.S. groundwater is 20 to 30 times greater than the amount in all the lakes, streams, and rivers in the United States. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates we use 82.3 billion gallons of fresh groundwater daily for public and private supply, irrigation, livestock,

BY KEN WILLIAMS

manufacturing, mining, thermoelectric power, and other uses.

Groundwater is a renewable source that’s tapped through wells placed in water-bearing soil and rock beneath the Earth’s surface. However, in some locations, such as the eastern Arkansas region, the rate of groundwater use far exceeds the replenishment rate, which creates a serious problem.

t Bayou Meto Tainter Gates: In June 2019, the Memphis District completed installation of the project’s three Tainter gates that will control the amount of water released from the reservoir into the primary distribution canal.

USACE PHOTO BY MEMPHIS DISTRICT

Groundwater from the Alluvial and Sparta aquifers is the eastern Arkansas region’s lifeblood, providing high-quality drinking water and essentially all the water used for agricultural irrigation and fish farming. The aquifers’ loss would devastate the region’s economic conditions, national rice production, and regional drinking water supply, and have far-reaching impacts on food security.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has two large-scale groundwater security projects under construction designed to address this serious problem. The Grand Prairie Region Project, led by USACE Memphis District Project Manager Billy Grantham, P.E., and Bayou Meto Basin Project, led by USACE Memphis District Project Manager Jill Kelley, P.E., will both deliver river water to farmers for irrigation and reduce their use of groundwater from the Alluvial and Sparta aquifers.

The Grand Prairie Region Project is in the eastern Arkansas Grand Prairie region. It is a comprehensive water management plan designed to deliver surface water to farmers to reduce their use of groundwater from the Alluvial and Sparta aquifers. The project utilizes excess surface water and water from the White River to supplement a network of on-farm tailwater recovery systems. This supplemental system is designed to fill on-farm reservoirs that store the water to supply a portion of each farmers’ irrigation needs. Project features include a major pumping station, conveyance channels, and conservation measures for the Grand Prairie area. The project is estimated to deliver water by 2026. Our non-federal project partners are the state of Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Division and the White River Irrigation District. AE

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DIVISION New Orleans District

Multiple Approaches, Same Level of Risk-reduction

Hurricane and storm flood management come in different forms

Water is the lifeline of coastal Louisiana, the foundation on which the region’s economy, recreation, and inimitable cultural heritage is built. Water is also the area’s greatest threat. Whether from riverine, rainfall, or tropical weather events, risk of flood damage is inherent to the people who live and work in south Louisiana. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) New Orleans District is currently constructing multiple hurricane and storm damage risk-reduction projects to further buy down this risk.

Structural approaches, such as largescale levees and floodwalls, are what many people envision when considering flood risk management. Yet, the complex, dynamic environment of coastal Louisiana does not lend itself to a one-size-fits-all approach.

“An area’s unique geography, hydrology, sources for inundation, historical events, and population density must be carefully considered,” said Col. Cullen Jones, commander, New Orleans District. “The resulting

BY RICKY BOYETT

recommended approach must be economically justified, environmentally acceptable, and technically feasible.”

As a result, a non-structural approach, such as elevating or flood-proofing structures or building smaller ring levees, can often be in the government’s best interest. Or perhaps, a hybrid approach that applies both structural and non-structural measures is the best option.

The New Orleans District is constructing three different flood management systems that will reduce risk associated with

t Levee construction underway on the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain hurricane system. When complete, the system will reduce risk for more than 60,000 residents in St. Charles, St. John the Baptiste, and St. James parishes in southeast Louisiana. PHOTO BY RICKY BOYETT

a 100-year storm surge, a surge that has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. In south-central Louisiana, USACE has joined ongoing efforts by the state of Louisiana, parish governments, and the region’s levee district to complete the Morganza to the Gulf project, a structural system including 98 miles of levees, 22 navigable floodgates, and 23 environmental water control structures. This $6.5 billion system will reduce risk for approximately 200,000 residents and 50,000 structures.

In southeast Louisiana, USACE is applying a hybrid structural and nonstructural approach for the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain hurricane and storm damage risk-reduction system. To reduce risk for the more densely populated St. John Parish, the system includes 18 miles of levees, floodwalls, and pump stations. In the adjacent St. James Parish, a nonstructural approach includes ring levees around smaller communities. Once complete, the $3 billion effort will reduce the risk for approximately 60,000 residents.

USACE is implementing a first-of-itskind approach, combining non-structural floodplain management with environmental restoration projects, throughout a 4,700-square-mile project area in southwest Louisiana. The $1.5 billion project includes voluntary elevations or flood-proofing for up to 3,400 structures. The project’s ecosystem restoration includes 260,000 feet of shoreline protection, restoration of 14,000 acres of marsh and coastal wetland, and a reforestation project that includes planting seedling trees across another 1,413 acres.

“Congress and the administration made a commitment of providing the 100-year level of risk reduction for these communities,” said Jones. “We are delivering that commitment by applying the best science and engineering available to identify, design, and build the best system for each location.” AE

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DIVISION Rock Island District

Fabrication is Necessary for Navigation

Repairs and maintenance work on locks and dams is not your typical construction job. It requires detailed engineering and specialized tools for various tasks. Replacement parts are usually not available at local hardware stores.

The aging infrastructure, with over 80 years of wear and tear, needs parts specifically tailored to each component. The fabrication workshop at the Mississippi Project Office in Pleasant Valley, Iowa, is crucial for building the tools and parts required for these repairs.

The recently added maintenance building features various mills, lathes, and a new plasma cutter, providing the Rock Island District with state-of-the-art equipment. This equipment also assists other districts with their fabrication needs.

The new plasma cutter has an 8-by 20-foot cutting bed, capable of cutting beveled edges and etching logos and designs into metal. The maintenance shop includes an overhead crane system that allows workers to safely transport heavy materials from trucks to the cutting bed.

Two large machining lathes and a large vertical mill are also located in the maintenance

BY KELCY HANSON

p The newly placed plasma cutter has the ability to work on sheets of 8-by 20-foot metal, with the capability to cut beveled edges and etching.

PHOTO BY KELCY HANSON

shop. These machines are used to create round and flat tools and parts. Over the past few years, all the miter gate anchors have been replaced with newly designed “lollipops” made from 4-inch steel plates, custom cut on the machining equipment. Other parts created include anchorage pins, shafts, gear pins, large bolts, and more.

“Having our fabrication capability ensures … reliable navigation on the Upper Mississippi River,” said Matt Thurman, operations maintenance chief for the Mississippi River Project Office.

The maintenance team, consisting of 21 workers, handles all fabrication work for the Rock Island District. Additionally, they have assisted with projects in other districts. The team fabricates for the St. Paul District and has completed projects for the St. Louis, Nashville, and Little Rock districts.

One of the main benefits of having an inhouse fabrication workshop is the time saved in making and building parts. Ideally, all maintenance would be scheduled with ample time for planning and execution, but urgent repairs are sometimes necessary due to navigation accidents and routine inspections.

“Parts and fabrication items can be made quicker by self-performing the work compared to other alternatives,” said Thurman. “Now, we can adjust our priorities based on needs and fabricate on the fly.” AE

Sand Management Partnership Pays Dividends

The Upper Mississippi River near the city of Wabasha, Minnesota, is home to a new approach to managing dredged sand within the 9-foot navigation channel.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District and the city of Wabasha signed an agreement in July 2023 to work collaboratively to manage the sand removed from the river within the region. This amounts to nearly 250,000 cubic yards of sand every year.

The agreement, also known as a Water Resources Development Act Section 217 agreement, is the first of its kind for inland waters within the United States and the first time that such an agreement has been used for managing sand removed from a navigation channel.

“It’s a win-win-win for all,” said Paul Machajewski, St. Paul District dredged material manager. “The city wins by having a say where the material goes; the Corps of Engineers wins by having the ability to maintain the navigation channel; and the taxpayers benefit because it’s the least costly way to manage the sand.”

BY PATRICK MOES

t City of Wabasha, Minnesota Mayor Emily Durand, left, and Col. Eric Swenson, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District commander, sign a partnership agreement during a ceremony in Wabasha, July 24, 2023. PHOTO BY

PATRICK MOES

The agreement is unique in terms of paying the city a management fee to manage the river sand as opposed to the more traditional model of having USACE hire a contractor to move the material. This new approach allows the city to explore options that might not have been cost-effective from the Corps of Engineers’ perspective due to a variety of reasons, including shipping costs or the amount of material that can be used at a given location.

Machajewski said the cost of transporting the material is always a major consideration for USACE, and typically one of the larger costs associated with managing the sand. He added that the agency is always doing what they can to reduce cost to the taxpayer while ensuring that channel maintenance activities are environmentally acceptable. He said around 25% of the St. Paul District annual dredging activities come from the river within the greater Wabasha area.

Working in partnership with the city has been a great opportunity for USACE, said Machajewski. He said the process to get to this point may not have been the smoothest, but the end result has been extremely rewarding. He added that the city’s involvement allows them to manage the material and move it to locations where they only need a small amount to raise an area out of a flood plain or fill an old gravel pit. These types of activities are typically not cost-effective when managing a large amount of material, but can provide great opportunities to the community on a smaller scale.

Wabasha Mayor Emily Durand said this type of partnership means so much to the city, because it affords the city the opportunity to work collaboratively with USACE and other agencies to develop solutions that benefit the region. She said, “We all have to be aware of our authorities and be creative while understanding that sometimes we have to look for more nuanced solutions and not expect that the regular way of operating is going to get us there.” AE

Revetment on the Mighty Mississippi

The annual effort to fortify America’s great river highway

Every year, as August rolls around and the Mississippi River’s waters recede, a dedicated crew of over 300, working under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District, embarks on an arduous yet vital task. Their mission: to lay down massive concrete mats along the riverbanks to prevent erosion and safeguard the crucial levee system.

The process begins with the arrival of the mat sinking fleet, a small armada of quarterboats and barges. These vessels, which serve as both home and workspace for the crew, are akin to floating hotels. As the sun rises over the river, the workday starts, stretching well beyond conventional hours. The crew’s efforts are concentrated over the next four months – typically August through November – when the river is at its lowest.

The work is precise and labor intensive.

Four gantry cranes lift 16-block sections of concrete mat from supply barges, moving them to a matboat. Here, workers use customized pneumatic tools to wire the sections together, creating large concrete mattresses that will be strategically placed on and along riverbanks and as a protective shield against the relentless current, preserving the integrity of the levees and preventing erosion.

The Mississippi River is the backbone of a vast transportation network that facilitates the movement of goods crucial to the

BY CHRISTI KILROY

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DIVISION Vicksburg District

U.S. economy. As the nation’s largest water highway, it carries a substantial portion of America’s agricultural and industrial exports, from corn and soybeans to coal and oil. Ensuring that this commercial artery remains open and navigable is imperative for the economy. Disruptions in the river’s flow

t Crew members on the Mat-Sinking Unit prepare to lay concrete mattresses along the banks of the Mississippi River.

PHOTO BY CHRISTI KILROY

or the riverbank’s integrity can lead to costly delays and logistical challenges, affecting industries nationwide.

“Maintaining the integrity of the Mississippi River is paramount to safeguarding a crucial artery for American commerce and industry,” said Col. Jeremiah Gipson, commander, Vicksburg District. “Our dedicated team works tirelessly to ensure the inland waterways remain navigable and secure, and with innovations like Armor One on the horizon, we’re enhancing our ability to serve the nation by safely delivering the program, which supports our economic stability.”

Innovation is on the horizon for the Mississippi River’s revetment efforts. Soon, USACE will introduce Armor One. This cuttingedge development promises to revolutionize the way riverbanks are protected. Unlike

the traditional operation of installing these revetments, Armor One will utilize cuttingedge robotic technology to place articulated concrete mattresses, resulting in higher efficiency and a safer overall operation.

The Armor One technology will improve the longevity and performance of the revetment and cut down on the labor-intensive processes currently required. As USACE continues to refine this technology, it will pave the way for a safer and more efficient revetment.

For now, the mat-sinking crew remains on the front lines, working tirelessly to ensure the Mississippi River’s banks are fortified against nature’s relentless forces. Each year, as they lay down the concrete mattresses, they are reminded of the importance of their work – preserving the river’s path, protecting communities, and maintaining the vital channels of commerce and transportation. The arrival of Armor One will be a milestone in this ongoing endeavor, promising to bring even greater stability to the mighty Mississippi. AE

p Icy waters on the Ohio River flow through the Montgomery Locks and Dam in Monaca, Pennsylvania, Jan. 23, 2024. The Upper Ohio Navigation Project is a multi-billion-dollar investment to replace locks at Emsworth, Dashields, and Montgomery locks and dams. The project will replace the auxiliary chambers, measuring 56 feet wide by 360 feet long, with locks measuring 110 feet wide by 600 feet long. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $857.7 million in funds for construction at the Montgomery facility, expected to support more than 15,000 jobs nationally through the construction period. Transporting commodities on the waterways is four times less expensive than by trucks and 33% cheaper than by rail. Between 15 and 20 million tons of cargo travels on the upper Ohio River each year, which includes mainly coal but also coke, petroleum products, raw and finished steel, and aggregates. USACE PITTSBURGH

USACE Civil Works Programs

The past year has been one full of challenges and opportunities for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Civil Works program as it operated, maintained, and constructed the nation’s critical water resources infrastructure that touches so many parts of America daily. The Civil Works program also supported numerous disaster responses, including the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, and hurricanes Helene and Milton that affected so much of the Southeast.

The program also marked a significant change in leadership in September, when then-Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations (DCG-CEO)

Maj. Gen. William H. “Butch” Graham Jr. was promoted to lieutenant general and became the USACE commanding general and the Army’s 56th Chief of Engineers.

Maj. Gen. Jason E. Kelly then took on the role of USACE DCG-CEO Sept. 9, coming to the position from his previous assignment as the 53rd commanding

DISTRICT PHOTO BY MICHEL SAURET

“The past few years have been marked by extraordinary workload for USACE, demanding flexible and innovative solutions at an unprecedented scale.”

– Eddie E. Belk Jr., USACE Director of Civil Works

general of the U.S. Army Training Center and Fort Jackson (South Carolina). Kelly has extensive command experience within USACE, having served as the commander of the USACE South Atlantic Division, Afghanistan District, and Norfolk District.

USACE Director of Civil Works Eddie E. Belk Jr. has been the steadying hand for the Civil Works program throughout the changes in military leadership and program demands of the past several years.

“The past few years have been marked by extraordinary workload for USACE, demanding flexible and innovative solutions at an unprecedented scale,” said Belk. “Despite these challenges, USACE continues to rise to the occasion with resilience, ingenuity, and a deep commitment to our partners and the nation.”

Since 2020, USACE Civil Works has completed 53 feasibility studies while initiating 82 new ones, and delivered to completion a total of 91 authorized construction projects, starting 43 new projects over that same time.

Enacted annual appropriations for the Civil Works program from fiscal year 2022-2024 have been at record levels,

p The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District conducts a concrete pier-repair project at Montgomery Locks and Dam on the Ohio River in Monaca, Pennsylvania, Sept. 17, 2024. The Pittsburgh District is repairing concrete on all 11 dam piers at the Montgomery facility, a process that will take about a year to complete. The dam is nearly 90 years old, meaning the piers require repairs and resurfacing every few years to keep them structurally sound for the long term. The district last completed this type of work at Montgomery in 2022. The concrete pier work also prepares the dam for a major construction project in the coming years. The project will replace the auxiliary chamber, measuring 56 feet wide by 360 feet long, with a new lock measuring 110 feet wide by 600 feet long. The new lock construction is part of the multibillion-dollar Upper Ohio Navigation Project, replacing chambers at the Emsworth and Dashields locks and dams. USACE

BY MICHEL SAURET

with an average of $8.45 billion per year. “The increase in the president’s budget and enacted appropriated amounts for Civil Works means the administration and Congress both find value in the water resources work USACE provides to the nation,” said Belk.

Throughout the past year, USACE worked closely with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works to support the administration’s Civil Works priorities. The priorities include upgrading the nation’s ports and waterways; building innovative climate resilient infrastructure; modernizing the Civil Works program; investing in science, research, and development; and strengthening communication and partnerships.

Civil Works 200th Anniversary

The Civil Works program commemorated the 200th anniversary of its founding on April 30. USACE traces the beginnings of the Civil Works mission to two key pieces of legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by President James Monroe in 1824.

The first was the General Survey Act of 1824, signed into law April 30, 1824, which authorizing Army engineers to chart transportation improvements vital to the nation’s military security and commercial growth through the design of state and private roads, canals, and railroads determined to be of national interest. The work authorized in the Act enabled Army engineers to significantly contribute to the nation’s

PITTSBURGH DISTRICT PHOTO

USACE Civil Works

westward expansion, and provided legislation that enabled subsequent rivers and harbors acts to authorize funds for navigation improvements.

The first Rivers and Harbors Act was then signed into law May 24, 1824, to authorize improvements for navigation on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, recognizing the vital importance of maintaining navigable waterways for commerce and transportation.

Partnering

Partnering in particular has been a Civil Works focus. USACE success depends on the relationships it has built with stakeholders inside and outside the organization; stakeholders who also have a vested interest in mission success.

“Successful partnering requires engagement at every level of USACE,” said Belk. “It requires the USACE team to embrace a partnering mindset to not only find ways to address the nation’s water resources challenges of today but to also look at how we can collectively address and anticipate the challenges of tomorrow.”

The Natural Resources Management (NRM) program is one exceptional example of partnering on an annual basis. Each year, an average of more than 3,600 federal, state, and local agencies, along with tribes, businesses, educational institutes, and non-profit organizations, partner with USACE, investing over $100 million each year in the NRM program.

In addition, nearly 43,000 volunteers supported and maintained USACE recreation sites over the past year, enhancing recreational opportunities throughout the nation.

“Partnerships are essential for success in executing our Natural Resource Management mission,” said Jeff Krause, USACE chief of Natural Resources Management. “They bring together complementary strengths, allowing USACE to tackle challenges and pursue goals that might be impossible to achieve alone.

“A strong partnership fosters collaboration, trust, and shared vision, enabling all parties to pool resources, exchange ideas, and innovate more effectively. Ultimately, partnerships amplify efforts, creating value that goes far beyond what each partner could accomplish independently.”

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

November marked the third anniversary of the signing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). BIL provided $17.1 billion for USACE Civil Works programs, projects, and activities to address many of the nation’s current and future water resources infrastructure needs for the benefit of the American public.

“Three years ago, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law set us on a transformative path to improve and help modernize our nation’s water resources,” said Belk. “Today, we are thrilled to see significant progress being made across the nation’s Civil Works portfolio, as these efforts protect commu-

nities, stimulate economic growth, and preserve our environment.

“The BIL funds present a generational opportunity for the Army Civil Works program to address critical needs for our water resources infrastructure that is so important to the nation’s economy, way of life, and environment.”

Over the past three years, USACE has used BIL funding to execute nearly 140 agreements, 475 contract awards, 270 contract completions, and 65 ceremonial events. The projects will make a real difference across the nation in reducing flood and coastal storm risks, boosting waterborne commerce and the economy, preserving and enhancing aquatic habitats, building infrastructure resilience in the face of climate change, and promoting equity.

For the USACE Navigation program, BIL has provided more than $7 billion for navigation projects in 37 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The projects will

p The Lincoln Memorial shown under construction, circa 1916. Army officers from the Corps of Engineers led the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds (OPBG), which supervised the construction and reported directly to the Chief of Engineers. NATIONAL ARCHIVES PHOTO

“The BIL funds present a generational opportunity for the Army Civil Works program to address critical needs for our water resources infrastructure that is so important to the nation’s economy, way of life, and environment.”

– Eddie E. Belk Jr., USACE Director of Civil Works

strengthen the national supply chain and accelerate the economy by allowing USACE to maintain and improve critical high-use waterborne navigation, thereby allowing the maximum tonnage of goods to travel along the nation’s inland waterways and through its ports.

In September, the USACE Pittsburgh District announced it had awarded a nearly $770 million contract using BIL funds to construct a new 110-foot by 600-foot primary lock chamber at Montgomery Locks and Dam in Monaca, Pennsylvania. The new lock chamber will replace the existing 56foot by 360-foot auxiliary lock chamber to better support modern commercial barges, and will help ensure safe and reliable navigation on the upper Ohio River.

BIL-funded work also continues on the New Lock on the Soo at Sault Ste. Marie,

Michigan, to provide resiliency at the Soo Locks. The new lock will be the same dimensions as the existing Poe Lock, at 1,200 feet long, 110 feet wide, and 32 feet deep. Nearly 100% of America’s domestic iron ore passes through the Soo Locks, with a value of $500 billion and supporting 123,000 jobs.

BIL has also provided nearly $6 billion for the Flood and Coastal Storm Risk Management program for flood risk and coastal resilience projects that will reduce risks and flooding to communities in 47 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Ecosystem restoration also benefits from the nearly $2 billion in BIL funding for aquatic ecosystem restoration projects that will help restore aquatic habitat to a more natural condition in 11 states and Puerto Rico.

BIL funding is also being used to help USACE meet its goals of continuing to build strong and meaningful relationships with its partners in tribal nations and underserved communities. On Aug. 29, then-Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Michael Connor announced 12 communities that will be the first to participate in a pilot program authorized by Section 165(a) of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020, as amended by Section 8118 of WRDA 2022. Section 165(a) authorizes USACE to study, design, and construct up to 20 small Civil Works projects under its existing Continuing Authorities Program for the benefit of small or economically disadvantaged communities. For the 12 selected projects, USACE is using BIL funds to pay 100% of the projects’ costs.

• Antimicrobial Protection Prevents microbial-induced corrosion (MIC)

• Permanent Waterprooﬁng Performs under extreme hydrostatic pressure

• 9x Less Corrosion Veriﬁed by a third-party testing

• Self-Healing Reactivates to seal hairline cracks upon water exposure

www.xypex.com

• Visual Detection System (VDS) To verify its presence in hardened concrete

• Saves Time Easily added to concrete during batching

USACE Civil Works

p A completed control structure for the Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Area Flood Risk Management Project in Fargo, North Dakota. USACE

PHOTO BY MAKENZIE LEONARD

uMaj. Gen. Jason Kelly, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers deputy commanding general for civil and emergency operations, speaks to Lt. Col. Robert Green, USACE Nashville District commander, at Old Hickory Lock and Dam in Old Hickory, Tennessee, Nov. 14, 2024. USACE PHOTO BY JEREMY CROFT

A list of the selected communities and pilot projects is available on the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works website at https://www.army.mil/ article/279327/army_announces_civil_works_investments_in_small_disadvantaged_communities.

Regulatory

One of the USACE initiatives to continue to modernize how it serves the American public was the January 2024 launch of the new national online application portal and management platform called the Regulatory Request System (RRS). RRS is intended to be a one-stop shop for Regulatory jurisdiction and permitting requests and is de-

signed to provide an efficient, transparent and user-friendly process for the public.

RRS provides general information on the Regulatory Program and allows the public to submit pre-application meeting requests, jurisdictional determination requests, and individual and general permit applications and other necessary information. Users can also track the status of their projects.

RRS saves time for users and removes the burden associated with the preparation and mailing of paper applications.

As of Sept. 9, more than 4,200 new requests had been submitted through RRS since the initial launch. Approximately 43% of those requests were for general and individual permits and 32% were for delineation reports and jurisdictional determinations. You can learn more about RRS by listening to the Inside the Castle podcast at https://www.dvidshub.net/audio/82422/ inside-castle-tool-spotlight-regulatory-request-system

Disaster Response

While addressed in greater detail elsewhere in this publication, the USACE Civil Works program continues to respond to natural and manmade disasters around the nation, in order to help communities and citizens return to a state of normalcy as quickly as possible.

The combined response to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, Maryland, March 26 was an amazing joint operation between USACE, the Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, state of Maryland, Port of Baltimore, and associated contractors. The speed and professionalism of all those involved enabled the rapid clearing of the navigation channel and return to full service of a port that is critical to the region and nation’s economy on June 10, 11 weeks after the collapse.

More recently, the South Atlantic Division has been leading the USACE response to hurricanes Helene and Milton in support of FEMA. This has been another shining example of the USACE team coming together from across the nation to provide aid to their fellow Americans when they need it most. The widespread damage in many southeastern states from Hurricane Helene has resulted in what will be a long-term USACE support mission for debris removal.

Kudos also go out to the Jacksonville District for the speed in which they activated and completed the Blue Roof mission in Florida following Hurricane Milton. Their execution of the program will serve as a model in future disasters.

Finally, the Honolulu District continues its support to the island of Maui, Hawaii,

following the disastrous August 2023 wildfires. The district completed debris removal from residential properties in Lahaina and is working to complete its removal of commercial property debris. A key milestone in the district’s recovery support was the successful installation and turnover of the temporary King Kamehameha III Elementary School in Lahaina to the Hawai’i State Department of Education Feb. 27. In collaboration with FEMA and the state of Hawai’i, USACE designed and oversaw the installation of this critical educational facility to serve the approximately 600 elementary

school students who had been displaced from their original Lahaina school.

Closing

“The Army Civil Works program has a proud 200-year history,” said Belk. “While our mission might have changed through the years, one thing has remained and will remain a constant: our dedication to serving the nation each and every day to the very best of our abilities.”

Learn more about the Civil Works program by visiting https://www.usace.army. mil/Missions/Civil-Works/. AE

www.Americas-Engineers.com

Civil War: The Hero of Little Round Top

On the second day at the Battle of Gettysburg, July 2, 1863, Gouverneur K. Warren, chief engineer, Army of the Potomac, saw what no one else had seen –that Little Round Top, key to the Union defensive position, was exposed and undefended. He ordered troops to the hill in time to blunt a rapidly approaching Confederate attack. Almost two years later on April 1, 1865, at the Battle of Five Forks, Maj. Gen. Phil Sheridan relieved him from command and sent him to the rear, shattering a once promising career.

Warren was a top graduate of the West Point class of 1850, and had accepted a commission as a second lieutenant in the Corps of Topographical Engineers. Prior to the Civil War he worked with Andrew A. Humphreys on both the Mississippi River survey and the Pacific Railroad surveys, where he produced the first map of the American West. After Gettysburg, he became one of the youngest major generals in the Army, and eventually secured command of the vaunted Union V Corps, which saw heavy action at the battles of the Wilderness, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg.

At Five Forks, his corps fell under the temporary command of the irascible cavalryman Phil Sheridan, and the two locked horns. Although Warren successfully defended his position and contributed to a sweeping Union victory, Sheridan found him wanting and, in one of the most controversial moves of the war, relieved him of command “for cause.”

Warren was devastated, and later requested a report of inquiry, but the end of the war, Lincoln’s assassination, and Johnson’s impeachment all got in the way. He was eventually exonerated, but it came too late for Warren, who died in August 1882. At his request, his family buried him in civilian clothes and without military ceremony at the family plot in Newport, Rhode Island. AE

BY USACE OFFICE OF HISTORY

p Portrait of Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren taken during the Civil War years. OFFICE OF HISTORY HQUSACE

Beneficial Use Project Restores Vital Delmarva Habitat

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District, partnering with Wicomico County, recently removed about 160,000 cubic yards of dredged material from the lower Wicomico River. The significant milestone is part of maintenance dredging the federal navigation channel to its authorized depth of 14 feet.

The project’s accomplishments ensure safe navigation for barge traffic passing throughout the vital waterway toward the Port of Salisbury, home of Maryland’s second-largest port, which is crucial in supplying fuel, aggregate, and agricultural products to the Delmarva Peninsula. Recreational boaters can now reap the benefits of reduced shoaling.

Despite the many benefits to navigation and related industry, the project’s largest

BY CYNTHIA MITCHELL

benefactor is a series of rapidly eroding Chesapeake Bay tidal marshes that provide critical habitat for threatened bird species. The dredged material, removed by a hydraulic cutterhead dredge, was transported by pipeline to Deal Island Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The Maryland Department of Natural Resources owns and operates WMA, providing the means to restore approximately 70 acres of wetlands that show heavy signs of degradation and fragmentation.

The material, mostly silt and sand, was beneficially placed for wetland restoration that increases habitat for migratory birds and waterfowl. Deal Island WMA supports one of the largest concentrations in the state of herons, egrets, and ibis, and also hosts one of Maryland’s only breeding populations of black-necked stilts.

“This project protects environmental habitat and expands public access within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, while ensuring vessels can continue safely carrying fuel and cargo to and from Eastern Shore communities,” said Baltimore District Project Manager Kevin Fenyak. “It is a win-win for all. We’re proud to partner with Wicomico County on this effort, and look forward to observing the long-term benefits of ecosystem restoration at Deal Island.”

After more than a decade of research and testing, USACE and its partners identified Deal Island WMA as a suitable placement site for dredged material from the Wicomico

t This planting process allows roots to get a better grip on the dredge material, helping it settle so it can eventually become part of the marsh. USACE has deposited nearly 180,000 cubic yards of material that will serve as the foundation for the native grasses being planted.

River. Sediment was sampled and tested in 2010, and fell within acceptable ranges.

In February 2021, sediment samples were collected at the previously used upland placement site for the lower portion of the Wicomico River. These sediment samples also showed contamination levels within acceptable ranges and were suitable for planting and growing similar species of vegetation to be planted at the Deal Island WMA.

Additional coordination with partner agencies also provided required safeguards, with a focus on protecting local ecosystems. Areas at greatest risk of disappearing due to sea level rise, rapid erosion, and land subsidence were prioritized.

Several environmental windows and time-of-year restrictions were set to avoid as much impact as possible on fish, other species, and aquatic vegetation during both dredging and material placement. For example, dredging was avoided during fish spawning time frames in the Wicomico River.

The project is now in its final stage, which includes 100,000 individual native grass plantings, including saltgrass and saltmeadow cordgrass, over two years. Following placement, vegetation will be monitored for up to five years.

The beneficial use of dredged sediment is essential to USACE’s dredged material management strategy. This strategy aims to create value from dredged sediments through beneficial uses such as beach nourishment, enhancing wetland habitat, and brownfield reconstruction. This project is part of the district’s navigation program, which includes operating and maintaining more than 290 miles of federal navigable channels within the Susquehanna River watershed.

This work includes dredging, employing cutting-edge technology to conduct underwater surveys, and applying debris-removal vessels to clear floating hazards out of the federal channels in the Baltimore Harbor and Potomac and Anacostia rivers. AE

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS PHOTO BY JEREMY TODD

NORTH ATLANTIC DIVISION

Reinforcing Regional Security Today and Into the Future

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Europe District has been providing design and construction services in support of U.S. national interests and regional peace and security for decades across Europe and Africa, spanning, the past, present, and future of regional security and operational readiness.

Europe District personnel are playing a key role in the modernization of existing, longstanding U.S. Army and Air Force installations across Western Europe – most dating to the end of World War II. At the same time, the district’s mission has expanded into Eastern Europe with projects in several different countries meant to deter aggression and increase readiness.

“Europe District is proud to support our stakeholders and Allies by delivering the facilities needed for success throughout the European theater and across Africa,” said Europe District Commander Col. Dan Kent.

Modernizing existing installations and services throughout Europe remains a key driver of the district’s efforts. One of the

BY CHRIS GARDNER

biggest examples of this is the new medical center being constructed at Rhine Ordnance Barracks in Germany. The center will replace the nearby aging Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and Ramstein 86th Medical Group Clinic and provide service members and their families with modern, world-class health care facilities well into the future.

Similarly, the district is overseeing more than $1 billion in construction in Baumholder, Germany. This will help enable U.S. special operations forces. Projects include operational facilities and upgrading ranges. Work on modernizing and building new facilities in the Baumholder military community, like a new Army lodge, family housing, and school is also underway.

In Poland, the team recently turned over a new Army Prepositioned Stock

t U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Europe District Project Engineer Joe Martin checks progress on the new, 985,000 square-foot hospital being constructed at Rhine Ordnance Barracks in Germany April 30, 2024. Once complete, the new hospital will replace the nearby Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and AFMS – Ramstein 86th Medical Group Clinic, providing service members and their families with modern, world-class healthcare facilities they deserve for decades to come.

U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY CHRIS GARDNER

site in Powidz, Poland. This NATO-funded project is the first of its kind in Eastern Europe, and will play an important role in the collective security of the alliance’s eastern flank.

Positioning for the future, Europe District personnel are managing projects throughout U.S. European Command sites in Poland, as well as locations at MK Air Base in Romania and Novo Selo Training Area in Bulgaria. Additionally, European Deterrence Initiative (EDI) projects at U.S. and NATO ally bases are strengthening relationships, improving interoperability, and enhancing the capabilities of U.S. forces, NATO Allies, and partners. This effort is also helping Allies and partners to overcome evolving challenges and be able to rapidly respond to crisis.

These include air base improvements at installations in the Baltics, Romania, Hungary, and more. Supporting the growing design and construction missions at the newest U.S. Army installations, as well as additional EDI missions and projects throughout Eastern Europe, represents the future of Europe District’s dynamic growing mission.

Although not to the scale of Europe efforts, the district also provides high-quality engineering, construction, general services, and mission support in several countries throughout U.S. Africa Command’s (AFRICOM) area of responsibility.

AFRICOM, with partners, counters malign actors and transnational threats, responds to crisis, and strengthens security forces, helping advance U.S. national interests and promote regional security, stability and prosperity. Recent projects include an emergency operations center in Togo, school projects in South Africa, Benin, and Gabon, and overall air base improvements in Nigeria. AE

NORTH ATLANTIC DIVISION New England District

The July 2023 Flood –One Year Later

Torrential downpours in mid-July 2023 inundated New England with massive amounts of rainfall. The water levels, particularly in Vermont and New Hampshire, rose behind the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) dams in the Upper Connecticut River Basin.

During this storm, USACE dams in the Upper Connecticut River Basin in Vermont and New Hampshire collectively stored 60 billion gallons of storm water, which is equivalent to 91,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. This large amount of water helped mitigate downstream flooding.

When the storms began on July 10, the New England District’s Operations Center in Concord was stood up, and provided a central location for information-sharing among the district’s technical experts, to include personnel from engineering, operations, and public affairs. Team members also coordinated with relevant state and federal agencies, to include the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 1, National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Forecast Offices, and the NWS Northeast River Forecast Center.

BY ANNMARIE R. HARVIE

As a result of rising reservoir levels, all recreation areas in the Upper Connecticut River Basin were closed to the public, with Ball Mountain evacuating campers from its popular Winhall Brook Campground.

“We did sustain some flooding at each project, but Townshend and Ball Mountain were impacted the most,” said John Asseng, operations officer, Upper Connecticut River Basin.

On July 11, the Concord Reservoir Control Center assessed the status of the floodwaters and determined the Connecticut River was able to accept additional water. To provide space for the reservoirs to hold the additional rain expected, at around 10 p.m., the Ball Mountain Dam team began slowly increasing the water being released from its reservoirs, and the team at Townshend Dam released slow flows just before 1 a.m. the next morning.

During the flooding, team members at Ball Mountain, Townshend, North Springfield, Union Village, and North Hartland worked

p Ball Mountain Flooding on July 15, 2024. The water has receded at Ball Mountain, but cleanup is still underway.

PHOTOS BY LINNEA SHIRLEY, PUBLIC AFFAIRS

OFFICE

around the clock monitoring pool levels and downstream conditions. Team members at the other Upper Connecticut River Basin dams did not have to staff around the clock, but kept a close eye on the water levels.

Hopkinton Lake also felt the effects of the raging waters.

“During the July 2023 flood event, the maximum pool at Hopkinton Lake reached 396.72 feet mean sea level, almost 17 feet above the normal summer pool,” said Park Ranger Samantha Schupp. “The storage capacity at this maximum pool was 23.4% full. During this flood event, the water flooded the Elm Brook Park Beach, the three lower picnic shelters, the lower restroom, the athletic field, and the Stumpfield Boat Launch. Elm Brook Park and the Stumpfield Boat Launch were closed for several weeks.”

At Buffumville Lake, the team kept an eye on the rising waters.

“The pool at Buffumville rose to about 28 feet last year,” said Project Manager Nicole Giles. “Our regular pool is 11 feet.”

In addition to the flood-fighting efforts done by teams at the USACE dams, FEMA

NORTH ATLANTIC DIVISION

New England District

activated the district’s debris and infrastructure missions during the flooding. Members of the team went out and assessed three water treatment plants. At the state level, Vermont requested technical assistance, and district experts assisted with modeling support to predict future pool levels at state dams.

The New England District team continued to monitor the situation closely and took appropriate actions to ensure the safety of the public.

When the water finally receded, the impact on the district’s dams and recreational areas in the Upper Connecticut River Basin could be seen everywhere. Hopkinton Lake wasn’t structurally damaged, but the water left a significant mess to clean up.

“When the flood waters receded, no damage to the facilities was observed; however, the

picnic shelters and lower restroom had to be pressure washed and deep-cleaned to remove silt, debris, and grime resulting from the flooding,” said Schupp. “Due to the athletic field being submerged for several weeks, the field needed to be aerated and overseeded in the fall of 2023. Further, several signs located at the Elm Brook Park Beach were not recovered after the flooding and had to be replaced.”

Buffumville also didn’t have damages to the buildings, and Giles said that the cleanup wasn’t something she and her team couldn’t handle.

“I had to pump out the septic tanks in the park and the boat ramp toilet,” she said. “The damages were minimal. Just some flood debris pick up.”

However, the Winhall Brook Camping Area sustained much damage, but now a year

NORTH ATLANTIC DIVISION New York District

Davis Barracks: Enhancing

Cadet Experience and Military

Readiness at West Point

later, progress on the cleanup is ongoing.

“We have 75 sites completed. Repairs we have accomplished so far include removing plumbing and removing trees and stumps,” said Asseng. “We’ve completed seeding, and the grass is already starting to grow. We also completed silt removal, and this was a massive undertaking, as it was the biggest part of the cleanup project. There was dirt everywhere.”

Asseng says there’s still a lot of more work to do, to include ditching and removing dead trees that are still standing that will need to be removed if they pose a danger.

“The north side still needs a lot of work,” he said. “The bathrooms need to be updated with new plumbing.”

No matter what the weather, the New England District team is always ready for the next challenge. AE

t The new Davis Barracks combine modern, eco-friendly construction with traditional architecture, enhancing the capacity and capabilities of West Point. PHOTO BY

JOANNE CASTAGNA, ED.D.

In 2017, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed the Davis Barracks at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, marking a significant milestone in the Academy’s history. Named in honor of Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr., the barracks stand as a tribute to his legacy and the enduring values of Duty, Honor, and Country.

The Davis Barracks project was not just an architectural endeavor, but a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing the capacity and capabilities of West Point. With the addition of 320 rooms housing up to 640 cadets, the barracks have significantly expanded the Academy’s ability to accommodate a growing number of cadets. This expansion plays a crucial role in supporting the Academy’s mission to develop future military leaders.

The barracks are a model of modern, eco-friendly construction. They feature advanced climate-control systems, including

BY MICHAEL EMBRICH

radiant heating and cooling through plastic tubing installed in the concrete floor slabs. This innovative system, combined with a solar hot water system on the roof, ensures energy efficiency and reduces operational costs. The building’s design meets the U.S. Army’s requirement for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver certification, contributing to long-term sustainability and cost savings.

One of the architectural highlights of the Davis Barracks is its central light well. This design element allows natural sunlight to illuminate the common areas, creating an open and welcoming environment for cadets. The light well, along with similar skylights above the main stairs, enhances the building’s aesthetic appeal and provides a pleasant atmosphere for study and collaboration.

The barracks also include state-of-the-art facilities, such as mechanical rooms and a chiller plant on the first floor, which provide air-conditioning to neighboring barracks. The building is designed in the military gothic revival architectural style, blending seamlessly with the historic 200-year-old campus. Granite surface covering on the exterior walls and gothic arches maintain the traditional look of West Point while incorporating modern amenities.

The construction of the Davis Barracks required significant engineering feats, including the removal of 60 feet of solid rock from the top of a hill to make way for the building. This massive excavation effort involved hauling approximately 150,000 cubic yards of rock to off-site locations, all while minimizing disruption to the cadets and

NORTH ATLANTIC DIVISION Norfolk District

maintaining the integrity of the surrounding historic structures.

Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr.’s legacy is now etched in the heart of West Point. As the fourth black American to graduate from the Academy and a trailblazer in the U.S. Air Force, Davis faced and overcame immense challenges throughout his career. His story continues to inspire cadets, serving as a reminder of resilience, determination, and excellence in the face of injustice.

The Davis Barracks stands not only as a monument to Davis’ remarkable life but also as a beacon of progress and readiness for future generations of military leaders. With its completion, West Point is better equipped to fulfill its mission of developing leaders of character who are prepared to serve and lead in the defense of the nation. AE

Leading the Charge in Naturebased Solutions: Miami-Dade

CSRM Pioneering Pilot Program

In a landmark move that could redefine coastal storm risk management, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Norfolk District, in collaboration with Miami-Dade County, is spearheading the first-ever Nature-based Solutions (NBS) Pilot Program for the Miami-Dade Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) Feasibility Study.

This groundbreaking initiative, set to be proposed to Congress, shifts the paradigm of traditional risk management via structural or “gray” infrastructure by prioritizing nature-based methods, setting a new standard for resilience and environmental stewardship. Historically, USACE has faced challenges in advancing nature-based solutions due to performance-focused technical analyses favoring traditional structures like surge gates and pump stations.

However, the success of this novel pilot program underscores a pivotal transformation, made possible by extensive public engagement and collaborative efforts. The voices of the community have been instrumental in shaping this initiative, demonstrating a commitment to solutions that reflect both engineering expertise and environmental sustainability.

“Listening to the community and incorporating their feedback has been a crucial part of establishing what this program could look like and accomplish,” said Abbegail Preddy, project manager for the Miami-Dade Back BY BREEANA HARRIS

Bay CSRM Study at Norfolk District. “The Nature-Based Solutions Pilot Program showcases how we can blend innovative traditional engineering with nature-based solutions to enhance resilience and manage risk to our coastal systems in a way that serves the Miami-Dade community and environment while also benefiting future communities and USACE feasibility studies.”

The NBS Pilot Program aims to explore, implement, and monitor a variety of natural projects to inform USACE’s technical tools and ability to advance more nature-based and/or hybrid green/gray infrastructure across the nation. These strategies are designed to mitigate storm surge damage to vulnerable populations while promoting and prioritizing ecosystem health, providing

dual benefits for both community resilience and environmental sustainability.

p Photo of the highly urbanized cityscape where Miami-Dade County meets the aquatic ecosystem of Biscayne Bay, taken from South Point Park on May 2, 2024. U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY PATRICK BLOODGOOD NORTH

Additionally, the NBS Pilot Program will study storm surge damage reduction and the long-term level of performance and risk management of individual pilot projects, which will enhance USACE’s ability to apply these solutions in other CSRM studies that serve vulnerable communities and regions.

The proposed Nonstructural Pilot Study is another trailblazing initiative focused on investigating an expanded portfolio of nonstructural solutions where existing USACE implementation practices are still developing. For example, many vulnerable people in Miami-Dade County, including the economically and socially disadvantaged communities, live in multifamily housing such as apartments or condos, where USACE has limited experience applying nonstructural measures such as elevations or floodproofing. This study aims to expand the USACE nonstructural toolkit for future feasibility studies by developing and implementing nonstructural measures for multifamily and other unique buildings that are often just as vulnerable and at risk to coastal storm damage as single-family residential housing.

Preddy emphasized the importance of collaboration in achieving this milestone.

“The success of the NBS Pilot Program is a direct result of our collaborative engagement

process, and of leadership within USACE aiming to think outside the box of existing policy or implementation limitations. By incorporating stakeholder, resource agency, and community feedback, we have developed a program for Congress to write into law that will aim to addresses storm surge risks while aligning with the broader environmental goals of Miami-Dade. This approach demonstrates how engineering and ecological considerations can be effectively integrated.”

The introduction of the NBS Pilot Program marks a significant evolution in coastal storm risk management, reflecting a growing recognition of the value of nature-based solutions alongside more typical hardening engineering methods. Miami-Dade County and USACE are setting a new precedent in resilience planning, paving the way for future advancements in integrated coastal management strategies.

The chief’s report for the Miami-Dade CSRM Feasibility Study is anticipated to be signed at the end of August 2024, which would allow for these transformative initiatives to be authorized by Congress potentially as soon as the Water Resources Development Act of 2024. AE

Philadelphia District Continues to Be Super With Superfund

While the Philadelphia District is best known within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for its own navigation and coastal storm risk management programs, it has also long been a USACE leader in support of another federal agency – the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its Superfund program.

Since both Superfund and USACE’s Support for Others program (now International and Interagency Services) was established in the early 1980s, Philadelphia District has carried one of the USACE’s largest Superfund construction workloads. To date, it has remediated more than 30 National Priority List (NPL) sites while executing close to a billion dollars for the EPA.

The vast majority of this work has been in southern New Jersey for EPA Region 2, starting in 1985 at Krysowaty Farm in Somerset County. Cleanup involved removing soil and debris from the site, where 500 drums of toxic paints, dyes, and other chemicals were dumped in the late 1960s, infiltrating the groundwater and local wells. The district completed remediation in 1987, and in 1989, Krysowaty Farm became one of the first sites “delisted” from the NPL.

The Philadelphia District furthered its reputation in the 1990s by remediating two of the EPA’s most challenging Superfund sites: Bridgeport Rental and Oil Services, whose huge oil lagoons were highlighted in magazine articles as symbolizing America’s legacy of industrial toxic waste; and Lipari Landfill, which was No. 1 on the NPL – the most contaminated Superfund site in the country.

BY EDWARD VOIGT

NORTH ATLANTIC DIVISION Philadelphia District

u Contractors inspect features at a water treatment plant at the Welsbach and General Gas Mantle Superfund site in Camden County, New Jersey, on June 26, 2024. Since 2001, Philadelphia District has supported EPA remediation efforts investigating soils and structures throughout the site, excavating and removing hundreds of thousands of tons of radiologically contaminated soil, and setting up temporary water treatment facilities to remediate both ground and surface water.

USACE PHOTO BY KATHERINE TRACEY

“Region 2 values its long-established partnership with the Corps’ Philadelphia District,” said the EPA’s Courtney McEnery, who manages that region’s Superfund program. “Through the development of a positive and collaborative working relationship, the district’s dedicated team has provided us invaluable support, allowing us to increase construction activities at many NPL sites and thus continue our mission of protecting human health and the environment.”

The district’s largest cleanup to date for Region 2 is still underway. The Welsbach and General Gas Mantle site is named for rival

companies in adjacent Camden and Gloucester City, New Jersey, that once produced gas mantles using thorium, a radioactive element that helped the mantles burn brighter. Decades

after electric lighting drove both companies out of business in the 1940s, more than 200 properties were found to have unsafe levels of thorium and other contaminants. Since beginning remediation in 2001, Philadelphia District has excavated and disposed of more than half a million tons of radiologically contaminated soils and waste materials.

More recently, the district has become USACE’s Superfund manager for EPA Region 3 work as well. One project recently completed was at the Chem-Fab site near Doylestown, Pennsylvania, where in May 2023, a new facility began treating groundwater that had been heavily contaminated by chemicals once used in electroplating and metal etching.

“We are fortunate to have a strong partnership with the Philadelphia District,” said Charlie Root, EPA Superfund manager for Region 3. “They’ve been a reliable, technically sound resource to us over the years and have been instrumental in helping us execute Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to accelerate cleanup at multiple sites within our region.” AE

Modernizing Post-war Era Infrastructure

Heavy lift braces future of McNary Lock and Dam

Rising 183 feet above the Columbia River streambed, the McNary Lock and Dam’s 14 70,000-kilowatt hydroelectric generator units can supply enough power for about 686,000 homes at full capacity.

Seventy years ago, the 1.4-mile-long, concrete gravity dam became the first project assigned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ newest district, the Walla Walla District.

There’s little doubt the role McNary Lock and Dam plays in the Pacific Northwest is

BY MARCY SANCHEZ

significant. But no significant investments had been made to the project since its dedication, requiring much-needed modernization efforts. One recent effort replaced and modernized the project’s tailrace and intake cranes, which have been in service since 1953.

“The cranes were original to the McNary plant and had numerous safety and reliability

t Steel beams are prepared for placement on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District McNary Lock and Dam’s tailrace crane, also referred to as “Crane 4,” during construction of the new crane, which replaced a 70-year-old crane in 2023. The crane, along with the Intake Crane, or “Crane 5,” serves vital roles at the project, not only strengthening the project infrastructure but also supporting the region by enhancing hydropower production, fish passage through more efficient deployment of the fish screens, which redirect fish away from turbines, and protecting the lock and dam infrastructure itself through more efficient debris removal to ensure operations aren’t jeopardized.

U.S. ARMY COURTESY PHOTO

issues,” said Samantha Handcox, project manager for the crane replacement project. “The updated design incorporated improved efficiencies and industry innovation while balancing the unique requirements of operating on a hydropower facility.”

The cranes serve vital roles at the project, including the tailrace crane, or “Crane 4,” which deploys tailrace stop logs whenever a main unit needs dewatering for maintenance or repairs. The Intake Crane, or “Crane 5,” serves multiple purposes, which include deploying head gates and fish screens, and removing debris from the forebay.

The modernization effort aims to enhance hydropower production, improve safety, and boost operational efficiency. Upgrades, crucial for handling the heavy loads required for hydropower production and maintenance tasks, are designed to serve current and future operational needs.

“The most significant change to the physical structure was completely redesigning the hoisting system, allowing removal of the “hammerhead” located at the top of the original crane. The new hoisting system also increases the efficiency of fish screen deployment and removal, reducing operational costs for that job,” said Handcox. “The main hoist capacity was increased by 10 tons to 150 tons, improving the ability to pull head gates and fish screens in and out of water without overloading the crane.”

Crane 5’s updated auxiliary hoist was also designed to place debris more easily into trailers during forebay clearing, added Handcox.

NORTHWESTERN DIVISION Walla Walla District

Additionally, the new cranes feature advanced hoist systems, state-of-the-art control mechanisms, and programmable logic controllers integrated with variable frequency drives. These technological improvements significantly enhance precision and operational reliability. The project also incorporates modern safety features to ensure the well-being of the workforce and surrounding environment.

“Prior to redesign, accessing the main hoist trolly and hammerhead machinery housing (at the crest of the crane) for maintenance, posed a fall hazard. Now all machinery is easily and safely accessible,” added Handcox.

With the cranes expected to last upwards of 50 years, the $9.3 million project

strengthens the infrastructure and supports the region by enhancing hydropower production; enhancing fish passage through more efficient fish screen deployment, redirecting fish away from turbines; and protecting the lock and dam infrastructure through more efficient debris removal, ensuring operations aren’t jeopardized.

The project, completed in November 2023, was not without challenges. During the replacement, staff noticed cracks in the concrete beams supporting the rails the crane trolleys on, requiring strengthening of all 48 concrete beams before the new crane was erected. The challenge demonstrated the value of USACE partnerships when design teams expected three-sided beam reinforcement, while the contractor provided an enlargement

NORTHWESTERN DIVISION Portland District

Federal Government Makes Historic Commitments to Stay Litigation in Columbia River Basin

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) began major modifications to the Columbia River Basin when it completed building Bonneville Lock and Dam on the lower river in 1938. Over the next 37 years, the agency continued building locks and dams on the Columbia and Snake river systems to improve navigation, generate hydropower, manage flood risk, and provide water for irrigation while balancing the needs for fish and wildlife in the Pacific Northwest.

Since 1975, USACE has been balancing competing priorities within the system, including increasing operations to benefit the now-Endangered Species Act-listed salmon

BY TOM CONNING

stocks. In 2023, the Biden-Harris administration made a historic commitment to prioritize the restoration of healthy and abundant wild salmon, steelhead, and other native fish in the Columbia River Basin while delivering affordable and reliable clean energy, supporting

solution that surpassed the required load capacity and enabled them to finish two weeks early. Collaboration between the Walla Walla District, the Hydroelectric Design Center, and Structural Technology, an industry-leading contractor, was imperative to success.

More than 120 Walla Walla District employees work at the McNary project, serving as electricians, lock operators, painters, welders, riggers, utility workers, mechanics, biologists, environmental resource specialists, park rangers, heavy equipment operators, administrative staff, engineers, and maintenance workers. Together, they ensure the safe and continuous operation of the project, which sees over 5.5 million tons of commodities passing through the navigation lock each year. AE

the local agriculture economy, and meeting the many resilience needs of the region. Consistent with President Joe Biden’s direction, the administration is committed to honoring the United States’ obligations to tribal nations and, at the same time, recognizing the critical economic and environmental benefits that the Columbia River provides to communities and businesses.

The U.S. government entered into two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with various parties to stay litigation, both of which happened over winter in 2023-2024. One MOU is with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Spokane Tribe of Indians, and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe to support the implementation of the Upper Columbia United Tribes’ Phase 2 Implementation Plan (P2IP) for testing the feasibility of reintroduction of salmon in the Upper Columbia River Basin over a period of 20 years. This MOU resulted in a 20-year stay in litigation.

The second MOU is with Oregon, Washington, the Nez Perce Tribe, Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and the National Wildlife Federation

NORTHWESTERN DIVISION

Portland District

plaintiffs and is intended to pause the Columbia River System (CRS) litigation for up to 10 years. This MOU and the commitments made by the U.S. government are referred to as the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement.

“We recognize the importance of these agreements, as they will shift the focus away from litigation, the uncertainty that litigation brings, and allow for additional focus on planning and completing projects,” said Beth Coffey, director of programs for USACE’s Northwestern Division. “We will also be able to meaningfully contribute to improvements in conditions for salmon and other native fish in the system with an increased focus on ecosystem restoration, in addition to compliance with the Endangered Species Act,” she said.

As part of the MOUs with tribes, states, and other parties, the U.S. government developed a package of actions and commitments that it believes will provide meaningful improvements for native fish in the basin while still providing affordable and reliable clean energy, supporting the local economies of communities that rely on the CRS, and meeting the many resilience needs of the region. It is important to note that USACE’s commitments do not call for breaching dams, nor does USACE have authority to take that

p Lower Granite Dam in Washington state releases water from the Snake River through its spillways to aid in downstream salmon migration, May 2, 2024. Lower Granite is one of four lower Snake River dams in the Columbia River Basin. As part of the Memorandums of Understanding with tribes, states, and other parties, the U.S. government developed a package of actions and commitments that it believes will provide meaningful improvements for native fish in the Columbia River Basin while still providing affordable and reliable clean energy, supporting the local economies of communities that rely on the Columbia River System, and meeting the many resilience needs of the region. USACE PHOTO BY TOM CONNING

action. Breaching the lower Snake River dams would require authorization and appropriations from Congress.

“We will continue engaging with our regional tribes, states, partners, stakeholders and the public as we undertake this

NORTHWESTERN DIVISION Kansas City District

Someplace They Can Feel at Home and Happy

Kansas City District completes design for new Fort Leavenworth Child Development Center.

One of the biggest challenges our nation’s service members and their families face is moving from installation to installation across the country, sometimes across the world, every couple of years. To help reduce the stress and uncertainty that service members and their families can experience during a permanent change of station, the Army uses standard designs when constructing facilities on their installations. This helps to instill a sense of familiarity across installations.

important work,” elaborated Coffey. “We recognize we have an important job to do, and we will continue meeting all authorized project purposes at the dams in the Columbia River System as we implement these agreements.” AE

Child development centers, perhaps some of the most critical facilities on an installation, are no exception. Fort Leavenworth, located in northeastern Kansas, is currently experiencing a shortage of space to accommodate the childcare needs of its military families. So, the installation has tasked the Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with the critical mission of constructing a brand-new 37,000-square-foot child development center for more than 300 children ranging in age from infant to 5 years old.

“Fort Leavenworth has needed [a new child development center] for quite some

BY CHRISTINE E. PAUL

NORTHWESTERN DIVISION Kansas City District

p An artist’s rendering of the new Fort Leavenworth child development center project designed by the Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The project is expected to be completed in 2027.

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF U.S ARMY

time,” said Carissa Brown, chief of architecture and interior design at the Kansas City District. “We helped provide a solution for their childcare needs.”

Although the facility was designed using a standard design, the team at the Kansas City District faced several unique challenges. The site of the facility is located near two streams and a main road on the installation. This resulted in some geotechnical and civil engineering challenges, for which the team was eager to provide solutions. Additionally, a facility dedicated to childcare requires unique considerations for safety and security.

“There were a lot of really unique challenges in the design beyond what we would typically see,” said Christina Gatewood, interior designer and technical lead for the project. “We were always considering what the children might be doing, how they will maneuver around the facility. You really do want those protective measures.”

Despite working within strict regulations, the team was able to incorporate some unique design elements into the final design. These small details will hopefully create a better experience for

the children and families who use the facility.

“Our architect created a really nice entryway feature to the vestibule,” said Brown. “We also had one of our landscape architects create some really interesting colored paving designs leading up to the entrance … to create some interest for the children and families as they walk up to the facility.”

Because the new facility is a top priority for the Army, the design team worked closely with the customer, Fort Leavenworth, throughout the entire design process to ensure their expectations and timelines were met. Bi-weekly team meetings were an opportunity for everyone to come together and discuss the status of the project and work through any challenges they were experiencing.

“As somebody who has kids and lets other people take care of them … you want someplace they can feel at home and happy,” Gatewood said.

The construction contract for the child development center was awarded in July 2024 and is expected to be completed in early 2027. AE

Omaha District Continues to Deliver Innovative Solutions 90 Years On

This year the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District celebrates 90 years as the federal engineer of choice.

Throughout the past nine decades, the district has consistently provided cost-effective and innovative engineering solutions to projects across multiple domains. This commitment endures today through numerous design, construction, and revitalization projects critical to national defense. Dedicated teams deliver civil works, environmental remediation, disaster response, and infrastructure expertise, and maintain crucial navigable waterways, allowing development through fair and flexible permit decisions. These efforts not only ensure the safety and resilience of our communities, but also support the economy by enhancing the nation’s infrastructure, facilitating efficient transportation and commerce, and attracting investment.

A critical district mission is operating and maintaining dams and reservoirs on the upper Missouri River and several of its tributaries. Through routine operations and maintenance work and rigorous dam safety inspections, teams are always looking for ways to ensure these projects are ready to serve their multiple authorized purposes, including reducing flood risk to thousands of people and to infrastructure downstream.

BY LISA CRAWFORD

NORTHWESTERN DIVISION Omaha District

“When gauging the breadth of innovation and modernization throughout the district, one recent project rises to the top as a solid example of our pioneering ingenuity,” said Col. Robert Newbauer, USACE Omaha District commander. “The application of real-time engineering solutions to improve the reliability of the Pipestem Dam spillway is evident today just outside Jamestown, North Dakota.”

The Omaha District Pipestem Dam and Reservoir operations often reduce impacts

from flooding on people and property in Jamestown and farther downstream in the James River Basin. The discovery of highly erodible sands and gravel beneath the original uncontrolled spillway presented an unacceptable risk of erosion should releases be necessary to keep water from flowing over the dam embankment.

“A failure of the dam would result in catastrophic impacts to downstream communities,” said Sam Sobczyk, a civil engineer

assigned to the project. “The Omaha District is acting now to improve the reliability of the spillway, and in support of the Dam Safety Program’s highest priority: life safety.”

The project delivery team estimated that downstream property damage from a spillway failure could exceed $450 million, along with the potential annual loss of $2 million in other dam and reservoir benefits, such as recreation and water supply. These economic impacts would significantly affect local livelihoods.

In response, the Omaha District is implementing innovative and distinctive improvements to the spillway’s design. The use of a concrete zigzag-patterned labyrinth weir, along with a stair-stepped chute, a stilling basin at the spillway end, and several new additional features, will collectively reduce the likelihood of erosion should the spillway experience significant flow from the Pipestem Reservoir.

“The Pipestem project delivery team has shown great dedication to delivering the project as efficiently as possible by implementing complex engineering solutions and testing those combinations with detailed physical and numerical modeling,” Sobczyk said. “The project team has maintained that creativity throughout construction and has stayed dedicated to delivering risk mitigation measures at Pipestem as quickly as possible, no matter the challenges faced.”

The spillway modification, projected to cost $200 million, will increase the reliability of the spillway and improve the stability of slopes located along or near the spillway. The project broke ground in May 2023, and is expected to be completed by the summer of 2026.

“Without question, the team’s unparalleled approach to designing and implementing innovative solutions exemplifies the district’s unwavering commitment to reducing flood risks in our region. Their work has the potential to create lasting impacts not only across the nation but around the world,” Newbauer said. “This stands as a powerful testament that the spirit of ‘Essayons,’ meaning ‘Let us try,’ is vibrant and enduring within the district, promising to thrive for the next 90 years and beyond.” AE

p Civil engineers Kayla Keaton and Carlos Hernandez, along with Adam Gamblin, geotechnical engineer, discuss onsite conditions at the Pipestem Dam spillway modification project in Jamestown, North Dakota, on June 24, 2024. USACE PHOTO BY LAYNE GAMBLIN

USDA Ushers in New Agriculture Research Era for Pacific Northwest

An auger drill rig can tower over 60 feet high and generate over 100 decibels of sound while drilling holes for foundation pilings. In the middle of a sprawling university campus, the sights and sounds of construction are unmistakable. Washington State University (WSU) students in Pullman experienced this first-hand during the spring 2024 semester at the former Johnson Hall site, as the next phase of its highly anticipated replacement began.

The new Plant Sciences Building will house scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and WSU. Its construction will support the next generation of agricultural research in the Pacific Northwest between WSU and ARS, USDA’s chief scientific inhouse research agency.

WSU’s Johnson Hall was the fourth-largest building on the Pullman campus, and served as the university’s hub for agricultural research since 1960 before being

BY LOUIS VELASCO

demolished in late 2023 – the largest demolition in WSU history.

“The WSU-funded demolition of Johnson Hall got a lot of attention, and for good reason, because of the agriculture advancements made there,” said Interagency and International Section (IIS) Section Chief and Program Manager Alan Manville.

“Despite our full-service mission supporting Civil Works and Military Programs, we don’t get the chance to work on a major university campus very often, and it’s been a great experience working with the ARS and WSU researchers.”

t A digital rendering of Washington State University and USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Plant Science Building. The WSU-funded demolition of the 169,000-square-foot Johnson Hall was the largest demolition in school history, and cleared the way for the USACE-managed project to begin. The project is expected to finish in early 2026.

IMAGE COURTESY OF ANDERSON MASON DALE ARCHITECTS

The project is one of two the USACE Seattle District Interagency and International Section is managing on behalf of USDA ARS, providing technical assistance to non-Department of Defense federal agencies, tribal nations, state and local governments, international organizations, and foreign governments.

IIS work involves planning, environmental assessments, design, and construction contract oversight for the contract awarded to the Hensel Phelps Construction and Anderson Mason Dale Architects design-build team.

Replacing Johnson Hall aligns with USDA’s current science and research strategy, which establishes a scientific framework to transform the U.S. food system and support our nation’s farmers, ranchers, producers, and foresters.

The fully federally funded $103 million USDA project will provide lab and office space for plant biosciences research programs conducted jointly by 15 WSU and 15 ARS scientists, continuing one of the nation’s most robust federal-state partnerships, which originally began in 1931.

Nearly 100,000 square feet of combined laboratory and office space will support four ARS Research Units: Wheat Health, Genetics and Quality; Grain Legume Genetics and Physiology; Northwest Sustainable Agroecosystems; and Plant Germplasm Introduction and Testing.

Additionally, members of the WSU Departments of Plant Pathology, Crop, Soil Sciences, and Horticulture will share lab and office space with federal researchers.

Piling and foundation work were the first major construction milestones, said Manville. “With most projects of this magnitude, you see the construction fence go up and then it takes a while for the foundation and utilities to go in, but folks will really see progress once construction turns vertical.”

Manville expects to complete the project in early 2026. AE

USACE Emergency Management

At an Inflection Point

At 1:28 am on March 24, 2024, the Dali, a 980-foot container ship departing the Port of Baltimore, lost power and collided with a pier on the Francis Scott Key (FSK) Bridge; it was the first moment of a disaster that’s still unfolding along what remains of the I-695 Baltimore Beltway – a bridge once traversed by 35,000 vehicles every day and more than 11 million commuters annually – and throughout one of the East Coast’s largest and busiest ports.

The bridge’s main span and three approach spans collapsed within seconds of the impact, resulting

BY CRAIG COLLINS

in the deaths of six road maintenance workers. Some of the 50,000 tons of wreckage lay on top of the Dali , but most of it lay at the bottom of the river, blocking transit through the

p Salvors continue wreckage cleanup as the M/V Dali is safely refloated and transited to a local marine terminal, May 20, 2024, during the Key Bridge Response 2024.

USACE PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER ROSARIO

Port of Baltimore’s primary deep-draft navigation route, the federal Fort McHenry Federal Channel. It presented a daunting task to the team in charge of cleaning up.

While USACE has been tasked with maintaining safe, reliable, and efficient navigation for 200 years, the FSK Bridge collapse presented challenges that required a very particular skillset, said Stephen Hill, who when interviewed for this article was USACE’s director of contingency operations and chief, Office of Homeland Security. “The complexity and the magnitude was greater than what we routinely work with,” he said. “Our authorization to keep navigation channels clear is generally more

While USACE has been tasked with maintaining safe, reliable, and efficient navigation for 200 years, the FSK Bridge collapse presented challenges that required a very particular skillset.

intended for routine debris, or that left by storms.” The bridge wreckage was far from routine, and its removal required great care and respect: The bodies of four of the six people killed – the last of which would be discovered six weeks after the collapse –were somewhere beneath the wreckage. It was also incredibly dangerous work: The cold and murky channel waters made it difficult to see the tons of concrete, asphalt, and twisted metal. “The wreckage presented some significant safety hazards,” Hill said. We didn’t want anybody impaled on steel they couldn’t see. So they had to move in a very measured way.”

Fortunately, USACE has a long-term relationship with underwater debris removal experts: The U.S. Navy Supervisor of Salvage (SUPSALV). The joint USACE/

SUPSALV effort was set in motion within twelve hours of the collapse, and used tools brought to the scene by the Corps, the Navy, and industry partners. Areas were surveyed using standard sonar techniques, such as light detecting and ranging (LiDAR). “While the sonar couldn’t detect everything, all of the systems combined were able to determine what was the best approach to go ahead and remove the steel, the concrete and the debris and completely clear the navigation channel.”

USACE experts in controlled demolition broke the huge steel structures into pieces that could be hauled away on barges, said Hill: “We had engineers precisely cut portions of the steel structure using small charges that could separate the sections to manageable enough pieces that they could

t Key leaders from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Navy’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving observe ongoing salvage work in the Fort McHenry Federal Channel Friday morning, June 7, 2024. USACE PHOTO, BALTIMORE DISTRICT

be lifted and removed out of the channel, off the empty Dali, and floated off to open up the navigation channel.”

Size and complexity weren’t the only two factors considered: The clock was ticking. Every day the waterway was closed meant an estimated loss of $15 million and threatened the jobs of 8,000 people.

On June 10, 2024 – 80 days after the bridge fell into the channel – the team removed the Dali and the bridge wreckage and restored the Fort McHenry Federal Channel to its original operating dimensions, 700 feet wide and 50 feet deep. “A pretty successful effort,” Hill said. “In this configuration, with such an urgency to get the channel open and have this done in less than 80 days – a phenomenal mission that demonstrates the readiness capability the nation has set up.”

Innovative Disaster Recovery

The Corps’ ability to quickly apply specialized skills to a disaster recovery effort shows how much the agency’s – and the nation’s – emergency management capabilities have evolved into today’s whole-of-government effort targeting what Hill calls the “life cycle of risk.”

USACE’s official role in emergency response and disaster relief began in 1882, when it supported the Army’s efforts to rescue people and property during massive flooding throughout much of the lower Mississippi Valley. For several decades, it honed its expertise in responses to repeated destructive floods in the Mississippi River Basin. But it wasn’t until 1955, with the passage of Public Law 84-99, the Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies Act, that USACE’s role in

USACE Emergency Management

critical facilities; assisting with searchand-rescue operations; removing debris or floodwaters; and providing – with the help of experts from the Army’s 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power) – temporary emergency power to critical facilities.

emergency management was codified.

The law assigned the Corps of Engineers to help prepare for and respond to floods and coastal storms. By this time, the Corps’ response mission had already expanded beyond flood fighting to include other hazards, like debris removal, but it wasn’t until after the establishment of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in 1979, and the beginnings of what has become the National Response Framework (NRF), that USACE established its own formal emergency management program. Under the National Response Framework, which establishes

guidelines for domestic emergency response, the Corps of Engineers is the lead agency for Emergency Support Function (ESF) #3: Public Works and Engineering.

Today, the Corps’ emergency management expertise is gathered into more than 50 Planning and Response Teams (PRTs) and functional cadres, composed of civilian employee volunteers trained and credentialed for their team’s specific mission. These specially-trained individuals are the backbone of the Corps’ domestic emergency response: assessing the soundness of infrastructure for emergency access; providing temporary roofing, housing, or

As of October 2024, USACE and its partners were still on the Hawaiian island of Maui, working to help Lahaina and surrounding communities recover from catastrophic wildfires that killed more than 100 people, burned more than 2,200 structures, and caused $5.5 billion in damage in August 2023. The Corps led the massive debris removal operation in award-winning fashion, recognized for its speed, thoroughness, and cultural sensitivity. Cultural observers and advisors helped responders build trust. Responders also regularly engaged with community members and leaders.

The Corps was involved in multiple recovery efforts in and around Lahainia, working with FEMA and Maui County to provide temporary housing units at a site just outside of town. “We’re trying to get innovative,” said Hill. The temporary

p U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Col. Jesse Curry, Hawai‘i Wildfires Recovery Field Office commander, provides debris removal updates to USACE Fort Worth District Commander, Col. Calvin Kroeger during a site visit to impacted areas in Lahaina, Hawai‘i, Nov. 8, 2023. The Fort Worth District’s debris planning and response team is managing the USACE debris removal mission. USACE PHOTO BY BRIGIDA SANCHEZ

As of October 2024, USACE and its partners were still on Maui, still working to help Lahaina and surrounding communities recover from a fire that killed more than 100 people, burned more than 2,200 structures, and caused $5.5 billion in damage.

p USACE contractors survey the temporary school site in Lahaina, Hawai‘i, Feb. 9, 2024. USACE was constructing the school as a temporary replacement for the King Kamehameha III Elementary School, which was damaged by the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires that displaced more than 600 students. USACE handed the temporary school over to the Hawai’i State Department of Education for furnishing and installation of telecommunication equipment in February 2024.

units formed an off-site community during initial recovery efforts, but now that the debris has been substantially removed, Hill said, “We’re thinking: Could we take some of those temporary housing units and put them on the sites where those homes were destroyed, now that the debris mission is done, and the sites are clear? Could we let people live in those temporary housing units on their own property while they rebuild?”

“It’s just new thinking,” Hill continued, “a different approach. There’s an awful lot of work being done to make sure we do this the right way, to ensure we’re improving the scenario as much as possible, as those people try to put their community back together.”

Hill is particularly proud of USACE building a temporary replacement for the

110-year-old campus of King Kamehameha III Elementary School, which was burned beyond repair. In ensuing visits to Lahaina, Hill watched the community and the recovery team pick a site near the Kapalua airport, clear it, and build a new campus out of 38 temporary buildings – all within 95 days of the original school’s destruction.

“Thirty classrooms for 600 students,” Hill said. “It was a huge effort. But those kids were worth it. I hope they’ll always remember that people cared and came to support them and get them back in their school.”

Future Emergencies

The size, scope, and frequency of natural disasters, many fueled by climate change, have increased recently. Since 2020, when Hill came to work for USACE, the

Working extensively with Federal, State, and Local Governments, as well as Private Owners.

Specializing in Heavy Construction, Marine Services, Rock Placement, and Supply.

USACE PHOTO BY JOHN DAVES

USACE Emergency Management

federal government has responded to 150 significant events, amounting to $2 billion in federal funding. “We’ve had close to 6,000 Corps of Engineers employees participate in those events,” Hill said. “And those people have touched nearly 450 major FEMA mission assignments.” Those assignments have generally involved providing temporary “blue” roofing, debris removal, providing critical infrastructure, and installing generators.

Recovery efforts for these climate-related disasters are increasingly long and complex, and FEMA is currently asking USACE and other interagency partners for input on a rewrite of the National Disaster Recover Framework. The NDRF, a mechanism built to complement the

NRF, was created by FEMA in 2011 to provide greater coordination and structure to the nation’s recovery efforts. A more comprehensive framework, Hill said, can help federal emergency responders meet the challenges ahead: “If you look at the wildfires we’ve seen in New Mexico and California, everywhere in the West, the damage from those burns is very lasting, and impacts every aspect of a community.”

USACE’s Office of Contingency Operations is working on its own adjustments

to meet these challenges. A recently established Caribbean District, headquartered in Puerto Rico, will project more USACE capabilities into a region devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017. The primary motive for standing up the new district is to enhance flood control in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, Hill said, but “Because the region experiences so many storms, permanently locating expertise, equipment, and personnel there significantly enhances our response capability.”

p M.E. (Moe) Adams, resident engineer at the Mendocino County Field Recovery Office, looks over the destruction in the Fisher Lake area of Mendocino County, which suffered devastating damages caused by October 2017 Northern California Wildfires. USACE PHOTO

The Corps is also transitioning to upgraded equipment better suited to today’s longer-term recovery efforts. The current generation of vehicles that USACE responders use to enable communications and connectivity in devastated areas – the Deployable Tactical Operating Systems, or DTOS – rely on hard line or cell connections. But today’s storms and wildfires can disable those communications systems for days at a time. In partnership with the Defense Logistics agency, the Corps is rolling out a third generation of DTOS that will connect with commercial Starlink satellites. The Corps has been considering ways to ease demands on its most valuable emergency response asset: its people. Responders are USACE employees who voluntarily leave their day jobs to participate in response and recovery efforts – and sometimes multiple events in sequence.

Hill and other USACE leaders are looking for ways to expand and augment capacity, so that these responders can devote more time to their mission-critical tasks.

An obvious starting point, said Hill, would be to rely on the type of arrangement USACE entered with SUPSALV on the FSK Bridge recovery – a rapid-response capability enabled by the Corps’ Advanced Contracting Initiative (ACI), which allows it to call up resources from existing contracts with providers of equipment and services. “We want to get to the point where we could write a task order and say: We need ten people in Maui, because this project is going on for a year. It’s now in the recovery stage. We need a task order, through an existing contract, that sends ten of our industry partners out there, and releases ten of our Military Programs, Civil Works, or ERDC staff back to their day

jobs – or maybe to respond [elsewhere]. Our goal is to have sufficient capacities so we can be scalable.”

Beyond the demands of any given emergency, Hill said, this is one of the most urgent needs for USACE’s emergency management program. “I can see a world that’s slightly different,” he said. “I’ve been around, in the business for 42 years, and I recognize an inflection point when I see one. And I’ve been seeing it over the last three or five years.” The Corps’ role in emergency management is about much more than simply cleaning up messes. Hill continued, “It’s understanding what we can do to reduce disaster-related suffering, getting all the technical expertise the Corps and its interagency partners can bring to get the job done. In the end, it pays dividends. It’s well worth the investment.” AE

The Corps of Engineers and the First Federal Disaster Response

The Corps of Engineers received its first federal disaster recovery assignment in February 1882, when heavy floods along the Mississippi River forced thousands of people to flee their homes and seek refuge on levees and hilltops. Although Congress had generally left disaster relief and recovery to local and state interests, the scale of the flood in 1882 prompted a change in policy and an appropriation for $100,000 in recovery supplies. The federal legislature tasked the Army Quartermaster Corps with delivering desperately needed food and tents to the shivering refugees, but it lacked a means of delivery. Chief of Engineers Brig. Gen. Horatio G. Wright proposed that the Corps of Engineers use its large fleet of floating plant to deliver the supplies, but noted that these vessels could not be used for disaster recovery without congressional authorization. Congress quickly pushed through a disaster recovery authorization bill, and the engineer officer at Rock Island, Illinois, Maj. Alexander Mackenzie, sent the steamboat General Barnard and the towboat Coal Bluff to St. Louis, where they took on quartermaster supplies including 1,689 barrels of oatmeal, 383 boxes of bacon, and 17 bales of tents. Soon engineer vessels were steaming up and down the river, plucking people off levees and rooftops. Over a six-week period, Army engineer steamboats, snagboats, and towboats delivered hundreds of tons of desperately needed supplies to communities all along the Mississippi. That effort marked the beginning of the Corps of Engineers formal disaster recovery efforts. Today, USACE retains its mission to respond to disasters, including floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, or manmade emergencies, and to assist with rescue, relief, and recovery efforts alongside other federal, state, and private organizations. AE

BY USACE OFFICE OF HISTORY

p The U.S. snagboat General Barnard, which was built in 1879. OFFICE OF HISTORY HQUSACE

q Rescue of settlers at night during the floods on the Mississippi in 1882.

HARPER’S WEEKLY, MARCH 4, 1882.

Connections for Life

Wayss & Freytag Ingenieurbau AG is one of the leading German construction companies. We are proud to provide Environmental, Construction and Design-Build Services to the US Government in Europe. With our competence and engagement, we build connections for life.

Since generations, for generations.

Wayss & Freytag Ingenieurbau AG

Eschborner Landstraße 130-132 D-60489 Frankfurt am Main

+49 69 7929 359 info@wf-ib.de www.wf-ib.de/en

Excellence in the Pacific

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Honolulu District received national recognition in three different categories this year, awarded by USACE Headquarters: USACE Project Delivery Team of the Year – Excellence, Excellence in Contracting Team of the Year, and USACE Program Manager of the Year.

“I am extraordinarily proud of the district’s ability to pull together and you are well deserving of this phenomenal accomplishment,” said Lt. Col. Adrian

BY CORTLAND HENDERSON

Biggerstaff, Commander of Honolulu District.

The district won the 2024 USACE Project Delivery Team of the Year Award for its phenomenal performance on the Frederick C. Weyand Command Center Project on Fort

p A USACE contractor places erosion control materials on a cleared property during Phase 2 debris removal operations April 5 in Lahaina, Hawai’i. Erosion control is used for soil stabilization and is the last step in the debris-removal process before right of entry is relinquished back to the County of Maui. USACE PHOTO BY STACEY REESE, TULSA DISTRICT

Shafter, Hawai’i, which is the new U.S. Army Pacific Headquarters building. It houses a staff of approximately 900 military and civilian personnel.

From the beginning, this project was challenged with scope and programming changes; however, through close schedule coordination, communication, data management, continuity, and construction oversight, the team persevered to create a beautiful state-of-the-art facility that positively sets itself apart from other projects on Fort Shafter and U.S. Army Garrison Hawai’i.

The district won the 2024 Excellence in Contracting Team of the Year for its superior efforts during the Maui Wildfire Debris Removal Mission.

As a result of the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires, more than 2,200 residential, commercial, and public structures were destroyed, resulting in approximately 10,000 residents being displaced. Approximately 400,000 to 700,000 tons of fire-damaged debris were estimated to be removed from the upcountry communities of Kula and Olinda in central Maui, and from the former capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Lahaina.

Balancing the need for expediency to support community and economic recovery efforts and that the majority of work would occur in an area of significant cultural and historical importance to the Native Hawaiian community, the contracting team created a cultural resources service contract and a cultural oversight team, which was a first-ofits-kind for a USACE debris mission.

Thanks to their hard work, a cultural Hui (team) of community leaders and cultural practitioners, architects, and archaeology professionals ensured that the eventual debris removal processes respected the cultural significance of the Native Hawaiian community and its history.

Brad Scully was selected as the USACE Program Manager of the Year for his efforts managing a program of nearly 100 active military construction and operation and maintenance, Army-funded projects in design and construction, valued at $2.5 billion for the U.S. Army Garrison Hawai’i on the islands of Oahu and Hawai’i.

Having served USACE for 37 years, his overall military program represents the majority of the Honolulu District’s workload, with record-setting execution over the past two fiscal years.

Over the past year, Scully’s leadership of a critical water infrastructure program across U.S. Army Garrison Hawai’i has been exemplary. The plan he led the USACE team to develop is now being used to target specific utility needs across U.S. Army Garrison Hawai’i. This now includes 51 studies, designs, and construction projects. This plan is a major focus of Installation Management Command-Pacific. AE

PACIFIC OCEAN DIVISION Far East District

Far East District Elevates Quality of Life for Service Members Stationed Across South Korea

The Land of the Morning Calm has long been a hub of adventure and cultural enrichment for U.S. service members. Now, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Far East District (FED) is taking it a step further by enhancing installations with new facilities designed to elevate the standard of living for Department of Defense (DOD) personnel across South Korea.

These projects, aimed at creating a “home away from home” for DOD personnel, span various installations, including U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Humphreys, Camp Walker, and Osan Air Base.

In Pyeongtaek, just south of Seoul, Soldiers at USAG Humphreys now have two new barracks to call home, with seven more under construction. These eight-story buildings feature suite-style living, where every two bedrooms share a kitchenette and bathroom. The facilities include laundry spaces on each floor and outdoor amenities like gazebos, barbecue shelters, and bike racks.

“Delivering high-quality projects that support our Soldiers and their families enables them to have a home away from home,” said Col. Jeremiah Willis, district commander. “We work alongside installations, engineering counterparts, and Republic of Korea partners to make it happen.”

Beyond the barracks, FED opened three family housing towers in September, completing a series of projects that included 12 towers and represents more than half a billion dollars in new housing investments. The last three towers will provide homes for an additional 216 families. The new housing, designed with U.S.-style floorplans, is part

BY RACHEL NAPOLITAN

of a broader effort to make Humphreys a state of the art duty station.

“Camp Humphreys is not just a duty station of choice – it is a home,” said Col. Ryan Workman, USAG Humphreys commander.

In addition to housing, a third elementary school broke ground in 2023 and is set to welcome students in a few years. Families can also easily access the library, post exchange, commissary, and recreational facilities, mirroring a modern American town.

Soldiers at other bases are also benefiting from FED’s efforts. At Camp Walker in Daegu, a new housing tower opened in February, accommodating 360 families in modern apartments situated near schools and support services. “This housing tower marks the culmination of a decade-long effort to enhance the quality of life for our service members and their families in Area IV,” said Col. Dave Henning, USAG Daegu commander.

Directly across from the new housing tower, a new Army lodge is preparing to open this winter, designed to ease the transition for families moving to and from the installation. FED’s commitment extends across all branches of the military. At Osan Air Base, a new Child Development Center is being built to accommodate nearly 300 children, set to open in the winter. Farther

PACIFIC OCEAN DIVISION Far East District

u USACE’s Far East District finalized construction of three family housing towers on Camp Humphreys, South Korea. The towers will bring the total available on the installation to 12, representing over half a billion dollars of investments in housing for families stationed in South Korea. In the foreground, work is well underway for seven new unaccompanied enlisted personnel facilities. Each new building will provide spaces for more than 300 Soldiers in suite-style accommodations. USACE

PHOTO BY RACHEL NAPOLITAN, FAR EAST DISTRICT

south, Kunsan Air Base is constructing a 39,000-square-foot dining facility to better serve its personnel.

FED’s commitment extends across all branches of the military. At Camp Mujuk, the Marines have recently opened three new barracks and are anticipating the completion of a dining facility that will serve 500 personnel.

“We are continually improving quality-of-life facilities for service members and their families in support of the alliance,” said Willis. “Future projects will ensure that service members stationed here will continue to live and work in world-class facilities, enabling them to fight tonight.” AE

PACIFIC OCEAN DIVISION Japan Engineer District

Facilitating Cultural Ties and 21st Century Learning in Japan

In the dynamic landscape of military operations and infrastructure development, the collaboration between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Japan Engineer District (JED) and the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) plays a pivotal role in ensuring both effective mission execution and community well-being while living and working in Japan.

One of the most impactful projects is the construction of state-of-the-art DODEA schools, which play a key role in maintaining

BY PATRICK CICCARONE

the morale and readiness of U.S. service members stationed abroad.

“Supporting DODEA’s mission overseas is critical to ensuring that the children of our service members receive a high-

quality education, no matter where they are stationed,” said James Wolff, JED’s Construction Division chief. “Providing excellent educational facilities ensures stability and continuity in the lives of military families, essential for their well-being and morale.”

These schools directly benefit the children of military personnel, allowing service members to focus on their duties without worrying about their children’s education. This enhances operational efficiency and reduces turnover rates, as families are more

PACIFIC OCEAN DIVISION Japan Engineer District

likely to stay where their educational needs are met.

“Over the last five years, JED has completed several educational facilities, including Sasebo Elementary School in 2019, and E.J. King High School in 2021. These schools, along with others in Okinawa, Yokosuka, Misawa, and Yokota Air Base, meet DODEA 21st century educational specifications,” noted Wolff. “They include improvements in heating and cooling systems, fire protection, LEED® sustainable credits, advanced electrical and lighting systems, and spacious, flexible learning environments.”

The 21st century school model emphasizes collaborative learning spaces, integrated technology, and environmentally sustainable designs, creating modern, engaging, and effective learning environments for students. These facilities also offer an American-style education, helping children adapt to their new environment and promoting a smoother transition for families adjusting to life in Japan.

The construction of DODEA schools also has diplomatic implications. These high-quality facilities reflect positively on the U.S. military presence in Japan and strengthen U.S.-Japan relations by demonstrating a commitment to military families and the host nation. The partnership between JED and local Japanese contractors is a key aspect of

these projects, showcasing the importance of local expertise in overcoming site-specific challenges.

“Many of our projects were executed by Japanese contractors who have extensive experience building in tight spaces. Their familiarity with efficient space utilization was crucial in addressing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ concerns about limited site areas,” mentioned Wolff. “This expertise allowed for smooth construction operations without significant disruptions or delays.”

Strategically, building DODEA schools extends beyond immediate operational needs. These facilities contribute to long-term stability by attracting and retaining skilled personnel, ensuring that USACE and other military units in Japan are staffed with experienced and capable individuals. The benefits are multifaceted, encompassing improved mission readiness, enhanced community stability, strengthened diplomatic relations, and long-term strategic value.

“Our relationship with DODEA in Japan is one of close collaboration and mutual support,” said Wolff. “We work hand in hand to ensure projects meet their specific needs and standards, delivering facilities that are functional, safe, and conducive to the educational mission of DODEA.” AE

p E.J. King Middle High School sits just behind Sasebo Elementary School on Commander Fleet Activities Sasebo near Nagasaki, Japan. The school is part of DODEA’s 21st Century School Initiative, transforming how children are prepared for life in the future. The $31 million-plus project was spearheaded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Japan Engineer District. USACE PHOTO BY CHARLES MAIB, JAPAN ENGINEER DISTRICT

Mission Maui: How USACE Engineered Lahaina’s Remarkable Debris Cleanup

The Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires did more than destroy Lahaina’s homes; they deeply scarred the community. The resulting ash and debris posed a serious threat to lives, the environment, and the cultural fabric of this historic place. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) stepped in with a mission that extended beyond debris removal – it was about protecting a community’s future and honoring its resilient spirit.

This mission required more than technical expertise; it demanded deep respect for Maui’s rich cultural heritage, where history and tradition are central to daily life. USACE needed to build trust in

BY SUSAN LEE

a community already devastated by loss. Time was against them, with each passing day increasing the risk of toxic remnants from the fire seeping deeper into the land, air, and water. The wildfires had released toxins from old paint, treated wood, and melted plastics, including hazardous

t A USACE contractor removes debris from a residence in Lahaina, Hawai‘i, Feb. 1. USACE is overseeing the debris removal mission under a Federal Emergency Management Agency mission assignment, which is part of a coordinated effort with the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency, Maui County, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to clean up areas of the island affected by the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires. USACE PHOTO BY

ERIN JIMENEZ

chemicals like benzene and heavy metals, threatening to escalate the disaster.

On Dec. 10, 2023, the Hawai’i Department of Health confirmed the dangers, revealing elevated levels of toxic substances in Lahaina’s wildfire ash. The findings underscored the urgent need for careful handling and thorough cleanup to protect public health.

When USACE began debris removal in January 2024, initial projections were cautious, anticipating at least 12 months. However, the USACE Hawai’i Wildfires Recovery Field Office, under the leadership of Col. Eric R. Swenson, exceeded expectations. “When I arrived, we had cleared primary debris from just over 100 properties,” said Swenson. “Today, I’m proud to say that we’ve cleared primary debris from 1,381 properties. In just about six months, we completed almost 100% of residential debris removal in Lahaina.”

By early August, 99% of residential debris and 51% of commercial debris had been cleared, setting a new standard for efficiency. “In September, we predicted two to three years before issuing the first building permit,” said Maui Mayor Richard Bissen. “We are starting to see homes going up. Residential debris removal is almost complete, and we are making great progress with commercial property clearances. This momentum continues to give our community hope.” USACE’s efforts put the mission on track to be completed four months ahead of schedule.

At an Aug. 9 press conference, Hawai’i Gov. Josh Green praised USACE, stating, “Incredible work was done by the Army Corps, so mahalo to them. It’s amazing.” USACE’s success wasn’t just about removing debris; it was about earning the trust of a community still reeling from loss. They understood that

PACIFIC OCEAN DIVISION Hawai’i Wildfires Recovery Field Office

building and maintaining trust within the local community was essential.

USACE and federal agencies faced skepticism and distrust from residents hesitant to sign Right of Entry agreements, fearing property rights loss. Col. Jesse Curry, the first USACE Hawai’i Wildfires Recovery Field Office commander, emphasized the importance of cultural sensitivity in building trust. “Hiring cultural observers and advisers to help us conduct our work the right way ahead of starting the mission is not something typically done in disaster recovery missions … but we did so to build, and maintain, the trust of the communities here.”

Regular engagement with the local community, particularly with the kupuna (elders), was vital for gaining broader community support. USACE’s commitment to respecting local customs, including starting and ending each day with a pule (blessing or

prayer), demonstrated a genuine dedication to the community’s values. This transparent approach reassured Lahaina residents that their land and heritage were being treated with care and reverence.

USACE also prioritized employing local workers, turning recovery efforts into a source of economic resilience. Many contracted workers were Maui residents personally affected by the wildfires. Their deep knowledge of the land and culture was instrumental in ensuring respectful operations. The proximity of the temporary debris storage (TDS), just 7.5 miles from Lahaina, was crucial in speeding up the cleanup. Every minute saved in transport translated into faster debris removal, reducing the exposure time of toxic materials.

The TDS was engineered with rigorous standards to securely contain hazardous substances. It featured a comprehensive

PACIFIC OCEAN DIVISION Alaska District

Infrastructure Laws, Military Construction Stake USACE Presence in the Arctic

For the next decade, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Alaska District remains committed to assisting Alaskan communities to strengthen their supply chains and promote economic growth; build climate-resilient infrastructure to help protect population centers, infrastructure, and nearby ecosystems; and, finally, to contribute to the nation’s goals in the Arctic through its Civil Works and Military Construction missions.

In 2022, Congress enacted the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (DRSAA). These two pieces of legislation

BY JOHN BUDNIK

are major investments in the state that will bring about $1 billion of Civil Works projects and nearly a decade of steady construction.

The DRSAA-funded Barrow Coastal Erosion Project in Utqiagvik, formerly known as Barrow, and the BIL-funded Port of Nome

leachate collection system and groundwater monitoring wells to ensure safe operations. “Securely containing and safely disposing of fire ash and debris was no small feat; our engineering solution, a one-of-a-kind design, provided an ensured safeguard for the environment,” said USACE Operating Engineer Bill Earnest.

USACE’s mission in Lahaina is measured not just by the tons of debris removed but by the trust and respect earned from the local community. “Our commitment to this mission was not just about clearing debris; it was about honoring the land and the people of Lahaina,” said Swenson. “By working hand in hand with the community, we ensured that our actions aligned with their values and priorities.”

As the recovery continues, it is clear that USACE’s blend of engineering excellence and unwavering dedication is what makes them America’s go-to team in times of crisis. AE

Safety Modification Project in Nome are two large projects where USACE will be working alongside its partners for the foreseeable future.

“As the need for economic stability and national security in the Arctic grows ever more important, USACE stands with Alaskan communities and the broader American nation as we engineer solutions to our nation’s toughest challenges in the far north,” Jeffrey Palazzini, district commander, said during a ceremony in honor of the partnership agreement signed between the city of Nome and USACE for the new port in January 2024.

Utqiagvik is the political and economic hub of the North Slope Borough, providing important services to surrounding villages in northern Alaska. The community experiences frequent and severe coastal storms, resulting in flooding and erosion that threaten public health and safety, the economy, critical infrastructure valued at more than $1 billion, and access to subsistence areas, as well as cultural and historical resources.

PACIFIC OCEAN DIVISION Alaska District

USACE plans to begin building the first portion of a revetment in front of the Utqiagvik downtown area in the spring of 2025. Future work for the entire project consists of more rock revetments, a protective berm, and raising and armoring Stevenson Street. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2031.

Meanwhile, USACE is preparing to award a construction contract for the upcoming Port of Nome expansion. The project aims to provide larger vessels with improved access to Nome’s existing harbor by enlarging the outer basin and creating a new deep-water basin at a depth of minus 40 feet. With no major road systems in the region, a robust and efficient transportation hub at Nome is foundational to the longterm viability of surrounding communities.

The new infrastructure in Nome will be the nation’s first arctic deep-draft port in an area with growing national interest for multiple

reasons stemming from climate change and a dynamic security environment. While the new port will be a boon for the nation and region, USACE also continues to be the primary design and construction agent for its military partners in Alaska that will help provide the facilities necessary for mission readiness and to meet the goals of the Department of Defense’s “2024 Arctic Strategy.”

Currently, USACE is extending the northsouth runway at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson by about 2,500 feet, which will allow the Air Force to have two functional runways of about 10,000 feet each. The construction contract was awarded in 2022 at about $309 million, and is scheduled to be completed by 2026.

Meanwhile, USACE completed the largest child development center in the entire Army at Fort Wainwright near Fairbanks in February 2024. The 43,000-square-foot facility, complete with a multipurpose gymnasium,

p Col. Jeff Palazzini, district commander, and John Handeland, mayor of Nome, conducted a signing ceremony for the project partnership agreement at the Port of Nome Modification Project on Jan. 25, 2024. This project will provide larger vessels with improved access to Nome’s existing harbor by enlarging the outer basin and creating a new deep-water basin at a depth of minus 40 feet.

USACE PHOTO BY JOHN BUDNIK, ALASKA DISTRICT

plays an important role in improving the quality of life of service members and their families in the Last Frontier. Furthermore, a 118,500-square-foot barracks is underway at the installation, and is the first of three planned over the next 10 years to meet the needs of the Army in the far north.

“Quality-of-life upgrades for Soldiers and their families are a central part of the USACE mission,” Palazzini said. “In a rapidly changing Arctic, these projects and others serve an important purpose for the Army’s readiness.” AE

USACE Establishes New District in Puerto Rico

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is ready to write a new chapter in the Caribbean Region with the establishment of a new enduring district under the South Atlantic Division (SAD). Task Force Virgin Islands Puerto Rico (TF VIPR) transitioned into the Caribbean District on July 26, 2024.

As a result, the federal agency will provide comprehensive district services with a specialized emphasis on the Caribbean region, announced Brig. Gen. Daniel H. Hibner, USACE SAD commander. This is the first permanent district, with a focus on Civil Works projects, that USACE has established since 1950.

“We are thrilled to announce the establishment of the Caribbean District, headquartered in Puerto Rico. This

BY JENNIFER K. GARCIA TORRES

decision emphasizes USACE’s longstanding commitment with the region and its people.

While Task Force VIPR oversaw Civil Works and public infrastructure projects in Puerto Rico and the U.S. and Virgin Islands, and managed all construction activities, this new district consolidates and enhances our services, acting as one door to the Corps for all district services in the region,” Hibner said.

The Caribbean District has the mission of delivering a multi-billion dollar Civil

t Aerial view of the progress on the Río de La Plata Flood Risk Management Project, one of the largest Civil Works projects in Puerto Rico under the Caribbean District. On July 26, 2024, the new district assumed oversight of the Civil Works program, military construction projects, navigation initiatives, emergency response efforts, and interagency and international services, among other programs.

USACE PHOTO BY CARIBBEAN DISTRICT

Works program over the next decade in the region. The new organization assumed oversight of military construction projects, navigation initiatives, emergency response efforts, and interagency and international services, among other programs. It also maintains the role as the local construction agent for other districts within the region.

Col. Charles Decker, USACE Caribbean District commander, stated that USACE will continue the award and implementation of key construction contracts of infrastructure investment in benefit of the region. Decker added that “this new district continues to be a dedicated and focused team that can sustain and build relationships through effective tiered governance and proactive, synchronized communications while efficiently executing programs in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.”

The history of USACE with Puerto Rico dates back to 1907, when an office for Puerto Rico was established in Staten Island, New York. In 1935, the Puerto Rico office expanded its horizons to include work in the U.S. Virgin Islands, reflecting the growing importance of the Caribbean within USACE’s mission. In 1950, the Jacksonville District absorbed the San Juan Engineering Office, consolidating USACE’s presence and responsibilities.

Through the decades, the San Juan office contracted or expanded dependent on need in the region. Then, in 2024, the chief of engineers authorized the establishment of a new district under SAD.

Other than establishing military-based districts, with most of these offices in the Mediterranean and Middle East Region, the last time USACE established a district with focus on civil works was in 1950 with the establishment of the Fort Worth District in the Southwestern Division. AE

SOUTH

Renourishment of Bird Key Has Shorebirds Rejoicing

Shorebirds circled overhead while the dredge pumped sand onto an island off Folly Beach. When the hum of heavy machinery concluded, and they spread their legs for landing, the shorebirds found their nesting grounds had grown, and the Bird Key-Stono seabird sanctuary renourished.

In less than a month and before the start of the nesting season, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Charleston District renourished Bird Key, placing 40,000 cubic yards, the equivalent of 4,000 dump trucks of sand, on the island. The project, aimed at restoring the sanctuary’s natural habitat for seabirds, finished in early March.

Bird Key is part of a broader project to renourish Folly Beach following damage from Hurricane Ian. The sand came from the Folly River Inlet, and was a textbook example

BY DYLAN BURNELL

of beneficially using dredge material to help the environment.

“We are dredging the material out of the Folly River and putting it on Bird Key because it is an important seabird sanctuary for South Carolina,” said Alan Shirey, Charleston District environmental engineer. “Protecting the environment is part of our mission, and we’re excited to do that with this project.”

The Bird Key Seabird Sanctuary is a vital nesting site for numerous seabird species, including brown pelicans, black skimmers, and royal terns. Its natural

t Local media observe dredged material being placed on Bird Key near Folly Beach, South Carolina, on March 8, 2024. Dredge crews placed 40,000 cubic yards, equivalent to 4,000 dump trucks, of sand on Bird Key in March, restoring the sanctuary’s natural habitat for seabirds. The renourishment of Bird Key is part of the larger 2024 Folly Beach Renourishment.

PHOTO BY DYLAN BURNELL, CHARLESTON DISTRICT

habitat has been washed away by years of beach erosion and storm damage. As a result, the seabird’s nesting areas became increasingly vulnerable to predators and high tides.

In a partnership with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the restored island has already attracted a variety of seabirds who had not nested there for several years.

“Our coastal birds are in trouble; both our colonial seabirds and shorebirds are declining rapidly,” said Cami Duquet, a member of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Coastal Bird Program. “For them to be able to contribute to their population, they need to have a suitable nesting habitat to lay their eggs, raise their chicks, and have those chicks contribute to their population.”

The successful renourishment of the Bird Key is a testament to the importance of protecting and preserving our natural habitats for future generations of birds and the people who enjoy watching them.

With Bird Key complete and the shorebirds rejoicing, the district now sets its sights on protecting the infrastructure behind the dunes on Folly Beach as the renourishment project gets underway.

Throughout the project, the district was committed to openness and transparency. From inception to completion, stakeholders, including the city of Folly Beach and South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, worked closely together, ensuring that community and environmental considerations were addressed. The district invited local media outlets to the island during construction, providing them an up-close look at the important work being done. This collaboration greatly contributes to the success of the renourishment. AE

SOUTH ATLANTIC DIVISION Jacksonville District

p The sun rises over W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam in Alva, Florida, one of the six USACE locks on the Okeechobee Waterway belonging to the Jacksonville District. Lake Okeechobee and the Okeechobee Waterway Project are part of the complex water management system known as the Central and Southern Florida Flood Control Project. The 451,000-acre lake and 154-mile-long waterway extend from the Atlantic Ocean at Stuart, to the Gulf of Mexico at Fort Myers. The waterway runs through Lake Okeechobee and consists of the Caloosahatchee River to the west of the lake and the St. Lucie Canal east of the lake. The Okeechobee Waterway is primarily used for recreation, but it is also used for commercial navigation, including tug/barge combinations and commercial fishing vessels.

PHOTO BY BRIGIDA SANCHEZ, JACKSONVILLE DISTRICT

Jacksonville District Delivers Services and Solutions

Jacksonville District continues its proud history from the past 140 years of delivering vital services to the nation and collaboratively engineering solutions that support national security, energize our economy, and increase resiliency. As the second-largest district in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, our total programs are valued in the billions and have far reaching impact.

We successfully helped stand up Task Force Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico (TFVIPR) and celebrated it reaching initial operating capability in January. In July, USACE announced the task force would become its own stand-alone district – the Caribbean District.

We came into this year hot off of conducting emergency management operations in response to Hurricanes Fiona, Ian, Nicole, and Idalia. With a very active 2024 hurricane

BY MICHELLE ROBERTS

season predicted, we stand ready to respond and assist our fellow Floridians.

With the largest Coastal Storm Risk Management program in USACE, we construct, operate, and maintain more than 30% of the nation’s total shore protection projects, totaling more than 125 miles of renourished beaches. With 30 active projects, we achieved a great deal this year by awarding the St. Johns County South Ponte Vedra and Vilano Beach projects. The Duval County, St. Augustine Beach, and Flagler Beach Shore Protection

Projects are underway and will be completed by the end of the year. We completed the renourishment of a $44 million Miami Beach project that significantly increases coastal resiliency for the surrounding communities. The project implementation report for Brevard Mid Reaches was approved, allowing us to begin design efforts.

The five-year journey to create a new operating manual for Lake Okeechobee was completed in August, with the signing of the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) Record of Decision. LOSOM represents a significant shift in operational philosophy to a system-wide benefits approach, where lake-level management focuses on making beneficial releases at times and in quantities that improve water supply availability and enhance fish and wildlife in the region. The plan also allows for systemwide analysis to adapt to real-time conditions in making informed decisions on lake releases, and includes more robust and structured communication and collaboration between USACE and stakeholders as operational decisions are made.

This year saw us achieve true momentum in leading the Corps’ single largest ecosystem restoration project – the restoration of America’s Everglades. We celebrated a significant milestone for the Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands Project with the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the S-709 Pump Station. The project will restore wetland and estuarine habitats and divert an average of 59% of annual coastal structure discharge away from Biscayne Bay and Biscayne National Park. Work continues on the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir, and we held ribbon-cutting ceremonies for the C-43 Pump Station and the Everglades Agricultural Area A-2 Storm Water Treatment Area.

Contributing to our ecosystem restoration program in South Florida, we completed construction on the Miller Tram and Road Removal Project for Picaynue Strand, removing 260 miles of road to allow greater water flow south to the Everglades.

The largest regulatory program in USACE is getting larger. Our annual workload of approximately 10,000 regulatory actions each year will increase as the district reassumes the mission of 404 permitting from the state. AE

Tyndall Air Force Base (AFB) in Panama City, Florida, after the base was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Michael in 2018.

Mobile District Truly Delivers, Now and in the Future

For 250 years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has been serving the nation, and for 209 of those, the Mobile District has been delivering for its partners in the Gulf Coast region and around the country.

Of the many projects that the district is currently working on, the most significant in terms of benefits to the district and to the Gulf Coast is the Mobile Harbor Project.

Beginning in 2020, the project seeks to deepen and widen the Mobile Harbor Channel by 5 feet from the Gulf of Mexico through Mobile Bay and into Mobile Harbor. The entrance channel through the Gulf is being deepened from 45 feet to 50 feet. Additionally, the southern portion of the Bay channel is being widened by 100 feet for a distance of three miles to accommodate two-way traffic, and two of the bends are being eased to facilitate

BY CHUCK WALKER

more efficient navigation from the Gulf into Mobile Bay.

“Improving the Mobile Harbor along with the collaborative support of our state and local partners will provide the Port of Mobile’s customers and carriers the necessary infrastructure to ensure their market competitiveness,” said Mary Sullivan, project manager for Civil Works. “We have been fortunate to be part of a large federal and state team that will deliver additional capability to the city of Mobile, the state of Alabama, and the entire Southeast region, as we ensure Mobile Harbor is well-postured to remain competitive in the global market.”

Concurrently, the district has continued the monumental task of the rebuild of

Since then, the district has worked on rebuilding the base, a total of more than 40 projects that will truly transform Tyndall from near destruction to the base of the future.

The rebuild of Tyndall AFB has been one of the largest single military construction projects ever taken on in the last 50 years.

“In 2018, Panama City and Tyndall Air Force Base in particular were devastated by Hurricane Michael,” said Col. Jeremy Chapman, Mobile District commander.

“Since then, USACE and the Mobile District have been proud to be a part of the base’s rebuilding process. Through the diligent work of our team members here and in the Mobile District, we are transforming Tyndall into the base of the future.”

Truly the future for the Mobile District is seen in the work outside of our U.S. borders, as the district continues to position itself as a world-class international architectural and engineering firm.

With an area of operation that reaches both Central and South America, the Mobile District’s Latin America portfolio includes future projects ranging from the oversight of a $25 million project for the Peruvian navy with the Port of Callao, to massive global impacts with the projected finalization of feasibility studies with the Panama Canal to increase the canal’s capacity – a statement to the world that Mobile delivers. AE

p Ships sit in the channel of the Mobile Bay Harbor, Mobile, Alabama, July 29, 2024. USACE’s Mobile District is currently working to deepen and widen the Mobile Harbor Channel to allow for more commercial traffic in the bay, which will benefit the Alabama Port Authority, the state of Alabama, the city of Mobile and the district.

U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY DALTON YODER

p USACE’s Savannah District deposits dredge material onto a man-made island along the East River, Georgia, April 9, 2024. The island is designed to provide nesting and foraging habitat for a variety of shorebird and seabird species. USACE PHOTO BY CHERI DRAGOS-PRITCHARD, SAVANNAH DISTRICT

From the Bottom up: USACE Constructs Island for Birds Using Dredge Material

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Savannah District used dredged sediment from the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW) to create a 2-acre artificial island for birds along the East River.

Located within the Cumberland Dividings, a network of channels between Cumberland Island and the eastern coast of Georgia, the island is designed to provide nesting and foraging habitat for a variety of shorebird and seabird species.

“The island is made completely from dredge material, a mixture of sand, silt, and clay pumped from the bottom of the AIWW,” said Emily Wortman, a civil engineer in the Savannah District’s Hydraulics and Hydrology Branch. “An estimated 200,000 to 240,000 cubic yards of

BY MICHAEL ARIOLA

dredged material was used to create the bird island.”

The natural islands in this area are typically much lower in elevation due to erosion created by storms, strong wave action, and rising sea levels over time.

“The lower elevations, coupled with their proximity to the AIWW, have made the islands prone to overwash from boat wakes and storms, which can threaten or deter bird nesting activities,” said Jared Lopes, a water resources planner in the Savannah District’s Planning Branch.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources provided the district with a

ABOUT US

Multi Air Services Engineers is a familyowned business with 35 years of experience, dedicated to delivering superior quality in every service we provide to our customers.

•20 years of experience as a contractor serving the federal government in the CONUS and US territories.

•We specialize in Facility Maintenance, Construction, and Smart Buildings

•Clients include federal agencies such as GSA, VA, DOD, and others.

•SDB and HUBzone certified under the Small Business Administration.

•Holds a BMO and GSA Schedule 03FAC for Facility Maintenance and Management, as well as Smart Buildings.

TESTIMONIALS

“MASE is one of the best Contractors we have ever worked with. Their level of professionalism is high level and we only hear compliments from the end user. We would definitely work with MASE again in future projects.” – VA Caribbean Contracting Officer

“MASE is a trustworthy and loyal company compromised with his work and clients. I would recommend MASE for any Mechanical project.”

– GSA Region 2 COR

“Exceptional service in a timely manner at a fair price” – VA Alabama Chief Maintenance and Repair

SOUTH ATLANTIC DIVISION

recommended elevation for the Cumberland Bird Island based on productive reference nesting sites in coastal Georgia.

“This elevation considers the effects of potential boat wakes in the AIWW, combined with the impact of natural wave action and spring tides,” said Lopes. “By elevating the central part of the island to the target height, overwash is minimized, protecting nesting sites and reducing sediment transport during storm events. Additionally, this target elevation provides an enhanced vantage point for certain bird species.”

The shape and slopes of the island were also major design factors.

“Barrier Islands in this area of the Southeast typically have round or egg-shaped contours surrounded by gentle slopes, which helped guide the general island design,” said Lopes. “This layout provides birds easy shoreline and intertidal foraging access. The slope was also designed to reduce the potential for egg displacement.”

Lopes further explained that the Cumberland Bird Island will also provide additional safety for the birds by reducing chances of predation, due to the distance of open water

SOUTH ATLANTIC DIVISION Wilmington District

North Carolina’s Coastal Storm Risk Management

separating the island from shore at mean low tide.

Despite the benefits of using dredge material to create the Cumberland Bird Island, the district had to overcome some hurdles to get the project approved and completed.

“It took a lot of effort and communicating between various agencies and stakeholders to get everyone onboard with the development of the island and on the same page,” said Wortman. “Building the island in that type of difficult environment was challenging too, but I think the project has been pretty successful so far.” AE

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducts a coastal storm risk management project at Wrightsville Beach, where more than 1 million cubic yards of sand was placed to help protect people and infrastructure at Wrightsville from coastal weather events. The project concluded in March 2024 just before the start of hurricane season.

PHOTO BY PATRICK GORMAN AND SPENCER ROYLANCE, WILMINGTON DISTRICT

North Carolina’s extensive coastline is a source of beauty and economic prosperity. However, this very attribute exposes the state to the fury of coastal storms. From hurricanes’ destructive winds and storm surge, to chronic erosion, these events threaten lives, property, and the very foundation of coastal communities. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Wilmington District provides engineering solutions to mitigate the potential threats that come with hurricanes and coastal storms. One example is a program called Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM).

The CSRM is crucial for several reasons:

• R educes storm impact: CSRM acts as a shield, mitigating the devastating impact of coastal storms. Techniques like beach nourishment create wider, stronger beaches that absorb wave energy, reducing flooding and erosion damage to coastal communities and infrastructure during storms.

• P rotects property and infrastructure: CSRM safeguards homes, businesses, roads, and other structures built along the coast. By mitigating storm damage, CSRM helps minimize economic losses and disruptions caused by coastal hazards.

• Supports the economy: Beaches are a major tourist draw for North Carolina. CSRM projects that maintain healthy beaches are essential for the state’s tourism industry.

• Environmental benefits: These projects can enhance coastal ecosystems by creating nesting grounds for sea turtles and promoting healthy marine habitats.

CSRM encompasses a variety of approaches to mitigate the impact of

BY JED CAYTON

coastal storms and erosion. The choice of CSRM method depends on a variety of factors, such as the specific coastal hazards, the environmental setting, and the cost-effectiveness of the approach. One of the most common CSRM efforts is beach nourishment.

Beach nourishment is a common CSRM strategy of adding sand to beaches to create a wider barrier against the heightened elements, like wind, waves, and water levels, created by hurricanes or coastal storms.

Beach towns like Surf City, Wrightsville Beach, and Carolina/ Kure Beach have undertaken beach nourishment projects. Beach nourishment projects are designed and engineered to work like natural beaches, allowing sand to shift continuously in response to changing waves and water levels. To ensure that a nourished beach continues to provide protection and mitigate the effects of hurricanes and coastal storms, the project must be supplemented with additional quantities of sand, called periodic renourishment, as needed.

The Wilmington District most recently completed a periodic renourishment of Wrightsville Beach, where more than 1 million cubic yards of sand was used to nourish the beach. This renourishment was completed just before hurricane season started, which is crucial for the town of Wrightsville Beach.

In the case of Surf City, the Wilmington District is completing a General Reevaluation Report. If authorized, the district will first construct the beach, and periodically nourish every 6 years (or sooner) after initial construction is completed. Initial construction requires an estimated 6 million cubic yards of sand.

CSRM is not a one-time fix; it’s an ongoing investment in North Carolina’s future. Maintaining beaches, dredging, and monitoring coastal hazards require continuous effort. By leading and facilitating CSRM projects, the USACE Wilmington District is protecting people, the economy, and the treasured coastline of North Carolina. AE

TRASH RAKERS & RACKS

Easy to install, easy to operate and maintain. Keeping water intakes clear of debris and hassle-free year after year. We use what we sell every day

www.HydroComponentSystems.com (920) 261-2139 Western USA: (360) 601-2391

Army Engineers Saw Through the Building of the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal’s construction was a monumental achievement, realized through more than 10 years of effort. It was completed ahead of schedule, under budget, and without corruption, largely due to the leadership of Army engineers. Key figures included George W.Goethals, the chief engineer, and William C. Gorgas, the chief public health officer.

In 1904, the United States took over a failed French attempt to build the canal. Yellow fever and malaria had decimated the workforce. President Theodore Roosevelt appointed Col. George W. Goethals as the chief engineer. Goethals, a West Point graduate, had extensive experience in civil engineering projects. He oversaw the construction of dams, locks, and other infrastructure, earning respect for his demanding yet effective leadership.

William C. Gorgas, an army physician, led efforts to combat yellow fever and malaria. His mosquito control measures, including draining swamps and fumigating buildings, eradicated yellow fever and significantly reduced malaria in the Canal Zone. Gorgas’ public health campaigns educated the workforce on sanitation and mosquito control, ensuring a healthy workforce.

The canal was completed in 1914, making Goethals an American hero. He was promoted to major general, later served as the Canal Zone’s first governor, and played a significant role in World War I logistics. Gorgas became Surgeon General of the U.S. Army and continued his work on the control of yellow fever after retiring. AE

BY USACE OFFICE OF HISTORY

p Panoramic view of Gatun Locks under construction, ca. 1913. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

q Maj. Gen. George W. Goethals, ca. 1915. OFFICE OF HISTORY, USACE

p Workers drilling blast holes, ca. 1908. OFFICE OF HISTORY, USACE

A New Era in Construction Management Innovation

Better tools for better construction management.

As rapid technological advances over the past 20 years have propelled private sector construction firms forward, big government agencies have struggled to keep up. As one of the world’s largest public design and construction agents, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) – often in collaboration with the agency’s own U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and other partners – has frequently been a leader in construction management, and now aims to lead the construction management industry again.

More than a decade ago, people in USACE’s Engineering Construction Division were using a custom enterprise software package, the Resident Management System (RMS), which made common documents, rules, schedules, guidelines, and more available to parties who accessed them from a computer – usually, in their offices.

The RMS of today is, aside from a few new features, pretty much the same system he was using when Darrick Godfrey joined USACE as a resident engineer. He now heads USACE’s Construction Management Innovation Office (CMIO) at USACE Headquarters. “The Corps still doesn’t have a system tied to tablets in the field,” Godfrey said. “Our folks, if they’re going to go on a job site and inspect a piece of work, still have to print out the paper drawing – hopefully the current version of the paper drawing – before they go.” Some team members take laptops with them, to type in their notes – but most find it more convenient to simply write them in a notebook and type them up when they return to their desks. In the current system, key documents are typically viewable by USACE and its lead contractor; others can access the documents by either requesting them in an email or downloading them.

Meanwhile, in the years since Godfrey came aboard, new capabilities were constantly being pushed out to construction engineers in the private sector. With building information modeling (BIM)-integrated design, everyone involved in a project had the most current plans, specifications, photos, and notes, which they accessed through apps on smartphones or tablets. When a request for information (RFI)

BY CRAIG COLLINS

t CM Innovation teammate Jason Gobin utilizes tablets in the field for increased collaboration and efficiency. USACE PHOTO

“We’re making sure people have the right tools to do their job, that their processes fit the kind of work they’re doing, and that they’re fully trained and supported.”

–Alexandra Henderson Connors, head of CMIO’s Technology Modernization Office (TMO)

popped up, everyone saw it immediately. Employees who worked off-site could see progress in real time – through the helmet cams of colleagues at the project site.

Obviously, USACE’s construction experts are overdue for changes that will make their jobs easier while lowering costs and improving the quality of projects. And the news is good: USACE is on the verge of radical change, as it develops a new software platform that will transform the way it manages its construction projects from beginning to end. The leaders of this transformation – including Godfrey and Alexandra Henderson Connors, who leads CMIO’s Technology Modernization Office (TMO) – like to describe it as an effort that’s about people, processes and technology.

“We’re looking at it holistically,” said Connors. “How do we update our processes? How do we make sure we’re doing things more efficiently, in parallel with these new pieces of technology we’re trying to roll out? And then probably the

most important part: How do we make sure our people are supported in both of those things? We’re making sure people have the right tools to do their job, that their processes fit the kind of work they’re doing, and that they’re fully trained and supported.”

The Construction Management Platform: Under Construction

According to USACE’s Chief of Construction Kenny Simmons – who, like everyone leading the transition to a new Construction Management Platform (CMP), came from the private sector – USACE’s construction work is unique, even within the agency: “What makes our Construction Management Community of Practice different is the relationship we have with industry,” he said. “A lot of what we do – on our Civil Works side, for example – we do for ourselves. We’re the owner and operator of levees and dams.” But the agency’s 4,000 construction people, Simmons said, “spend every day of their working career

p Attendees at the April 2024 USACE Construction Management Community of Practice Meeting being briefed on CM Innovation projects by Alexandra Henderson Connors (CM Technology Modernization Officer).

USACE PHOTO

USACE Construction Management Innovation

in the field, working with our industry partners. It’s not just a transactional relationship. It’s a partnership, a relationship in the field to deliver the infrastructure the nation needs.”

The CMP that will soon replace the RMS, then, will be aimed at creating a common operating picture and collaborative environment for an entire project team, from beginning to end: project sponsors and end users, stakeholders, architects, engineers, USACE and other government team members, the contractors and subcontractors, all working in the same system, all looking at the most up-todate versions of documents and events.

Located in the Kansas City District, Connors’ team at the TMO – a relatively new branch of the Construction Management Innovation Office – is designing and developing the new CMP to have long-lasting benefits, and to be capable of evolving and applying new innovations.

The first piece of the new platform, its knowledge base, has set an important precedent for the innovations to come: It’s been developed with the input of engineers in the field, who are calling for better project efficiency, quality, and collaboration. One of the most time-consuming tasks for USACE construction managers, for example, has been searching among multiple websites, and their own email inboxes, for information. The Construction Branch has a publications page that houses its regulations, manuals, pamphlets, and other documents. A design guide website issues engineering and construction bulletins. But once managers have collected all the documents they need, they often can’t be sure they’ve found the most recent USACE guidance.

To streamline and modernize access to these disparate resources, the Construction Management Innovation Team developed a single portal for validated, up-to-date information: the Construction Management Administration Application (CMA2). Built to provide guidance and assistance throughout the life cycle of a construction project, from pre-award inception to closeout, CMA2 is a searchable repository of information that requires minimal legwork, and can be accessed from the field through a smartphone.

But it’s more than just a repository: In collaboration with computing experts at USACE’s ERDC, the CMI team developed a virtual assistant named JAQI (Jobsite-Assisted Quality Intelligence). As a first step,

p Jacquelyn Henderson (left) and John Travis (right) worked with Jaylen Hopson (center left) and George “Eddie” Gallarno (center right) from the Engineer Research and Development Center to develop JAQI, a large language model. USACE PHOTO

“We’re

getting the Corps ready to adopt even bigger, bolder changes when we replace our current Residence Management System software.”

– Darrick Godfrey, Head of USACE Construction Management Innovation Office (CMIO)

p Attendees at the Construction Management Community of Practice workshop participate in the COP’s Construction Management Innovation Lab, which provides hands-on tools like virtual reality for visualization and training, unmanned aircraft systems for construction progress tracking, and quality control in a hands-on, interactive setting. USACE PHOTO

the team identified and assembled more than 1,000 key documents among USACE’s vetted management training and reference materials. A large-language AI model, JAQI can sort through these documents and respond to queries within minutes, with a written answer that’s easy to read.

According to Jacquelyn Henderson, a senior construction engineer at USACE Headquarters and a key proponent of CMA2, the CMI team has taken steps to ensure that JAQI is a trusted partner: “We give it pretty specific prompts –say, ‘Write me an article about the first phase of the three-phase inspection, and include a list of all of the requirements you’d want to discuss in a preparatory meeting, and when that meeting should be held.’ And then it will generate an article, and it will also provide references for almost every sentence it generates, so that you, as the subject-matter expert, can go back in and validate the information very quickly.” Nothing is published to the CMA2 site without several rounds of expert reviews.

The AI-powered JAQI has saved the CMA2 team hundreds of hours of search-

ing through USACE documents, and team members estimate that these and other capabilities of the new Construction Management Platform – at its core, a cloudbased commercial off-the-shelf application, with new features added as they’re brought online – will reduce the amount of time managers spend on administrative tasks by 30 to 40 percent.

The spring launch of CMA2 was the first big step in the CMI team’s effort to upgrade its collaborative environment.

“Getting that to where it is today has been a big project for the last year or so,” Godfrey said. “Right now, we’re kind of in this transition phase, focused on how existing and available tools can be acquired and used, things like tablets and BIM, virtual-reality training, other chat bots, and AI tools. We’re getting the Corps ready to adopt even bigger, bolder changes when we replace our current Residence Management System software.”

To showcase these tools and how they could be used, the Construction Branch unveiled its new Construction Management Innovation Lab in Kansas City in April 2024, with a hands-on

Solving problems not for the glory, but for the good.

Get the flexibility to succeed with 10 areas of study and 40+ class options each semester

Explore your future with the nation’s #1 online civil engineering master’s program in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

Does not imply USACE or DOD endorsement.

USACE Construction Management Innovation

interactive workshop demonstrating several capabilities. Participants operated an aerial drone to see how it could track progress and conduct inspections; used 360-degree cameras to capture the entirety of a project site; logged in to CMA2; asked JAQI for advice; and strapped on a virtual-reality (VR) headset to tour a three-dimensional model of a project – an application with the potential to save time and money on multiple fronts.

As the Construction Management Community of Practice integrates these tools into the emerging CMP and adapts them to the needs of its projects, the lab will provide a home for new Construction Management Innovation initiatives, and a place where professionals can take them out for test drives.

The Uniqueness of USACE Construction

In framing the USACE construction community’s transition around people, processes, and technology, there’s a reason people are mentioned first, and technology last: A new Construction Management Platform will be a means, not an end – a suite of tools for enabling up-to-the-minute collaboration and quality assurance. The purpose of the new Construction

Management Innovation Lab is not to show off new gadgets, but to enhance the coordination of design and construction, optimize the design review process, validate constructability and operability, create baselines for acquisitions, and develop benchmarks for districts in design and construction reviews.

“You can’t just throw technology out there,” said Godfrey. “It has to come as a complete package, with training, process improvement, and feedback loops, so that you figure it out and make sure you’re moving forward with it appropriately.”

As Henderson points out, the collaboration with ERDC isn’t aimed at finding the next big gizmo: “It’s a much more business-focused than widget-focused effort.”

The emphasis on developing benchmarks is an important feature of the future collaborative environment, and hints at an issue that’s particular to USACE’s Construction Management Community of Practice: While many new innovations are, and will be, inspired by its partners in private industry, they will be tailored to USACE’s unique needs and circumstances. The Construction Branch is, to state the obvious, not a business, and profit is not one of its key performance indicators.

The size and scope of USACE’s construction enterprise presents singular challenges and opportunities. The agency’s 45 districts span the globe, and the lack of a common operating platform, in which stakeholders can collaborate in real time, has led the evolution of different practices and processes.

“We need to prioritize having enterprise processes for different things right now,” Henderson said. “We have stakeholders who partner with various districts and have vastly different experiences, because we don’t have common practices across all of those districts.”

“Our goal is really to make this more of an enterprise initiative than ever before,” said Godfrey. “We’re going to figure out a way to get tools and technologies and best practices out to everyone – but still somehow to encourage the pockets of innovation we have now, to let those folks innovate however they have to, to get the job done.”

This is what Simmons wants everyone involved in USACE construction projects to know: The transition to a new collaborative platform is, first and foremost, about them.

“When you look at all the challenges facing the design and construction industries today, we need to better equip that workforce,” he said. “It’s the people in the districts and the field, 4,000 people in our Community of Practice, who are doing the real work. And we owe them the tools that will enable them to use their ingenuity and innovation at the local level to solve problems. They’re fighting the good fight every day with our industry partners at construction sites, and they deserve the best we can give them.” AE

t Alexandra Henderson Connors (CM TMO) and Darrick Godfrey (HQ USACE, CMIO) brief USACE chiefs of construction on jobsite tablet utilization. USACE PHOTO

Breaking the Pattern: Systemwide Improvements Aim to Prepare Sacramento for Future Storm Events

Sacramento’s flood history dates back as far as the city itself.

The prospect of gold led to people flocking to California in search of wealth and prosperity during California’s Gold Rush. Founded in 1849, Sacramento was California’s first

BY TYLER STALKER

incorporated city. The city’s location at the confluence of two major rivers and its proximity between San Francisco and the gold fields made it an ideal trading center for miners. It also presented a threat its newly transplanted residents were unprepared for – flooding.

p Aerial image shows recently completed construction and revegetation work along the Lower American River near the Guy West Bridge at the California State University Sacramento campus. Across the river, reestablished habitat covers the levee, serving as a preview for what the project will look like. The work is part of a $1.5 billion collaborative effort between USACE, California’s Central Valley Flood Protection Board, California Department of Water Resources, and the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency to modernize aging flood infrastructure for more than 500,000 people in the greater Sacramento region. U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY USACE SACRAMENTO DISTRICT AVIATION SECTION

The Flood of 1850 welcomed Sacramento’s first residents and led to the construction of the city’s first levees. Nestled in the Central Valley between the Sierra Nevada to the east, the coastal range to the west, and the Sutter Buttes to the north, the

SOUTH PACIFIC DIVISION Sacramento District

Sacramento Valley would regularly become an inland sea, covered in water for as far as the eye could see.

“The geography of the Sacramento region means many communities sit at an elevation lower than the waterways that run next to them,” said Kristine Des Champs, chief of the Sacramento Basin Project Center for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Sacramento District. “Standing on the levee it can be easy to see why this work is so important.”

Today, more than half a million people live in Sacramento. While the promise of finding gold has dried up, the flood risk is as real as ever.

“Sacramento is considered one of the most at-risk regions in the nation for catastrophic flooding,” according to Des Champs.

The Sacramento District is underway on a series of projects designed to significantly reduce the flood risk for those who live and work in the region.

Infrastructure improvements from Folsom Dam, located approximately 30 miles east of Sacramento, to the American River’s confluence with the Sacramento River in Sacramento have been at the forefront of the district’s workload for more than two decades.

The 2017 addition of an auxiliary spillway offers Folsom Dam operators increased flexibility in managing reservoir levels, but also means more water could potentially be released out of Folsom Lake should a storm scenario present the need. Of course, more water out of the lake means more water in the American River below the dam.

Levee improvements from Folsom to Sacramento will allow the river channel to convey up to 160,000 cubic feet of water per second, or cfs, a nearly 40% increase over the previously designated capacity of American River levees.

Installation of deep seepage walls, some extending more than 150 feet deep to help protect against seepage through or under the levee, is one way USACE and its partners have been improving Sacramento area levees.

Increased flows also mean greater potential for erosion.

Sacramento’s River Park neighborhood sits right where the American River would like to flow. A horseshoe-like bend, however, wraps the American River around the neighborhood. High-velocity flows making a sudden change of direction have the potential to be devastating.

“Thousands of homes are located behind this levee,” said William Polk, senior project

t Construction crews use a long-stick excavator to install a 700-foot-long seepage cutoff wall in the center of the Sacramento River East Levee to help reduce seepage and stability issues. This work is part of USACE’s American River Common Features Water Resources Development Act of 2016 Project to further reduce flood risk in Sacramento, California. U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY USACE SACRAMENTO DISTRICT AVIATION SECTION

manager for the American River Common Features program. “A levee failure resulting from the high-velocity flows of the American River would be catastrophic to people and property.”

The goal is to protect the riverbank by applying a layer of armor. By adding large boulders, referred to as rip rap, covered in soil and plantings, the levee doesn’t take the full brunt of the flows and can help keep water in the river channel and out of the community.

“We not only have a modern engineered levee, but we’ve added more than 100,000 tons of rock to help protect it from river flows,” said Polk.

Most people won’t notice where flood risk-reduction work was completed, as carefully cultivated native vegetation restores the natural aesthetic over time. However, improvements at the Sacramento Weir, located along the Sacramento River just upstream of its confluence with the American River, will be clear for all to see.

The structure, which helps relieve the Sacramento River during high flow events, is getting its first significant upgrade in its 108-year history. Construction crews are expanding the facility to add a new 1,500-foot passive weir that will help reroute water away from Sacramento-area communities and into the bypass when river levels rise.

All the work is designed to work as a system and will help the region achieve a 200-year level of protection, meaning there will be a one-in-200 chance of flooding in any given year.

“With nature, it’s not a matter of ‘if’ but rather ‘when,’ so we’re doing what we can to reduce the flood risk for the next major storm event,” Des Champs said. AE

Los Angeles District PDT Named “USACE Planning Team of the Year,” for Nontraditional Tribal Partnership Program Project

A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Los Angeles District project-delivery team has been named the USACE 2023 Outstanding Planning Achievement Team of the Year (Programmatic) after taking on the study of a nontraditional Tribal Partnership Program project using new guidance from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.

The district’s Pima-Maricopa Irrigation Renewable Energy Project Tribal Partnership Team recently completed the study in

BY STEPHEN BAACK

coordination with tribal and federal partners, resulting in the recommendation from USACE to proceed on a project to install solar panels over about a 1,000-foot stretch of irrigation canal in central Arizona within

t Michael Connor, then-assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, at the lectern, joins the Gila River Indian Community and USACE to commemorate a project partnership agreement signing during a ceremony Nov. 9, 2023, at the Gila River Indian Reservation in Arizona. This project is scheduled to be the first solar-over-canal project constructed in the United States. USACE PHOTO BY ROBERT DEDEAUX, LOS ANGELES DISTRICT

the Gila River Indian Community Reservation in Maricopa and Pinal counties.

The purpose of the USACE study was to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility, and environmental acceptability, of the proposed project.

The Tribal Partnership Program, or TPP, gives USACE the ability to leverage its capabilities and resources to support and advance the interests of tribal communities in planning, studying, designing, and constructing water resources development projects. Typical examples of these activities include projects for flood damage reduction, environmental restoration and protection, and preservation of cultural and natural resources, watershed assessments, and planning activities.

The Pima-Maricopa Irrigation Renewable Energy Project, however, is distinct in that it falls under the category of nontraditional water resources development projects. The guidelines for USACE to implement TPP more broadly were provided in a November 2022 memorandum from Michael Connor, then-assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works.

“The guidance on how we implement the Tribal Partnership Program is part of how the Army is modernizing civil works,” said Danielle Storey, the district’s tribal liaison and TPP program manager. “They gave the guidance that it can qualify as a USACE project if it’s attached to a water resource and is in USACE’s core competencies. So, the connection was there, and that got approved.”

For a TPP project, “this determination of feasibility includes that the project is technically feasible; the economic, environmental, and social benefits to the tribal nation outweigh the costs; the project is cost-effective; and the project is environmentally

SOUTH PACIFIC DIVISION Los Angeles District

acceptable,” Connor said in the November 2022 memo to the USACE commander. “The primary driver in the implementation consideration is whether the project will substantially benefit [Native American] tribes.”

Storey said she and her PDT worked closely with division and headquarters, as well as those updating the TPP implementation guidance, as they were conducting the study to determine the project’s feasibility.

“This was the test case, and the questions that came up as we were going through this got put into that guidance,” she said. “Many of the decisions that we made as a team on how we should proceed have now been codified in the TPP guidance.”

On Nov. 9, less than a year after initiating the study, Los Angeles District Commander Col. Andrew Baker joined Gila River Indian Community Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis to sign a project partnership agreement at the Gila River Indian Reservation in Arizona. Connor

traveled from Washington to commemorate the event.

“The community expects this first phase of the project to be completed in 2025 and hopes to launch the second phase as soon as December of this year,” Connor said in a written statement.

Once the project starts, it will be the first Los Angeles District Tribal Partnership Program project to reach active construction.

“The stellar work done by this team literally charted a new path in the Tribal Partnership Program, test drove a new policy from the assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, and demonstrated the Corps’ capabilities in nontraditional projects,” said David Hibner, South Pacific Division programs director, in his nomination packet for the team. “A first of its kind in the United States, this study had visibility at the highest levels of Army leadership, and the team magnificently rose

p Pictured is a portion of the 1,000-foot stretch of irrigation canal in central Arizona within the Gila River Indian Community Reservation over which USACE is planning to install solar panels, Nov. 9, 2023. USACE PHOTO BY

to the exceptional challenges encountered at every step of the way.”

Storey said the team’s accomplishment would not have been possible without the strong vertical coordination within USACE, the quick work with federal agency partners like the Bureau of Reclamation, and the close collaboration and responsiveness of the tribal sponsor.

“We relied heavily on our tribal partner –as it should be,” Storey said. “They’re knowledgeable about their irrigation canals because they built them. They were a great resource for providing everything we needed to move it through as quickly as possible.” AE

ROBERT DEDEAUX, LOS ANGELES DISTRICT

USACE’s Albuquerque District Makes Moves to Better Serve Tribal Nations

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Albuquerque District has been making strides toward better serving tribal nations and strengthening relationships with USACE’s tribal partners.

For several years, the Albuquerque District’s tribal liaison office has been meeting with tribes to better understand their needs and appealing to senior USACE and U.S. Army leaders for policy updates that will grow the types of projects USACE can do for tribal nations and

make it easier for tribal nations to work with USACE.

These efforts led to then-Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Michael Connor visiting pueblos in the Albuquerque District area of responsibility several times during 2023 to inform his policy decisions,

BY ALBUQUERQUE DISTRICT PUBLIC AFFAIRS

t Then-Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Michael Connor met with Pueblo of Isleta officials and visited the Pueblo’s Pottery Mound – a significant archeological site that has been challenged by heavy erosion, Nov. 8, 2023. USACE

and culminated in the signing of a historic partnership agreement under the newly updated Tribal Consultation Policy.

In light of this new progress, the Albuquerque District held a Tribal Nations Open House at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center this year in June, where more than 30 representatives from 18 different tribal nations attended. The event focused on strengthening partnerships and providing updates about recent policy changes and how USACE can apply those updates to better support tribal nations.

A point of emphasis for the open house was to talk about recent changes to USACE’s Tribal Consultation Policy, which was updated in December 2023 to include authorization for USACE to do cultural resource protection work under the Tribal Partnership Program.

“I’m excited about some pretty major changes within the Corps of Engineers to our policy and our guidance across our different programs that will affect our delivery, in what I would say are very positive ways, toward service to tribal nations,” said Jeremy Decker, tribal liaison, Albuquerque District.

Some other key USACE policy updates include a new requirement for every district across USACE to have a tribal liaison on staff, changes to the Tribal Partnership Program cost-share waiver distribution, and guidance regarding early consultation with tribes.

“There were a series of listening sessions in 2022 and 2023, where all 574 federally recognized tribes were invited to provide input so policy makers could better understand what issues tribes are having and how to improve collaboration,” Decker said.

“It’s the start of what I’m hoping is a larger culture change within the agency,” he said. “There is a much

SOUTH PACIFIC DIVISION Albuquerque District

greater emphasis on speaking with tribes and doing more than just on-the-site coordination, but really collaborating and consulting from the start in a way that’s helpful and meaningful.”

During the event, tribal nations participants had an opportunity to meet with Albuquerque District representatives from several functional areas including Civil Works, Emergency Management, Environmental, Contracting, Regulatory, and the Tribal Nations Technical Center of Expertise.

The opportunity to talk with subject-matter experts directly was helpful for participants to seek information about their unique challenges, said Rosanna Jumbo-Fitch, Navajo Nation Chinle Chapter president.

“We had a recent emergency flooding event just last year in Chinle, so we’ve been working closely with the Corps and their advance measures response and also their flood mitigation technical assistance,”

Jumbo-Fitch said. “The reason why we came here is to further review what additional options are available. We’re mainly interested in the Civil Works Division and what we can do to eliminate the risk of severe flooding.”

The Albuquerque District and the Pueblo of Isleta entered a partnership agreement to begin a cultural preservation study for the historic Pottery Mound site, June 26, 2024.

“I personally want to thank the Army Corps of Engineers for all their hard work they have done,” said Pueblo of Isleta Gov. Max Zuni. “I really appreciate it, and I look forward to the accomplishment and the program we’re going to do now.”

Entering the agreement is the first step in beginning a comprehensive study of erosion at the Pottery Mound and evaluating what solutions can be put in place to protect the site.

Excessive bank erosion is causing immense damage to the Pottery Mound. The Pottery Mound is regarded as a significant

SOUTH PACIFIC DIVISION San Francisco District

Taking a Historical Walk Through Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project

Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Area in Novato, California, has worn many faces over the last century.

Its most recent guise was serving as a U.S. Army airfield – built in the 1920s, a training base during World War II, headquarters to the post-war Air Defense Command, and later closed in 1973.

BY BRANDON BEACH

Hamilton Airfield was cleaned up under the first round of Base Realignment and Closure, or BRAC, in 1988, and eventually acquired by the California Coastal Conservancy (non-federal project partner), with the goal of restoring the 988-acre property to its former wetland persona.

cultural and historical resource that many fear will be lost completely if erosion continues to set the conditions for more water damage.

The Pottery Mound study is the first-ever study USACE will conduct under the updated guidelines to the Tribal Partnership Program, allowing USACE to do work specifically for cultural resource protection.

“It’s very important work, as obviously you have heard today from the pueblo’s leadership about the need to protect their cultural resources and their sacred sites … so to be able to use the Corps of Engineers’ skills and our experience in managing water resources to protect against flooding and erosion and protect this long-term archaeological site of world importance is just amazing. So happy to be part of today’s event,” Connor said.

Visit www.spa.usace.army.mil/Missions/ Civil-Works/Tribal-Program to learn more about USACE Alubuquerque District Tribal Programs. AE

Well before anybody can remember, Hamilton consisted of a mosaic of “well-developed seasonal and tidal wetlands with San Ignacio, Pacheco, and Novato creeks all flowing into this area,” said Eric Jolliffe, an environmental planner with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) San Francisco District, during a site visit, where he pointed out the many changes – those seen and unseen. “There are these old hand-drawn maps that show this to be the case.”

As we walked along Hamilton’s public access trail, Jolliffe recalled his career with USACE’s San Francisco District, which he joined in 1995, around the same time the district began its project partnership with the Coastal Conservancy at Hamilton.

“It was the project’s connection with [San Francisco District’s] Oakland 50foot Deepening Project that got things started,” said Jolliffe. “Both were

SOUTH PACIFIC DIVISION San Francisco District

authorized in the same Water Resources Development Act.”

One of the key components to restoring wetlands is dredged material, which serves as the foundation for building the kind of habitat conducive for growing plants and attracting wildlife, such as the California clapper rail and the salt marsh harvest mouse, both of which are on the endangered species list and call Hamilton home. It also significantly reduces the time it takes for marsh to develop by raising the site elevations.

Around the middle of the 19th century, Hamilton was diked off to make way for farming and later an Army airfield. At a topographical level, the soils “get compacted, the water comes out of it, and it subsides,” said Jolliffe.

The district would go on to place approximately 6 million cubic yards of dredged

The Hamilton Army Airfield

Restoration Project is located on San Pablo Bay, four miles east of the city of Novato, California. This San Francisco District project allowed for the beneficial use of 24.4 million cubic yards of dredged material, including 3.5 million cubic yards from the Port of Oakland 50-foot Deepening Project. In April 2014, the first phase of restoration was completed. The airfield’s bayside levee was breached, opening the site to bay waters for the first time in more than 100 years, resulting in 648 acres of restored wetland habitat. The site is currently in the monitoring and adaptive management phase of the project. USACE PHOTO BY BRANDON

material at Hamilton for beneficial reuse, most of it from the Oakland Harbor project, which deepened the nation’s fifth-largest port from a depth of minus-42 feet to -50 feet in 2009.

In April 2014, the district and the conservancy celebrated a major milestone, by breaching the outer levee and opening up Hamilton for the first time in over a century to tidal action. Now bay tides flow in and out of the site unimpeded.

Today, Hamilton has come full circle, in a sense, with Mother Nature being re-engineered to reflect the past.

“We are never going to get the exact wetlands that were here before and that’s not the goal in restoration,” said Jolliffe. “What people try to do these days is restore the services that wetlands provide to wildlife and the public, and that’s what we’re doing here. I think with that we’ve done a pretty good job.” AE

Wetland

BEACH, SPN PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE

The Great Depression and USACE Civil Works Projects

Debates about federal stimulus efforts and infrastructure programs are not new. The Great Depression of the 1930s led to similar discussions and responses from the government. This severe and far-reaching economic crisis was a turning point for the country and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

BY USACE OFFICE OF HISTORY

Seeing 15 million unemployed, Congress and the president intervened as never before to provide relief and economic stimulus, and USACE was well positioned to participate. Its decentralized structure already covered the entire country. Additionally, the engineers had been surveying dozens of waterways for potential improvement, culminating in a roster of “shovel ready” projects. Congress soon provided funds through emergency recovery acts.

During the Depression, USACE maintained its traditional navigation missions, but it also shifted its Civil Works program toward multiple-purpose water resources projects, which could also provide hydropower, irrigation, or water supply. The Bonneville and Fort Peck Dams are such projects, and both employed tens of thousands.

Recent destructive floods moved Congress to accept federal responsibility for flood control and to assign the task to USACE. Army engineers also shifted to a comprehensive flood-control policy that embraced floodways, spillways, and reservoirs in addition to levees, and they undertook dozens of such projects, employing thousands. Many projects also evidenced a growing environmental awareness.

USACE’s adaptable administrative structure served it well during the tumult as it opened, closed, and rearranged divisions and districts as workload demanded. Also, the size of its officer corps and civilian workforce steadily increased as more projects were assigned.

Meeting the multifarious demands of its Civil Works mission during the 1930s enhanced USACE administrative and contracting skills and expanded its knowledge of the latest construction methods, giving USACE a solid foundation for managing the massive Military Construction program that followed U.S. entry into World War II. AE

p Placing 60-inch pipe in position in a relocated sewer tunnel under the Los Angeles River, June 30, 1939. OFFICE OF HISTORY HQUSACE

u Laying riprap on the slope of the East Barre Dam in Vermont, Aug. 7, 1934. OFFICE OF HISTORY HQUSACE

SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION

USACE Delivers the Cornerstone of USAF Aquatic Training

On a clear, blue-sky Texas day, personnel from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Southwestern Division and Fort Worth District, joined with their customers from Joint Base San Antonio and the Air Force’s Special Warfare Training Wing (SWTW), in dedicating the Maltz Special Warfare Aquatic Training Center, located on the Chapman Training Annex, April 2, 2024.

Named in honor of Master Sgt. Michael Maltz, a former Pararescue Indoctrination Course instructor at Lackland Air Force Base (AFB), this state-of-the-art facility was authorized in fiscal year 2020 and awarded as a design-bid-build project in June 2021.

With this grand opening, the new $61.4 million facility, with more than 77,000 square feet of classroom, training, and locker room space, will provide special operator instructors and their trainees with a world-class facility geared to meet the training needs for the Air Force’s global aquatic combat operations.

BY RICHARD BUMGARDNER

“Today marks a significant milestone in our relentless pursuit of excellence and readiness as we forge these Airmen here in the Special Warfare Training Wing,” said Air Force Col. Nathan Colunga, SWTW commander. “This building is truly impressive, purpose-built for our mission. From maritime infiltrations, to combat dive operations, to open-ocean rescue, this facility will be the cornerstone of our aquatic training regimen.”

A key feature of the aquatic training center is the dual Olympic-sized pools, with overhead catwalks for safety spotters and instructor observations, large access doors to accommodate boat entry, and dimmable

t Trainees prepare to receive instructions during a demonstration at one of the two pools USACE’s Southwestern Division and Fort Worth District constructed for the Air Force’s Special Warfare Training Wing. The newly constructed $61.4 million project was officially dedicated on April 2, 2024, as the Maltz Special Warfare Aquatic Training Center, in honor of Master Sgt. Michael Maltz, a former U.S. Air Force Pararescue Indoctrination Course instructor at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland AFB. This stateof-the-art facility – the first of its kind for USACE – was authorized in fiscal year 2020 and awarded as a design-bid-build project on June 25, 2021.

USACE PHOTO BY RICHARD BUMGARDNER

lighting systems to simulate nighttime or low-level lighting conditions to replicate combat conditions.

“Water is a formidable adversary,” Colunga said. “It presents challenges and obstacles unique to the environments in which special warfare Airmen will operate. Through these doors, our trainees will hone their appointed skills, mastering techniques essential to their success in the most demanding and hostile conditions.”

Sheree Brown, the USACE project engineer for the facility construction, was assigned to the project after the initial planning phase, but could see the tremendous efforts it took to design such an innovative building.

“I can only imagine the efforts and hard work it took to incorporate all of the customer’s very specific requirements and produce the plans and specifications to construct such an amazing facility,” Brown said. “Now, having seen the final product, I’m extremely proud to have been part of such a great team that overcame many challenges to get this project across the finish line, and we did it!”

A project unlike any other in USACE’s portfolio, this unique facility epitomizes the Army Corps of Engineers’ commitment to building innovative facilities that enhance the readiness of some of the finest warriors in the world.

“It is one of the finest such facilities in the Corps of Engineers military construction portfolio, a training center that will truly enhance the readiness of our warfighters,” said Army Col. Brooks Schultze, deputy commander at USACE’s Southwestern Division. AE

SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION

Fort Sill AIT Barracks Design Guards Soldiers

Soldiers train to develop skills necessary for the nation’s defense, and at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where more than 9,000 Soldiers actively train on any given day, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Tulsa District is overseeing construction of two Advanced Individual Training (AIT) barracks with design features to defend Soldiers.

Each 90,000-square-foot, multi-story barracks includes a multipurpose space that enables a standing muster for nearly 400 Soldiers. Partitions allow units to divide the space into classrooms for small-unit instruction. During storms, the spaces meet International Code Council (ICC) standards for storm shelters.

“This entire multipurpose area doubles as an ICC-500 compliant storm shelter that will accommodate occupants from each barracks building, keeping Soldiers safe during severe weather events, which are

BY BRANNEN PARRISH

a common occurrence in Oklahoma,” said Michael Hoover, architect, Tulsa District.

Structural engineers designed the barracks to resist progressive collapse, or the spread of an initial local failure from element to element that eventually results in the collapse of an entire structure or a disproportionately large part of it.

According to Kim Sorrels, structural engineer, Tulsa District, the project delivery team used three-dimensional modeling software to determine how loading would be redistributed when a primary structural element, such as a load-bearing column, is partially or completely removed. The team

t The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Tulsa District designed the new Advanced Individual Training barracks at Fort Sill to combine improved safety features for occupants while maintaining comfort and energy efficiency. USACE PHOTO BY

BRANNEN PARRISH

repeated this process more than 30 times to analyze the structure’s response and incorporate structural framing elements with higher load capacity.

“When we remove a column, the rest of the structure must respond and resist complete structural failure by redistributing the load,” said Sorrels. “Think of it like being kicked in the shin and lifting your leg off the ground as a response. The other leg is now supporting your weight. This increase in loading requires an increase in structural member sizing.”

Designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver certification, the barracks included light-emitting diode light fixtures, daylight occupancy sensors, and energy efficient air-handling equipment.

“The mechanical systems are a critical feature of the buildings’ energy efficiency and were meticulously designed by our mechanical team to enhance occupant comfort and meet the stringent requirements of our government design criteria and the requirements of LEED certification,” said Hoover.

A major Army housing initiative includes investing an average of $1 billion dollars per year to build and renovate barracks and family housing.

Jeff Hirschfeld, resident engineer, Tulsa District, oversees USACE engineers at Fort Sill, and construction of the AIT barracks. Hirschfeld, who served half his six-year enlistment in the Army at Fort Sill, said the project’s features are an indicator of the Army’s emphasis on quality.

“I think we’ve seen a major improvement in quality of life. It was changing when I was in the Army and it’s significant,” said Hirschfeld, who attended both basic training and field artillery training at Fort Sill in 1988. “My main concern is making it good enough and durable enough for Soldiers to walk in and feel like, ‘Man, I’ve got it good.’” AE

Hydraulic Engineer Learns Key Element in Water Infrastructure Projects

From intern to full-time USACE employee, a young engineer leads the next generation of coastal engineering and collaboration across the globe.

Hydraulic engineers specialize in the movement of water. However, a young U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) hydraulic engineer’s approach focuses on another – and most important – element tied to their projects, the human element.

Taira Baldauf began her career at USACE’s Galveston District (SWG) about two years ago as an intern, through the Department of the Army’s Fellows Program.

As a hydraulic engineer, Baldauf does engineering calculations and modeling. This involves using three- or two-dimensional renderings of the water in a project area. By plugging in different project parameters (i.e., wave height and wind speed), Baldauf and her colleagues hypothesize how water will interact with a particular structure.

However, Baldauf said there is some human input that goes into that as well. This concept echoed in her experiences in the Netherlands.

BY CARLOS GOMEZ

As it turns out, conflicts in her supervisor’s schedule led to her participation in the International Network for Storm Surge Barriers, or I-STORM.

“They’re basically a knowledge-sharing network of countries and entities that manage storm surge barriers,” Baldauf said.

Himangshu Das, Ph.D., SWG’s coastal section chief and Baldauf’s supervisor, passed the opportunity to take part in I-STORM meetings and activities to Baldauf.

“With her education and project experiences, I believe Taira was a good fit for I-STORM,” Das said.

Das sent Baldauf on a five-week assignment in the Netherlands, where Baldauf learned how the Dutch do storm surge

t Taira Baldauf, a hydraulic engineer for USACE’s Galveston District, stands on top of the Hollandsche IJssel storm surge barrier near Rotterdam, Netherlands. Baldauf recently spent five weeks in the Netherlands participating in the International Network for Storm Surge Barriers, or I-STORM, a knowledge-sharing network of countries and entities that manage storm surge barriers. USACE PHOTO

barrier design, operation, maintenance, and management.

“Every day was different,” Baldauf recalled. “I just hopped from different storm surge barriers and different offices around the country each day and would experience what they were doing or what they’ve worked on previously.”

While she learned a lot about the Netherlands’ history with flooding and storm surge management, Baldauf had one big takeaway from her time there.

“They built these operational rooms that were really just made for computers and then realized, ‘Oh, we need people to run them,’” Baldauf said. The storm surge barriers eventually had to be retrofitted for people to be able to work in the mechanical operating spaces of the structures, she added.

Dutch storm surge barrier managers realized humans are able to make more critical decisions than a machine, Baldauf said. “There are variables humans can take into account that a machine simply can’t.”

I-STORM was such a good fit for Baldauf she ended up joining Next Generation, their working group aimed at the newest generation of engineers.

Baldauf and Next Generation are looking forward to creating things that are sustainable, she said.

“It’s not just [building] a structure,” she said. “We want to look at it holistically. How is this going to improve our community? How is this going to impact the surrounding area? What are our projects doing for the community?”

In time, Baldauf remains hopeful that the philosophy behind engineering projects will never lose focus on that one critical factor.

“It’s not so much about the project, but the human impact … and what it can do for people,” Baldauf said. AE

MKARNS 2030: Inland Waterways “Paving” the Way for the Nation’s Economic Growth

The McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS) is undergoing a transformative journey with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Little Rock District’s MKARNS 2030 initiative. This ambitious project aims to enhance the navigation system’s capacity and resilience, ensuring it meets the nation’s shipping demands for the next 50 years. Key initiatives under MKARNS 2030 include the 12-foot channel-deepening and the Three Rivers project, both of which promise significant economic benefits for all Americans.

The cornerstone project of MKARNS 2030 is the deepening of the navigation channel from 9 feet to 12 feet. This seemingly modest increase in depth has significant implications for the waterway’s shipping capabilities. Each additional foot of draft allows a barge to carry an extra 200 tons of cargo. With a consistent

BY TOMAS ROFKAHR

12-foot channel, the MKARNS could handle up to 45 million tons of cargo annually, significantly boosting its capacity.

“The project involves deepening the existing 9-foot navigation channel to a 12foot depth through the construction of rock structures to scour the channel and dredging. Additional work will include construction of dredge disposal areas, and minor modification

p The Motor Vessel Laura Elizabeth, out of St. Louis, Missouri, locks through Trimble Lock and Dam near Fort Smith, Arkansas, on the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System. More than 12 million tons of goods and commodities are shipped on the MKARNS each year. USACE PHOTO BY JAY TOWNSEND

of lock guide walls at eight locks. This project not only enhances the efficiency of cargo transport but also reduces the transportation costs, which should benefit producers and consumers alike,” said Jonathan Gillip, the 12-foot channel project manager.

The Three Rivers project is another critical component of MKARNS 2030. This initiative focuses on preventing the merging of the White and Arkansas rivers, which, according to Gillip, would otherwise result in the loss of the navigation pool from the Arkansas Post Canal to Montgomery Point Lock and Dam. Such a merger would sever the MKARNS’ connection to the Mississippi River, disrupting its link to global markets.

The project involves constructing containment structures and making necessary modifications to existing infrastructure

to ensure the long-term sustainability of the navigation system. By maintaining the integrity of the MKARNS, the Three Rivers project safeguards the economic lifeline that the waterway provides to the nation. While the MKARNS is a vital artery for the economies of Arkansas and Oklahoma, it supports a wide range of industries nationwide, including agriculture, manufacturing, and energy. In Arkansas alone, the MKARNS facilitates the movement

of approximately $5.5 billion worth of goods annually, or more than 12 million tons of goods that would take more than 381,857 semitruckloads to move.

For the nation, the economic impact is equally significant. The MKARNS supports key industries by providing a cost-effective and environmentally friendly mode of transportation. Barge transportation is fuelefficient and can reduce road congestion and emissions. This contributes to the overall

SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION Pacesetters

Pacesetters Support Hawai’i Wildfires Recovery Mission

In the face of adversity, remarkable individuals emerge, transforming despair into hope.

Aug. 8, 2023, devastating wildfires ravaged the Hawaiian island of Maui, becoming one of the most destructive natural disasters in the state’s history. Volunteers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Southwestern Division (SWD), known as “Pacesetters,” quickly responded, dedicating their time, skills, and determination to assist in the recovery efforts.

The fires ravaged the historic town of Lahaina, scorching about 2,170 acres and damaging or destroying more than 2,200 structures. The blaze left behind a trail of charred vehicles and triggered widespread evacuations. About 35 miles away in Kula and Olinda, the situation was similarly dire, with at least 544 structures at risk of destruction.

The fires resulted in significant loss of life and property, prompting responses from local, state, and federal agencies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requested USACE’s assistance to restore temporary power, conduct debris removal

BY EDWARD RIVERA

operations, and oversee the installation of an elementary school and temporary housing.

Within four days of the wildfires, the first group of Pacesetters arrived in the affected area. Mission managers, mission specialists, and resident engineers began assessments, providing estimates to FEMA. Planning and Response Teams (PRTs) also began formulating resource requirements.

The majority of the SWD regional team, including four district offices in Fort Worth and Galveston, Texas; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Tulsa, Oklahoma, supported Recovery Field Office (RFO) operations as well as the Debris and Critical Public Facility PRTs.

Before PRTs could begin working their missions, a base of operations was established, ensuring they had essential logistical support in place for successful operations. Little Rock District Logistics Chief Kylene Patton was the team lead for three deployments totaling 101 days. The RFO logistics team secured a centralized workspace to meet the daily challenges managing a supply chain that was timely and as responsive as

sustainability and competitiveness of the region’s economy.

The MKARNS 2030 initiative represents a forward-looking vision for the nation’s economic future. By investing in critical infrastructure projects like the 12-foot channel-deepening and the Three Rivers project, the initiative aims to enhance the resilience and capacity of the navigation system. These improvements will ensure that the MKARNS remains a vital economic engine for the nation for decades to come. AE

possible, given its distance from the continental United States.

“It’s always a logistical challenge when supporting island disasters,” said Patton. “We had limited stores available to purchase needed supplies. Most items took longer than normal to arrive because they had to go through the Island of Oahu first.”

As FEMA’s construction agency, USACE assigned SWD’s Fort Worth District Debris PRT to lead a complex wildfire debris removal mission. They were tasked with clearing 400,000 to 700,000 tons of debris from Kula and Olinda in central Maui, and Lahaina in west Maui, once the heart of the Hawaiian kingdom.

Fort Worth District Commander Col. Calvin Kroeger said a critical aspect of the mission was addressing cultural sensitivities. “This mission is arguably the most complex USACE has undertaken in the past century, if not its entire 249-year history.”

The debris mission involved several firsts. Instead of a single continuous process, it was split into two phases. Following the Environmental Protection Agency’s surveying, removal, and disposal of hazardous materials from properties, Phase 1 focused on removing household hazardous materials and conducting site assessments. Phase 2 covered the removal of all other fire-related debris.

“The level of attention given to cultural awareness and oversight was unlike any other mission to date,” said Fort Worth District Debris Mission Manager Vandi Mitchell, who deployed for 65 days. “It had never been so interwoven into every facet of debris removal efforts.”

SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION Pacesetters

Mitchell added trust did not come easy. Through diligent endeavors of mission leadership and individual collaborative efforts of those assigned in their dealings with government and tribal leaders, contractors, and the people directly, the federal family earned the trust of the people of Maui.

Crucial to the success of the debris removal mission was obtaining Rights-of-Entry (ROE) agreements needed to access properties for debris assessments and removal.

Sarah Noel, realty specialist from the Tulsa District, who deployed for 32 days, said once a property completed the debris removal process, the ROEs were sent to Maui County, allowing landowners to apply for building permits to begin the rebuilding process.

The RFO reported, as of Aug. 6, 2024, 1,231 of 1,399 residential lots had been cleared of debris and their ROEs returned to the county.

As Lahaina residents were reeling from the disastrous wildfires, the keiki (children) faced an additional hardship: The King Kamehameha III Elementary School was damaged beyond repair. After receiving the FEMA critical public facilities (CPF) mission assignment, construction of a new temporary elementary school became a priority for the entire team.

“We were resolved to ensure the temporary facilities would be designed and erected quickly, with quality in the forefront,” said Elizabeth McCarty, CPF mission manager from

t USACE Hawai‘i Wildfires Critical Public Facilities Mission Manager Elizabeth McCarty, from the Galveston District, talks with members of the Hawai‘i Finance Committee Oct. 26 regarding USACE plans for construction of a temporary school campus in the Lahaina community. The campus will serve as an interim replacement following the loss of the King Kamehameha III Elementary School in the Aug. 8 wildfires.

USACE PHOTO BY RICHARD BROWN

Galveston District. She deployed for 96 days, and continued supporting via reach-back for 151 more days.

McCarty said USACE personnel and contractors developed a strong understanding of cooperation and teamwork. The challenges they faced of a 95-day timeline, the physical site composition, and weather delays, were overcome because of their belief in the project. “We completed a nearly impossible task in record time with no safety incidents because we were of one mind, focused on the keiki of Lahaina.”

The school, which expected about 350 students, can accommodate up to 600, if necessary. It consists of 30 air-conditioned modular classrooms, an administration building, a library, a student support center, a cafeteria, and play areas.

For McCarty, the fast completion of the school was personal. A former teacher, she witnessed first-hand loss and trauma students experienced during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. She understood students “clung to the normalcy and structure that school gave them in the middle of turmoil.”

In addition to PRTs, SWD volunteers filled various other positions, including battle captains, quality assurance, and external affairs specialists. To date, 245-plus Pacesetters deployed or provided reach-back support for more than 9,750 days.

“All the success in Maui is solely upon the individual volunteers who selflessly contribute to the mission,” said Kroeger. “Their efforts would not have been possible without the supervisors and employees who shouldered the workload in their absence. These warriors are a true testament of all the great things we do on a routine basis. The credit goes to the entire team of teams in Maui, matrixed across the entire USACE enterprise.” AE

America’s engineering ﬁrms are proud to partner with America’s military to deliver exceptional infrastructure for the nation’s security.

TRANSATLANTIC DIVISION

Engineering the Future: USACE’s Role in Regional Security

When it comes to delivering engineering, design, and construction support and services in one of the world’s most dynamic operational environments, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Transatlantic Division stands as a model of excellence, adaptability, and commitment. Known as USACE’s tip of the spear, the Transatlantic Division excels in providing agile, responsive, and innovative design, construction, engineering, and contingency solutions. Supporting U.S. Central Command, U.S. Special Operations Command, and other regional partners, the division plays a key role in sustaining and advancing enduring U.S. interests.

“Our division is committed to delivering innovative solutions swiftly and effectively, regardless of the complex challenges we face,” said Col. Craig S. Baumgartner, Transatlantic Division commander. “Our ability to adapt and respond quickly is essential in supporting our partners and ensuring the success of our missions.”

At the heart of the division’s success are its two powerhouse districts: the Transatlantic Middle East District and the Transatlantic Expeditionary District. Each district brings specialized skills and expertise, executing critical projects that directly contribute to the division’s mission and uphold USACE’s long-standing reputation for excellence. With more than 70 years of experience in the Middle East, the Transatlantic Middle East District has built a legacy of resilience and innovation. The district’s projects range from constructing sustainable infrastructure to supporting the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Program and regional development. Its deep understanding of the environment and strategic landscape ensures that every project not only meets immediate needs but also contributes to long-term capacity building, security enhancement, and partnership strengthening.

“The work of the Middle East District has been a cornerstone of USACE’s mission in the region since 1952, long before it was formally established as a district,” stated

BY CATHERINE CARROLL

Baumgartner. “Their long legacy of expertise and dedication is key to not only our success, but also enables the strategic goals of our nation and our partners and allies throughout the Middle East.”

The division’s newest element, the Transatlantic Expeditionary District, is optimized for rapid construction and support operations. It consistently delivers critical infrastructure under tight timelines and in challenging and often volatile conditions. Whether it’s building facilities for U.S. and allied forces or providing immediate solutions

in contingency operations, the district’s agility and expertise are unmatched. The ability to quickly mobilize resources and execute projects ensures that essential infrastructure is in place to support mission-critical needs, making it a vital component of the division.

“The Expeditionary District exemplifies our commitment to agility and responsiveness,” Baumgartner noted. “Their ability to respond rapidly and effectively to a multitude of emerging requirements in theater is crucial to our operational success and a must to meet mission partner requirements and expectations.”

The effectiveness of the Transatlantic Division is amplified through its collaborations with key mission partners. U.S. Central Command, established in 1983 as the U.S. combatant command for the Middle East, Central Asia, and Levant regions, is at the forefront of many joint missions where

q Serving as USACE’s “Tip of the Spear,” the Transatlantic Division delivers innovative solutions for our nation, allies, and partners across the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Levant. This infographic showcases the division’s focus on capacity building, strategic partnerships, and regional security, detailing how each component contributes to advancing U.S. and allied interests through enhanced engineering and infrastructure initiatives. USACE IMAGE

the division’s capabilities are crucial. This partnership ensures that vital infrastructure supports strategic objectives, enhances security, and strengthens partnerships.

Likewise, U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) benefits from the division’s ability to deliver rapid and responsive solutions. As USACE’s lead for SOCOM projects, the division provides the swift support and comprehensive engineering services needed to ensure special operations forces have the infrastructure and resources required to execute their missions effectively.

FMS and Foreign Military Financing (FMF) support are critical elements of the Transatlantic Division’s mission. These programs facilitate the sale and financing of U.S. defense equipment and services to foreign allies and

partners, bolstering their ability to address security challenges. Through FMS and FMF, the Transatlantic Division plays a vital role in enhancing regional security by providing the supporting infrastructure and engineering services needed to fully operationalize platform or capability. Success stories from these programs highlight their impact, showcasing how enhanced military cooperation and improved defense infrastructure lead to security and stability throughout the region.

“Engagement in FMS and FMF programs supports our allies and enhances regional security,” said Baumgartner. “By strengthening our partners’ capabilities, we advance the interests of our nation and our allies.”

The USACE Transatlantic Division and its districts continue to be a pivotal force

Unique Challenges Require Unique Safety Program

Over its 70 years of history in the Middle East, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Transatlantic Middle East District (TAM) has witnessed progress incrementally and in leaps and bounds. This is especially true when it comes to safety standards. Things that were considered good practice years ago would now be considered malpractice today.

t The Transatlantic Division excels in providing innovative engineering, design, and construction solutions in one of the world’s most dynamic operational environments. This infographic outlines key factors that define success for USACE, including cost savings, mega projects, design, readiness, and other strategic objectives that ensure effective mission delivery and value for partners and stakeholders. USACE IMAGE

in supporting U.S. and allied operations. Its unique capabilities, coupled with strategic partnerships and critical FMS and FMF work, underscore its importance in advancing national and regional security interests. As the division looks to the future, its commitment to innovation, excellence, and collaboration remains unwavering. The district’s ongoing projects and initiatives will continue to build on their legacy of delivering critical infrastructure and support in the most demanding environments, ensuring that the United States and its allies and partners are prepared to face the challenges of tomorrow.

“In a constantly evolving security landscape and operational environment, our division’s readiness and agility are paramount,” said Baumgartner. “Our long-standing history in the region underscores our commitment and preparedness to meet emerging engineering, design, and construction needs.

“Our deep-rooted presence in the region significantly enhances our effectiveness,” added Baumgartner. “This allows us to build on past successes and continue to forge strong partnerships, build capacity, and enhance security for our nation, and our allies and partners.”

While safety standards aren’t constant, the need to continuously improve them is. For the district, it’s not just the right thing to do, it’s critical to maintaining USACE’s reputation as the go-to construction organization for U.S. military and allied nation mission partners in one of the most dynamic construction environments in the world.

Tom Waters, the district’s former chief of safety and director of programs, said

BY JOE MACRI

TRANSATLANTIC DIVISION Transatlantic Middle East District

that he’s seen a direct correlation between site safety and the quality of the projects on which the district works.

“I know that when I go to a construction site and see that the contractor is focused on safety, we’re getting a good product from that contractor. Conversely, I know that if they cut corners on safety, they’re probably cutting corners on construction.”

With an almost $3 billion construction program spread across nine different countries, keeping safety at the forefront of everything USACE does is especially

important. The district became one of the earliest in USACE to reach Corps of Engineers Safety and Occupational Health Management System (CE-SOHMS) stage 3, a designation that indicates a priority on safety across the workforce.

Vanessa Matheny, the district’s current chief of safety, has now set her sights on the Army’s Safety and Occupational Health Star Award, and is focused on ensuring a continued emphasis on the safety program. “With nine different countries, we’ve got nine different sets of local standards, language barriers, and a host of other issues

t USACE Safety Specialist Lauren Wougk goes over a safety checklist with a contractor prior to conducting a dive operation on a USACE project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

SHANNON MOECK

that other USACE districts may not face. It sounds complicated, but at its core, it’s about educating everyone involved in the construction process on those standards and then making sure they follow them. This is true whether we’re executing a routine maintenance contract or building a multimillion [-dollar] aircraft or missile defense infrastructure projects.”

Matheny also noted that for the Middle East District, creating a safety culture often involves factoring culture into safety practices. “On a given construction site, contractors have translators speaking Arabic, English, and Tagalog to conduct safety briefs in different languages. During Ramadan, we monitor sites more closely and might add more breaks due to people fasting during the summer. We emphasized the importance of contractors scheduling night shifts to avoid the extreme daytime temperatures, which can exceed 100 degrees. And when we see contractors celebrating a million hours or more without a reportable incident, we see their workers celebrating with them, everyone is taking ownership.”

According to the district’s commander, Col. Christopher Klein, one of the district’s best safety accomplishments is something that in years past would have been a negative. “We’ve seen an uptick in contractors and employees reporting ‘near misses;’ incidents that could have resulted in a serious injury or fatality but luckily didn’t. Previously, we didn’t want to see those and people would avoid reporting them. Now, folks are recognizing dangerous situations, intervening, and reporting them, so we can share the situations and mitigations measures across the district. This is a fundamentally new way of doing business,” said Klein.

The district aims to uphold the mindset that “when you know better, you do better,” as it works to make safety a fundamental part of its culture and mission. AE

USACE PHOTO BY

Serving at the “Tip of the Spear”

USACE deployment offers careerenhancing opportunity

Working in one of the most dynamic construction environments in the world can be viewed as both a challenge and an opportunity. For many, the chance to serve at the “tip of the spear” with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) only forward-deployed district is a career-enhancing opportunity that’s playing a vital role in strengthening the organization –one deployment at a time.

The district’s team of approximately 80 professionals – representing three of the nine USACE divisions, 24 of the 44 districts worldwide, one of the nine labs and centers of excellence, and Headquarters – are building connections across the districts and strengthening the overall “One Door to the Corps” concept.

Beyond navigating the environmental extremes that come with working in the Middle East, those serving with the Transatlantic

BY AMY L. BUGALA

Expeditionary District (TED) say they are discovering valuable opportunities for career advancement, networking, collaborating on diverse projects, and overseeing project completion, along with a chance to serve their country.

Kuwait Area Office Resident Engineer Hadi Alrahahleh, a USACE employee for 10 years, says his deployment helped pave the way for his career growth and a new experience.

“This opportunity opened doors, allowing me to expand my capabilities to become a supervisor and an administrative contracting

t Hadi Alrahahleh, (middle) the USACE Expeditionary District’s Kuwait Area Office Resident Engineer, along with local contractors, inspects the ongoing construction at one of USACE’s premier projects in Kuwait — the Super Hornet Program facilities at Al Jaber Air Base, on Sept. 10, 2024.

USACE

L. BUGALA

officer,” said Alrahahleh, a first-time deployer. He now supervises a team of 12 working more than $200 million in projects in Kuwait.

The military environment, project requirements, variety, and pace make it a completely different experience here than in a stateside district, Alrahahleh explained. “The delivery actions and timelines are expected to be much faster. You will see a project go from A to Z in a contingent environment because you’re required to execute everything quickly.”

Support to the military is one of USACE’s six focused mission areas that increase readiness and modernization through projects supporting the warfighter, enabling steadystate military operations, and sustaining the nation’s ability to fight and win wars.

For Project Engineer Zar Nigar, deploying in support of the military mission represents an exciting challenge and opportunity to serve in a region and culture familiar to her. Born and raised in Pakistan, Nigar is passionate about her projects and eager to add a new chapter to her career and life story.

“It’s in my nature; I always take on a challenge,” said Nigar, who is leveraging her language skills to gain an inside perspective and strengthen relationships with local contractors and laborers.

This deployment marks her first assignment away from the New York District, where she worked on new construction, military facility sustainment, restoration, and modernization projects.

Work variety and an opportunity to serve alongside the military has been drawing Michael Fellenz back to the Middle East for many years. Fellenz, an Air Force veteran and seasoned military and civilian deployer, works as a project engineer while deployed, and as a geologist at the Buffalo District, where he has served for 37 years.

“The variety of projects I’ve worked on [while deployed] has been a lot more

PHOTO BY AMY

than in my home district. The more experience I got the more projects I’ve been given,” said Fellenz, whose project work with TED includes life support areas, force protection, dining facilities, and various quality-of-life initiatives. “If you stay for two years, you’ll likely see a project come to completion,” he added.

Fellenz says he’s been fortunate to serve USACE in this capacity, learn new skills and support the ongoing efforts to enhance security, safety, and overall quality of life for the warfighter.

Similarly, Kimberly Edwards feels incredibly honored to serve her country and work with

TRANSATLANTIC DIVISION

an international community of engineers and construction professionals to support the USACE mission in Kuwait. As the district’s chief of engineering and an architect, Edwards was looking for her next career move when she decided to deploy for the first time. She is now engaged in work she never imagined.

“I love building in another country; you get to experience that country through your work. Especially as an architect, we are responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of every occupant that ends up in our building. Whether that is a person working on the project or the person who

ultimately occupies the final structure,” she said.

Edwards has seen first-hand how her contributions make an impact and how the collective expertise of the “Always Forward” district benefits mission partners.

“The most impactful thing about serving here is that even the smallest thing I do, does something powerful in the end,” she said.

Through each deployer’s experience, the TED is “Building Strong” and strengthening its commitment to staying innovative, agile, and responsive in support of the mission throughout the U.S. Central Command area of operations. AE

Transatlantic Middle East District

Strengthening Alliances and Partnerships Through Infrastructure

USACE’s mission in the Middle East

In the United States, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is primarily known for maintaining waterways, civil infrastructure construction, disaster response efforts, and military construction supporting our warfighters. USACE extends its expertise and delivers critical facilities to our allies and partners across the globe, enabling them to build resilience, capacity, and capability for their own national defense. The bulk of these efforts are carried out by USACE’s Transatlantic Middle East District (TAM) through projects ranging from routine facilities maintenance to aircraft and missile defense infrastructure.

One thing that differentiates this part of the USACE mission from its U.S. work is that the bulk of these projects are authorized through a form of security assistance utilizing the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program,

which is a fundamental tool of U.S. foreign policy. In simple terms, that means that the countries requesting these services pay the U.S. government for them.

“Our allies and partners have a choice in who will deliver their critical military infrastructure. Time and time again, they choose BY

JOE MACRI

the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers because we consistently deliver high-quality projects that stand the test of time,” said Col. Christopher Klein, the district’s commander.

The district’s lineage dates back to the 1950s, when the United States was stepping up its diplomatic efforts around the world in an effort to contain the Soviet Union. Many of these efforts involved using U.S. “soft power,” and USACE’s Middle East District (then the Mediterranean Division) played a vital early role in helping build infrastructure in other countries in support of that effort. Much of these early efforts involved building up bases that could be used by U.S. forces in the region. However, over time as nations in the Middle East modernized, they became more focused on providing for their own national defense. Often, they would purchase capabilities from the U.S. such as aircraft, missile defense systems, or ships, and USACE would be called upon to build the infrastructure for those systems. Examples include ports, hangars, or maintenance facilities.

“Our security cooperation workload began with construction projects as part of Foreign Military Financing [FMF], which is an international agreement between the U.S. and foreign military partners where [the] U.S. finances the project. Through delivery of high-quality products, the workload expanded to include Foreign

Military Sales, where the mission partners fund the entire case because they know what they are getting when they work with USACE,” said Joey Behr, the district’s acting director of programs and project management.

Recent examples include a Maritime Traffic Coordination Center offshore in Kuwait, and an Air Defense Headquarters building in Qatar. Going back even further though, one of our largest projects ever was the King Khaled Military City in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Klein, who also served as the deputy commander of the Middle East District 10 years ago, said beyond just providing U.S. mission partners with all the capabilities USACE has to offer, the district’s efforts contribute to overall U.S. national security interests promoting regional stability. Project delivery strengthens ties at the individual level, fostering long-term relationships that are crucial for regional stability. “Sharing and achieving a common end state builds lasting

p A Maritime Traffic Coordination Center (MTCC) constructed for Kuwaiti naval forces by USACE’s Transatlantic Middle East District. The MTCC improved Kuwaiti naval forces capabilities to monitor, control, and secure shipping-lane servicing of the Mubarak Al-Kabeer container port. USACE PHOTO

friendships,” said Klein. “Throughout project delivery, we’re working closely with other military officers and representatives from these countries building trust. And now, someone that I worked with 10 years ago may now be a senior decision-maker.”

As Klein noted, the connections forged through these collaborative efforts have a lasting impact, with the connections made a decade ago now proving invaluable in his current role. These enduring partnerships underscore the strategic importance of USACE’s mission beyond U.S. borders, demonstrating that the district’s work is not just about building infrastructure, but also trust and mutual support among nations. AE

USACE Environmental Programs

Protecting human health and the environment

Most Americans may be unaware of the breadth of historic activities performed by the Department of Defense and the U.S. Army in support of military readiness and national security – which include continued efforts today to clean up legacy contamination resulting from these historic activities.

“Aprimary reason why these sites need to be addressed further is that they were cleaned up according to the best practices at the time and then transferred to other owners, such as private individuals and federal, state, tribal, or local government entities,” said Antonia Giardina, interim chief for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Environmental Division.

“Since then, environmental laws and regulations have evolved, and so have cleanup standards. The cleanup standards in place in the past were less stringent than they are today because the environmental impacts were not fully recognized at the time. So, we’re still addressing legacy environmental contamination and we’re making progress every day in cleaning up these sites under our environmental programs.”

About 75% of work performed under USACE’s environmental programs is devoted to environmental cleanup efforts. This includes work performed under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP), the Defense Environmental Restoration Program, and work performed for other federal agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund Program. The other 25% is environmental quality work, supporting the Department of Defense (DOD) and other federal agencies in achieving their goals for environmental compliance. This includes providing technical assistance in planning, conserving natural and cultural resources, preventing pollution, and other concerns.

There has been a surge in demand for USACE’s expertise in environmental compliance and cleanup in recent years. “We’ve seen significant growth in our environmental programs, with about a $1 billion increase in annual obligations since 2018,” said Giardina, “and we anticipate that’s going to continue to grow.”

BY CRAIG COLLINS

“We’ve seen significant growth in our environmental programs, with about a $1 billion increase in annual obligations since 2018, and we anticipate that’s going to continue to grow.”

–Antonia

Giardina, Interim Environmental Division Chief for USACE

tt U.S. Army Corps of Engineers health physicist Shawn Andrews records measurements at a radon flux canister to verify record of decision cleanup goals have been met at the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) Tonawanda Landfill Vicinity Property in Tonawanda, New York, July 7, 2020. The USACE Buffalo District is responsible for management of the remediation of multiple FUSRAP locations like this one.

U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY USACE BUFFALO DISTRICT

p Potentially contaminated soil is loaded into the bed of a dump truck as part of ongoing remediation efforts along Coldwater Creek under FUSRAP. The soil is then loaded onto railcars and shipped to an approved disposal facility. USACE PHOTO BY MAJ. JEREMY IDLEMAN

The increase is due to several factors, including USACE’s own nationwide focus on program management and execution as well as external factors such as new funding for other agencies’ programs through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. “A lot of that money is now coming our way to support other federal agencies in their environmental efforts,” Giardina said – including EPA’s Superfund program and Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

USACE’s cleanup activities are performed in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980. CERCLA is a significant environmental law that authorized removal and remedial actions at contaminated sites, established processes and protocols for

cleanup, and set standards for engaging with communities affected by environmental contaminants.

Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP)

Beginning in 1974, cleanup activities under FUSRAP began at sites used as part of the nation’s early atomic energy program. The program was initially overseen by the U.S. Department of Energy, which descended from the federal entities that created the nation’s first nuclear materials: the Manhattan Engineer District and the Atomic Energy Commission.

USACE expertise in remediating and restoring environments and communities affected by hazardous waste made it the obvious successor to DOE in cleaning up

former nuclear program sites, and in 1997 Congress directed that FUSRAP be transferred to USACE.

However, the transfer of FUSRAP sites to USACE in 1997 didn’t bring an end to the Department of Energy’s role in the program, explained John Busse, chief of USACE’s Environmental Support Branch. After USACE completes its cleanup activities and closes out a site, it is then transferred to DOE’s Office of Legacy Management. “They do the long-term stewardship of those sites, whether it’s maintaining the administrative records and files associated with that, or the land use controls, if necessary,” he said.

USACE is currently working at 20 active FUSRAP sites around the country. The agency recently closed out work in and around a landfill in Tonawanda, New York, that had been contaminated by wastes from uranium processing, and turned the site over to the DOE. The site, in Erie County, is in USACE’s Buffalo District, where Busse worked in the field, managing cleanup of uranium processing waste and residues at the Niagara Falls Storage Site, before moving to USACE Headquarters.

Neither the Tonawanda nor Niagara Falls site pose an immediate threat to human health or the environment – but that’s not the standard USACE uses in measuring the success of its cleanup efforts. FUSRAP standards require USACE to protect human health and the environment far into the future – typically, for at least 200 years, and in some cases up to 1,000 years.

“One of the drivers of cleaning up these sites is trying to get them back to beneficial reuse, so they can be repurposed for other activities, whether it be residential properties or commercial use,” said Busse. For example, a former Tonawanda FUSRAP site recently became a FedEx shipping facility. “A completed site can also become a green space or a park, or whatever the community chooses to do with it for their benefit.”

USACE Environmental Programs

Today, USACE cleanup experts are actively remediating FUSRAP sites located across eight states in Missouri, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, and Maryland. At these sites, remedial action is planned, underway, or pending final closeout. These sites do not pose an immediate threat to human health or the environment.

“We’re addressing anything related to radiological contamination resulting from

historic activities performed as part of the nation’s early atomic energy program,” said Giardina, “even if it is low-level and low risk to the public.”

USACE’s health physicists – just one of the highly specialized professional roles supporting the agency’s environmental programs – advise community members on these risks to help them make determinations about what they ask USACE to do. “It’s really through the CERCLA process

t An SM-1A team member wearing a purified air breathing respirator prepares to enter the vapor containment structure around the reactor at the former nuclear power plant on Fort Greely, Alaska, on Jan. 29, 2024. Entering the structure for the first time since 2011, the team observed the atmospheric conditions in the structure and the surrounding workspace using five-gas monitors (oxygen, carbon monoxide, VOCs, explosive gases, and hydrogen sulfide) and Draeger tubes. The Radiological Health Physics Regional Center of Expertise (RCX), based at USACE Baltimore District, provides radiation safety and technical support to USACE and other federal agencies at home and abroad, and began the decommissioning and dismantlement of the the former nuclear power plant in 2024. USACE PHOTO BY DAVID GRAY

qMembers of the project team watch from the pier Sept. 25, 2018, as crews finish the rigging necessary for Sturgis to be towed from Galveston, Texas to Brownsville, Texas for her final shipbreaking and recycling. USACE undertook the challenging and complex efforts to decommission the MH-1A — the deactivated nuclear reactor that was onboard the Sturgis.

USACE PHOTO BY REBECCA KIDD, BALTIMORE DISTRICT

and engaging with communities,” said Giardina, “where we land on that decision for how we’re going to approach a site and address their concerns.”

USACE’s cleanup work isn’t limited to former atomic weapons laboratories or production facilities. Busse’s branch is also responsible for the Army’s Deactivated Nuclear Power Plant Program (DNPPP). The Army operated several nuclear reactors, from 1957 to 1976, to evaluate the feasibility of meeting the military’s power needs. The reactors were deactivated in the 1970s. Most were decommissioned, and three were placed in safe storage while USACE experts monitored, safeguarded, and maintained them.

The first of these reactors, The MH-1A reactor aboard the barge Sturgis – the world’s first floating nuclear power plant – was decommissioned through the DNPPP in 2019. “We are in the process of finishing up the reactor at Fort Belvoir,

“One of the drivers of cleaning up these sites is trying to get them back to beneficial reuse, so they can be repurposed for other activities, whether it be residential properties or commercial use.”

–John Busse, chief of the USACE Environmental Support Branch

Virginia, called SM-1,” Busse said, “and just kicked off our decommissioning activities at SM-1A at Fort Greely, Alaska.” Both efforts are scheduled to be completed in 2029. The quality of this work, the public engagement with stakeholders, and the demonstration of the full life cycle of nuclear power technology – which paves the way for future generations of Army nuclear power plants – earned the DNPPP team a Secretary of the Army Environmental Award in 2024, in the environmental restoration category.

Through the DNPPP and other programs, the Environmental Support Branch does work for other federal agencies as well. The expertise it has matured through the DNPPP, for example, has led to its experts being hired to decommission other nuclear reactors, such as the one at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California.

“We have the technical expertise across the board to clean up these sites and get them back to beneficial use,” said Busse. “We’re able to support our federal partners and support their staffs with the technical experts they need to effectively complete their projects.”

Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS)

The other flagship program in USACE’s environmental portfolio is the Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) program.

From the 1930s to the 1950s, the Department of Defense acquired thousands of properties for training and supporting the armed forces during wartime. In the post-war years, as these sites were decommissioned, military property was removed from them and the DOD began the process of transferring them out of DOD ownership. At the time, not much was known about the health and environmental hazards posed by what was left behind, but as this knowledge became clearer to the scientific community, the need to address these risks became clear.

On behalf of the Army, USACE has been responsible for cleaning up former DOD installations since 1986. It was during this time that Congress formally established the Defense Environmental Restoration Program, with the primary goal of reducing risks to human health and the environment from contamination that can include hazardous, toxic, or radioactive waste, and may also include military munitions,

t Advanced Geophysical Classification equipment is used to search for and analyze possible munitions on Culebra Island, Puerto Rico. Culebra is part of USACE’s Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) inventory, and the Jacksonville District is responsible for the day-to-day management and cleanup of munitions on the portions of the island where authorized.

including unexploded ordnance (UXO). Since 1986, USACE experts have evaluated more than 10,000 former DOD properties and identified concerns requiring cleanup at more than 5,400 of those sites. Like all USACE cleanup efforts, FUDS adheres to the federal response and reporting provisions of CERCLA.

Examples of FUDS projects include the former Schenectady Army Depot in Albany County, New York, which processed military goods and stored wastes from 1941 to 1969. In 2024, it became the first FUDS site to be transformed into a community solar project. The new 2.8-megawatt solar array, owned and operated by Nautilus Solar Energy, will provide clean energy to 260 households.

To date, USACE has completed cleanup at about 3,800 FUDS projects. “There are currently around 1,600 properties remaining to be cleaned up,” said Gunarti Coghlan, chief of the DOD Environmental Programs Branch within the USACE Environmental Division.

In 2001, munitions response became one of the major FUDS activities when DOD established a separate program, the Military Munitions Response Program (MMRP), to provide specific guidance for USACE. Coghlan oversees FUDS, MMRP, and several other programs on behalf of DOD and the Army.

Under MMRP, USACE is tackling technical challenges using the latest science and technology. On the island of Culebra, for example, about halfway between the main island of Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands, USACE is at work evaluating

PHOTO COURTESY OF HYDROGEOLOGIC, INC.

USACE Environmental Programs

and responding to munitions that are underwater.

Culebra Island anchors an archipelago renowned for its white sand beaches. During World War II, the archipelago became the primary gunnery and bombing practice site for the Navy and continued to be used for this purpose until 1975. Unexploded ordnance remains both on Culebra Island and in its surrounding waters and is currently being evaluated and restored by USACE’s Jacksonville District with the support of several of the 60 ordnance and explosive safety specialists who work directly for USACE, all of whom are former service members.

The Culebra cleanup, said Coghlan, is both benefiting from and contributing to the knowledge base of programs that apply the latest science and technology to improve DOD’s environmental performance, reduce costs, and enhance capabilities: DOD’s Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) and the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP).

“Culebra is on the forefront of technology development for classification, identification, and also the recovery of munitions underwater,” Coghlan said. “We’re really proud of the work we’ve done at Culebra

and the progress we’ve made toward returning some of the beaches to public use.”

Looking Ahead

USACE’s efforts to advance delivery of its environmental programs continues in several initiatives Giardina said are inspired by the priorities of USACE Commanding General and 56th Chief of Engineers, Lt. Gen. William H. “Butch” Graham: “They center on delivering today, innovating for tomorrow, and focusing on people always,” she said.

To accommodate USACE’s growing environmental workload, the agency has launched an initiative to streamline and accelerate the process of acquiring environmental services, and to build environmental contract capacity within its districts. “It can be a lengthy process to put contracts in place,” said Giardina, “especially large contracts. And one of the heavy lifts in that process is determining an acquisition strategy. So, what we’re trying to do is develop one big acquisition strategy, and gain efficiencies of scale, versus all the districts doing an acquisition strategy for each contract action.” Completing this significant step up-front reduces the burden on districts, allowing them to release requests for proposals more quickly to meet the needs of their partners.

t An unexploded projectile lies beneath the water’s surface off the coast of Culebra Island, one of the munitions being cleaned up at the Formerly Used Defense Site. USACE PHOTO

To better analyze USACE’s environmental workload, workforce, and contracting capacity, USACE is working on several innovative data visualization initiatives. These new tools, Giardina said, “will help us continuously improve decision-making, by using data to make those decisions and also improve how we deliver projects from an enterprise perspective.”

The focus on people and technical competency and capacity within the various disciplines of USACE’s Environmental Community of Practice is paramount, Giardina said, because they are dispersed not only geographically, but also across USACE mission areas. More than 10% of USACE’s workforce specializes in environmental disciplines. “And these teammates work across our military, civil works, and research and development programs, in jobs that are uniquely focused on our environment.” Specialists include environmental engineers, chemists, geophysicists, hydrologists, botanists, archeologists, health physicists, and more. “We use our Community of Practice and sub-communities of practice to connect these geographically dispersed employees within the same environmental discipline, so they can share lessons learned and best practices, mentor each other, and have a team of folks to rely on when they run into challenges,” she said.

The workload for USACE’s environmental professionals shows no signs of letting up, and these initiatives will help pave the way. There’s a wealth of experience and success to draw from, said Giardina, and “we’re looking toward the future. Our environmental mission is an enduring mission, and we are committed to advancing our environmental programs to protect the health and well-being of communities and our environment.” AE

USACE, Missiles, and the Moon

In the spring of 1950, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) began building its first missile launch complex at Cape Canaveral, Florida, an area that soon became synonymous with the American missile and space programs. During the next decade USACE built facilities for the military’s Redstone, Atlas, and Titan missile programs at the cape. The Atlas and Titan were powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that later became the backbone of the United States’ early military and manned space flight program.

In 1958 USACE received a new and urgent mission – the construction of approximately 1,200 ICBM silos. By the mid1960s, USACE was supervising construction at 22 project sites spread over 17 states. At the peak of construction, 20,000 workers labored around the clock to build the missile silos.

Much of USACE’s missile experience was applicable to the nation’s civilian space program, and in 1960 the newly formed National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) approached the Corps of Engineers for design and construction assistance. With the advent of the Apollo program in 1961, NASA turned to USACE to build the sprawling new National Space Technology Center in Mississippi, the Manned Space Flight Center in Houston, and a new 84,000-acre facility adjacent to Cape Canaveral that later would be named the John F. Kennedy Space Center.

The largest facility was Launch Complex 39 at the Kennedy Space Center. Built to assemble and launch the giant Saturn V rockets that would carry the Apollo astronauts to the moon, the complex included a barge canal to transport the huge Saturn boosters; the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building where the launch vehicles took shape; a nearby launch control center; and two new launch pads, each covering one-quarter of a square mile. Construction began in 1963, and in 1966 the American Society of Civil Engineers named the project the outstanding civil engineering achievement of the year. AE

BY USACE OFFICE OF HISTORY

p A Titan II ICBM slowly rises from the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. October 1962. NASA

q The Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center, 1966. NASA

USACE Logistics Activity: Tools of the Trade

In June, the Logistics Activity Operations Division participated in training hosted by Norbert Zimmermann, the Future Operations Branch (FUOPS) logistics planner, on the Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN). This training was crucial for ensuring that team members could operate the device independently and provide remote support to personnel deployed in emergency response scenarios where reliable communication is paramount.

t Jacqueline Phillips, Readiness Coordinator, positions the antenna of the Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) system while the operations division of the USACE Logistics Activity attempts to make a connection with the terminal of the system. This system allows for high-speed data and voice communication via satellite in austere environments where other communication systems may be down due to natural disasters or other emergency situations.

USACE PHOTO BY AMANDA RAE MORENO

Zimmermann provided insights into the significance of BGAN systems and their application in critical situations.

He explained, “The EXPLORER 700 is a broadband mobile terminal with a detachable antenna, offering high-speed data and voice communication via satellite. It’s as simple as plugging in a phone, fax, laptop, or personal digital assistant (PDA) and pointing the antenna towards the BGAN satellite to get online.”

Key topics covered during the training included device familiarization, usage of its various ports, Bluetooth capability, and the basic operation required to make phone calls once the satellite is accessed.

“With this device, you can make phone calls from anywhere in the world by connecting an analog touch-tone phone,” Zimmermann highlighted, emphasizing its versatility and practicality in emergency scenarios.

BGAN terminals are integral to the Field Force Engineering (FFE) Program and the Forward Engineer Support Teams-Advanced (FEST-A), supplied by the USACE Readiness Operations Center (UROC) in Vicksburg, Mississippi. These devices are vital for setting up base camps for contingency operations outside the continental United States.

“BGANS are crucial pieces of communication gear for our teams,” said Zimmermann. “They can be a lifeline for personnel during emergent situations, providing crucial communications when other systems are unavailable.”

Performing in extreme environments is exactly what the system is made for.

BY AMANDA RAE MORENO

“The EXPLORER 700, for instance, can withstand a 0.5-meter drop on concrete and operates under extreme temperatures ranging from -25°C to +55°C,” said Zimmermann. “It’s built to perform when you need it most, which usually isn’t ideal conditions.”

While Zimmermann does not have personal experience deploying BGAN systems in emergency situations, he mentioned that FEST-A Teams use them in connection with Automated Aerial Reconnaissance Kits (AARK) for overseas deployments.

“A team can quickly set up the device and have it operational in 10-15 minutes for internet and phone calls,” he explained, showcasing the efficiency of these systems. “When every minute counts, this can mean the difference between life and death during an emergency.”

Logistically, the EXPLORER 700’s dual voltage capability allows it to be used almost anywhere in the world, except in extreme temperatures. During the training,

for instance, the device was used in extreme summer heat and direct sunlight.

Zimmermann also elaborated on how BGAN integrates with other communication technologies, such as AARKs used by FEST-A Teams for aerial and ground route reconnaissance.

While the system has not been deployed during any recent emergency or disaster response efforts, the Operations Division takes comfort knowing that the tool is available to them if ever needed. Zimmermann is confident of its potential.

“During a communication outage in a disaster, it will make a huge impact,” he said. “We have seen plenty of situations where a disaster strikes, and traditional communication channels fail. We have been able to use local organizations’ versions of this type of system, but knowing that we have our own system to use if we ever needed to gives us confidence in our

Enablingprofessional engineerstoactivelyengage withUSC’sworld-renowned facultymembersandfellow studentsfullyonlinefromany locationaroundtheworldsamefaculty,sameprogram, samedegree.

ability to continue providing logistical support following a disaster.”

He believes that the satellite communication system significantly enhances the overall effectiveness of the emergency response mission.

“It can serve as a one-stop communication shop for small teams like the Logistics Plans and Response Team (LPRT), Logistics Support Team (LST), and FEST-A,” he said.

Regular training is crucial to ensure the system is always ready for deployment.

“Practice makes personnel proficient in operating and ready to use when the need arises,” Zimmermann explained. “One of the challenges faced during training is finding an open area to position the satellite for a clear line of sight, as buildings can obstruct the connection. The personnel trained on this device will know to take that into consideration when setting up the system.”

USC Viterbi's award-winning flexible online delivery, empowers students to watch the lectures live with interactivity, on demand asynchronously or on USC’s campus, though in-person attendance is not required.

AND SUPPORT CENTER, HUNTSVILLE

p Soldiers wash an M1 Abrams tank at Fort Riley, Kansas’ Installation Vehicle Wash Facility (IVWF), a tactical vehicle wash and treatment system, Sept. 15, 2022. Under a U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center’s Base Operations program contract, Skookum Contract Services maintains the IVWF daily use schedule, coordinates drive-ins, and briefs units on wash facility usage requirements.

U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville

The U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville (Huntsville Center) provides innovative engineering solutions to complex, global missions. The center’s team of more than 1,000 professionals in three locations – Huntsville, Alabama; Omaha, Nebraska; and Alexandria, Virginia – engineer adaptive, specialized solutions across a broad spectrum of global enterprise covering five main lines of effort: energy, operational technology, environmental, medical, and base operations and facilities.

The center’s portfolios comprise more than 40 program areas, executing more than 3,000 projects annually, as well as eight mandatory and six technical centers of expertise, and 17 centers of standardization.

Through partnership with Department of Defense (DOD) and other federal agencies, private industry and global stakeholders, the center delivers leading-edge engineering solutions in support of national interests around the globe.

Huntsville Center has programmatic and functional boundaries as opposed to the geographical boundaries of most other USACE units. Although the programs change as national and military priorities evolve, the center’s mission and functions are centered on four key processes: program and project management; engineering and technical services; construction management; and innovative contracting initiatives.

Huntsville Center has eight Mandatory Centers of Expertise: Medical Facility Design; Range and Training Lands; Electronic Security Systems; Utility Monitoring and Control Systems; Facilities Explosives Safety; Ballistic Missile Defense; Control System Cybersecurity; and Military Munitions Design Center.

Huntsville Center has six Technical Centers of Expertise: DD Forms 1391/3086 Preparation/Validation; Facility Systems Safety (FASS); Operations and Maintenance Engineering Enhancements (OMEE); Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC); Energy Savings and Performance Contracting (ESPC); Third-Party Financing (ESPC, PPA, UESC) and Installation Support.

Installation Support and Programs Management Directorate: Huntsville Center is the USACE Installation Support Center of Expertise (ISCX). Huntsville Center partners with USACE districts and other government organizations to provide timely, cost-effective and consistent installation support.

Ordnance and Explosives Directorate: The Ordnance and Explosives Directorate safely eliminates or reduces risks from ordnance,

BY WILLIAM S. FARROW

PHOTO BY CHRIS PUTMAN

p An electric vehicle charges its battery at one of the seven solar-powered charging stations recently installed at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. The U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, awarded contracts and is providing technical oversight for nearly 500 of these stations at Army installations as part of the service’s initiative to transition to a fully electric vehicle fleet by 2050. PHOTO BY CHRIS PUTMAN

explosives and recovered chemical warfare materiel. Programs include the Chemical Warfare Materiel Design Center (CWMDC) that investigates and remediates nonstockpile chemical weapons remnants, and the Conventional Munitions Design Center, which provides support for Formerly Used Defense Sites, Base Realignment and Closure sites and active ranges.

Engineering Directorate: Huntsville Center provides several programs through the Engineering Directorate. Its Medical Facilities Mandatory Center of Expertise partners with USACE districts and divisions to provide expertise for the design and construction of medical facilities for DOD, other federal agencies, and foreign governments. Huntsville Center also develops medical design and construction policies, technical guidance, procedures, criteria, specifications, and standards. The directorate’s environmental program provides project design and environmental services focusing on investigations and remediation at DOD Superfund level Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act and BRAC sites.

Environmental and Munitions Mandatory Center of Expertise: The Environmental and Munitions Mandatory Center of Expertise provides support to USACE headquarters and its offices worldwide on complex environmental and munitions cleanup and compliance issues through independent technical reviews, quality assurance reviews, munitions safety submission reviews, discipline-specific technical support, guidance development, participation on multi-agency panels and advisory committees, development and instruction of training, and the evaluation of and recommendations on innovative technologies.

Contracting Directorate: Synchronized with Huntsville Center Project Delivery Team business lines, the Contracting Directorate’s team of about 200 contracting professionals annually execute more than 6,000 contract actions. In Fiscal Year 23, Huntsville Center obligated more than $2.4 billion in contracts and task orders for DOD and other federal government agency programs and projects across the globe. AE

EARTH DESIGN ASSOCIATES , INC.

The Strategic Importance of the Army Geospatial Center’s LIDAR Collection Capability

Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) is a remote sensing technology that utilizes laser pulses to measure distances and create detailed, high-resolution 3D maps of the Earth’s surface. By emitting rapid laser pulses and measuring the time it takes for the light to bounce back, LIDAR generates precise spatial data that is invaluable for a variety of applications, particularly in military contexts. Unlike commercial satellites, which can provide useful imagery, LIDAR offers unparalleled depth perception, allowing for the identification of terrain features, infrastructure, and even vegetation in a three-dimensional context.

In the realm of large-scale combat operations, the integration of LIDAR into reconnaissance and planning phases is critical. When deployed on aircraft, the U.S. Army Geospatial Center’s (AGC) LIDAR sensors can conduct broad-area collection missions, capturing extensive geographic areas with remarkable accuracy. This high-resolution

geospatial data lays the groundwork for situational awareness, enabling military planners to visualize the terrain and make informed decisions during the competition phase prior to crises or conflict.

The capabilities provided by LIDAR are particularly essential during the preparation stages of operations. It offers detailed

BY AGC LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNICATIONS

t BuckEye combined electro-optical and LIDAR collection platform on a fixed-wing aircraft, deployed in support of U.S. ground operations. PHOTO COURTESY OF AGC WARFIGHTER SUPPORT DIRECTORATE

information on obstacles, potential cover and concealment options, and logistical routes, which is vital for mission planning. For instance, commanders can evaluate potential engagement zones, plan troop movements, and assess the vulnerability of infrastructure — all through a comprehensive 3D understanding of the battlefield. Such insights are crucial for effectively deploying forces, optimizing strategies, and minimizing risks during operations.

The rapid evolution of warfare, characterized by increased complexity and the integration of advanced technologies, necessitates a sophisticated approach to intelligence-gathering. LIDAR not only enhances traditional reconnaissance methods, but also complements emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning, which can analyze vast datasets for actionable insights. Without LIDAR, the Army would be at a strategic disadvantage, unable to fully harness the potential of these advanced systems.

Without the ability to collect LIDAR data, the impact to combat planning, training, and mission execution could be detrimental. The loss of this advanced capability would lead to a significant reduction in the military’s situational awareness. Commanders would operate with limited understanding of the terrain, potentially jeopardizing operational effectiveness and increasing the risk to personnel. Tactical decisions based on outdated or incomplete data could result in misallocation of resources, failed missions, or even catastrophic losses.

In summary, AGC’s LIDAR collection capability is an indispensable tool for the U.S. Army, providing high-resolution, three-dimensional geospatial data that commercial satellites cannot match. Its ability to support the planning and execution of large-scale combat operations is vital for maintaining operational superiority. As modern warfare continues to evolve, preserving the capability to collect and utilize LIDAR data will be essential for effective military operations and ensuring the safety and success of our forces. AE

The Terrorist Attacks of September 11th

On Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists crashed two hijacked commercial airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York and one into the Pentagon. A fourth crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 lost their lives in what is still the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) mobilized in the aftermath of the attack and helped New York City respond, recover, and rebuild. At the Pentagon, active-duty Army engineers helped stabilize the building and search for survivors and victims.

In New York, USACE’s Readiness 2000 framework ensured that the skills of the entire organization were available whenever and wherever they were needed. As a result, planning and response teams and subject matter experts from across the country arrived in the New York District to set up an Emergency Response and Recovery Office. Even though the attacks significantly affected communications and transportation, USACE was able to move people and resources to the disaster site within hours and implement its emergency response plan despite the daunting circumstances. Ultimately, the entire organization contributed to the effort, in one way or another.

When USACE evaluated its response to the September 11 attacks, it found a great deal of which to be proud. First and foremost was the response of the employees of the New York District. Despite being displaced by the attack, they continued to work without access to offices, files, and adequate communications. The Corps of Engineers’ leadership, including Headquarters, the North Atlantic Division, and the New England District, drew upon decades of emergency operations experience in adeptly planning and managing the USACE response. Senior USACE leadership contacted the Federal Emergency Management Agency within hours of the attack, established a 24/7 Operations Center to coordinate the USACE’s response, and executed the USACE Emergency Management disaster response plan. AE

BY USACE OFFICE OF HISTORY

p A USACE employee from the Emergency Response and Recovery Office in New York City gets an up-close look at the debris caused by the collapse of the World Trade Center, Oct. 10, 2001. ANDREW STAMER, USACE

pp One day following the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers set up an Emergency Response and Recovery Office in New York City. ANDREW STAMER, USACE

USACE The U.S. Army Engineer Regiment

The Nation’s Problem Solvers

The U.S. Army Engineer Regiment and Corps of Engineers

In hindsight – considering the remarkable range of expertise found in the U.S. Army Engineer Regiment and the Corps of Engineers today – the problems confronted 250 years ago by the Army’s first Chief Engineer, Col. Richard Gridley, might seem relatively simple. To defend against British troops advancing on Bunker Hill, north of Boston, Gridley laid out a redoubt and breastworks, and supervised their hurried construction. A true Engineer Soldier, he stayed and fought in the ensuing battle, and was wounded and carried from the field.

t The painting “Battle of Bunker Hill” by E. Percy Moran vividly depicts the importance of the fortifications laid out by Col. Richard Gridley, the Army’s first chief engineer, to the defense of Bunker Hill from the British. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS IMAGE

The job of the Army’s Engineer Soldiers didn’t get easier. Throughout the War of Independence, Engineers scouted for routes and crossing sites, sited and oversaw camp construction, and built fortifications. ”Sappers” were key to the successful siege of British defenses and the ultimate surrender of Lord Cornwallis’ Army at Yorktown in 1781. The Engineer Regiment was created, first and foremost, to solve a young nation’s greatest military problems.

There was a growing recognition that the Army and the nation needed well trained professional officers and engineers. In 1802, President Thomas Jefferson signed legislation that established the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point. It was the first engineering school in the United States. The curriculum emphasized military and civil engineering, along with history, tactics, and other subjects. USMA reported to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers until after the Civil War.

The defense of the ports of New York and Baltimore during the War of 1812 reinforced that the military’s problems and the nation’s problems were not separate concerns. British blockades and disruptions demonstrated a critical need for a more mature and reliable transportation network, to move goods and troops efficiently. Better interior transport would both strengthen national defense and protect the westward expansion of settlement and commerce.

Between conflicts, Army Engineers planned and built coastal fortifications; mapped the frontier; transformed the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers into navigable waterways; and laid out trails, roads, canals, and railroad routes. As a natural

BY CRAIG COLLINS

Today, USACE owns and operates more than 600 dams, and its Civil Works program is home to the leading federal experts in building, maintaining, and operating dams.

of Engineers who is “chief of branch” for more than 84,000 Active, National Guard, and Reserve personnel assigned to Army Engineer units, often referred to as the Engineer Regiment. The chief also is the Army Staff Engineer and commanding general for USACE, a direct reporting unit to Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA). Until 1979, when Headquarters USACE was established, the Corps of Engineers divisions, districts and other field organizations were HQDA field operating activities under the Office of the Chief of Engineers. Most of the 40,000 USACE military and civilian personnel are now attached one of the Corps’ nine divisions and 46 districts or supporting centers and laboratories. The two organizations share a common heritage and still report to the Chief of Engineers. They are mutually supporting, and the blend of military and civilian expertise is combined and deployed to optimize overall effectiveness.

consequence of this work, the Chief of Engineers became – and USACE remains –responsible for maintaining navigable U.S. waterways and ports. During wartime, Army Engineers conducted reconnaissance, built defensive positions, breached obstacles, opened roads and railroads, installed float and fixed bridging, constructed needed facilities, and completed many other combat, general, and geospatial engineering missions for the U.S. military at home and abroad.

Many sophisticated solutions employed by today’s Corps of Engineers can be traced through history to problems confronted by the Army. In March 1864, for example, when low flows on Louisiana’s Red River stranded ten Union warships deep in Confederate territory, Lt. Col. Joseph Bailey, senior engineer for the Union Army’s Nineteen (XIX) Corps – and a former Wisconsin lumberman who learned to float

logs downstream in similar circumstances –devised a solution. He built a strategically-placed dam on the river, raising the water level and funneling the river’s weak flow into a sluiceway that the warships rode over the rapids to safer waters.

Today, USACE owns and operates more than 600 dams, and its Civil Works program is home to the leading federal experts in building, maintaining, and operating dams. It’s something Col. Jesse Curry, director of the U.S. Army Office of the Chief of Engineers (OCE), likes to point out to anyone who will listen: “The Engineer Regiment began as the nation’s premier problem solvers, and has remained there to solve the nation’s toughest problems throughout our entire history. It’s in our DNA.”

Skills You Won’t Find Anywhere Else

For 250 years, the Corps of Engineers has been an Army organization, led by the Chief

The Commandant of the U.S. Army Engineer School (USAES) provides doctrine, organizational, training, leader development, equipment prioritization, and personnel development for units of the Engineer Regiment. The Engineer School, along with the Military Police and Chemical Schools, is part of the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence, headquartered at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Engineer Soldiers and leaders are trained at USAES before reporting to units across the United States and around the world, assigned to Army Forces Command, theater armies, and other commands. The only battalion directly under USACE command is the 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power), which provides medium voltage power to military units and in support of civil authorities in time of need.

The role of the Chief of Engineers, Curry explained, has evolved far beyond Gen. George Washington’s original assignment. “Across all the services, he is the senior uniformed engineer, and plays key roles within joint planning and inter-service coordination,” he said. This includes oversight of joint construction planning

p U.S. Army Engineer Soldiers from the 814th Engineer Company pull on a rope in order to connect bridging equipment during a wet gap crossing training for Exercise Freedom Shield 24, March 14, 2024, in South Korea.

TEXAS ARMY NATIONAL GUARD PHOTO BY SPC. JOE CANTU, 100TH MOBILE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DETACHMENT

USACE The U.S. Army Engineer Regiment

combat engineer companies in armored, light infantry, airborne, and Stryker variants, plus heavy and light engineer construction companies. Multi-role bridge units and companies that clear routes and areas of explosive hazards support BCTs, divisions, and corps. Other units operating at corps, theater, and strategic port echelons include additional construction units, utilities, facilities engineering, firefighting, asphalt, concrete, quarry, and well-drilling detachments. Many of these specialized technical units are resident in the Army Reserve and National Guard, which provides about 75% of Army Engineer units. The Active Army also includes engineer diving and mine/explosive hazard-detecting dog detachments.

tools, engineer education, and engineer capability development. “The chief also has responsibilities within the Army’s nuclear program and carries the title of “Topographer of the Army.” Historically, as different problems have arisen for the nation, many responsibilities were assigned to the Chief of Engineers and continue to this day.”

The chief also, explained Jim Shumway, OCE deputy director, oversees force management, force development and other functions, working very closely with the USAES Commandant, who is the force development proponent for Training and Doctrine Command and the proponent for engineer personnel training and leader development. OCE helps the Chief of Engineers execute his Army staff roles and his chief of branch roles, working very closely with the U.S. Army Engineer School and the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence.”

The range of expertise contained within the Engineer Regiment today – some of it

literally found nowhere else in the world –remains focused on supporting the armed forces. Engineer units provide mobility, maneuverability, and protection to U.S. armed forces, to apply and project combat power to seize and hold operational initiative, and to maintain a position of relative advantage. Engineer capabilities help partners and allies to do the same, while denying the enemy. “The Army has the depth and the breadth to provide a host of different capabilities that the other services are not equipped, organized, trained, or ready to do,” Shumway said.

The list of capabilities provided by combat engineers is long, including such duties as breaching obstacles, building fixed and floating bridges, establishing obstacles and defensive positions, placing and detonating explosives, clearing routes – and fighting as infantry when required. Engineer units directly supporting maneuver battalions and brigade combat teams (BCTs) include

Curry further describes the multiple types of “connective tissue” between USACE and Engineer leaders and units serving in the operational force. USACE planners are located within regional combatant commands or Army service component commands – for example, in the European and Pacific theaters. These commands are often supported by the Corps’ Field Force Engineering (FFE) program, which deploys expeditionary teams of military and civilian specialists. These Forward Engineer Support Teams (FESTs) enable warfighters by bringing engineering expertise and reachback capabilities to remote contingency locations. In 2008, Curry was assigned leadership of a FEST. “I took a team – myself and six of our best civilian engineers – to Iraq, and we provided engineering services to a Task Force responsible for building detention facilities throughout the country.”

The largest of the six FFE teams is the Forward Engineer Support Team-Main (FEST-M), which averages about 36-38 personnel with expertise in electrical, mechanical, civil, and environmental engineering, as well as in logistics, contracting, and resource management. Forward Engineer Support Teams-Advance (FEST-A) provide engineering planning/design support and limited infrastructure assessment. Other FFE components provide expertise in real estate,

p Brig. Gen. Daniel Hibner talks to employees and contractors from a team supporting the Temporary Emergency Power mission in response to Hurricane Helene and staged in Albany, Georgia. USACE personnel were deployed to Alabama and Florida coordinating with Soldiers from the 249th Engineer Battalion - Prime Power and contractors. Temporary emergency power personnel were at staging bases with generators and equipment, postured to provide support. The team, working alongside Planning and Response Teams from the Pittsburgh District, Albuquerque District, and Honolulu District, was ensuring swift and efficient power restoration.

USACE PHOTO BY MARK RANKIN, JACKSONVILLE DISTRICT

“The world is changing so quickly. And innovation is moving so fast that our challenge as an Army, and an Engineer Regiment, is to lead that innovation, rather than simply catch up to it. …”

–Col. Jesse Curry, director of the U.S. Army Office of the Chief of Engineers (OCE)

contracting, environmental support, logistics support, and base camp development.

These and other activities are supported by a range of stateside experts. Army Geospatial Planning Cells and support teams work closely with the Army Geospatial Center, a USACE subordinate command, and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency in Washington, D.C., to acquire and process the digital data to support terrain analysis, and use that data to support mission planning and execution.

“A host of different reachback capabilities go through the USACE Reachback Operations Center, the UROC, in Vicksburg, Mississippi,” said Shumway. The UROC connects deployed military engineers and FFE teams with experts in geotechnical, environmental, and structural engineering, plus many other capabilities to support warfighters. Reconnaissance, anywhere in the world, can be supported through UROC delivered tele-engineering capabilities. The Joint Construction Management System

(JCMS) provides more than 950 standardized designs and aids in site selection and base master planning. “You have all these different capabilities that USACE can provide in support of military units that are working forward,” Shumway said. “Those capabilities can be flexed forward in support of tactical commanders and their units.”

Today’s – and Tomorrow’s – Army Transformation

The U.S. Army is employing a concept of Continuous Transformation – mandated, said Curry, by the shifting geopolitical landscape of the 21st century. “The world is changing so quickly,” he said. “And innovation is moving so fast that our challenge as an Army and an Engineer Regiment, is to lead that innovation, rather than simply try to catch up to it. Army Futures Command and many supporting organizations are doing amazing work to enable the Army to lead this transformation.”

p Lt. Col. Robert Green, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District, right, discusses USACE capabilities with Maj. Gen. Warner Ross II, adjutant general of the Tennessee National Guard, by the hydropower plant at Cheatham Lock and Dam in Ashland City, Tennessee, July 29, 2024. Today, USACE owns and operates more than 600 dams in the United States. USACE PHOTO BY JEREMY CROFT, NASHVILLE DISTRICT

USACE The U.S. Army Engineer Regiment

The modular Army, suited to asymmetrical warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan, must rapidly transform into a force ready for peer-to-peer engagement in an increasingly dynamic and high-tech battlespace. In the near term, in line with Army Senior Leaders “Transforming in Contact” (TiC) initiative, Army engineers are helping deployed troops test new equipment – mainly off-the-shelf gear and technology – that could enable units to be more responsive to the rapid changes shaping today’s battlefields. The goal of TiC is to create units that are lethal, survivable, tactically mobile, and strategically deployable, and the Army hopes to use feedback from units to determine what new capabilities and configurations their forces will need.

p An M58 Wolf is remotely controlled to release a cloud of smoke during a Robotic Complex Breach Concept demonstration at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany during a 2018 exercise. The Robotic Complex Breach Concept employed the use of Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS) in intelligence, suppression, obscuration, and reduction missions, part of ongoing force protection developments of employing robotic and autonomous systems to keep Soldiers out of the direct line of fire while conducting breaching operations.U.S. ARMY PHOTO

BY SPC. HUBERT D. DELANY III, 22ND MOBILE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DETACHMENT

Over the mid- to long term, a dynamic peer-to-peer environment will require the Engineer Regiment to restructure how it is integrated with the Army’s fighting units to multiply the combat capabilities that enable them to dominate on the battlefield, said Curry. In adapting to the needs of the Global War on Terror, the regiment concentrated much of its active-duty capability at Brigade Combat Team (BCT) level, to support rapid expeditionary warfighting and counter-

insurgency. What’s happening now, said Curry, is a concentration of engineer units at division level, while still providing the necessary close support to the BCTs. There is a reduction of active-duty battalions and companies, which further increases the reliance on engineer units in the Army Reserve and National Guard.

“We’re still focused on providing support to Brigade Combat Teams,” said Shumway. “However, in large-scale combat operations,

A transformation in contact can keep Soldiers out of the line of direct fire by using robotic and autonomous systems to help breach contested areas, river crossings, or other dangerous situations.

the division is the unit of action. This restructuring is providing the division commander and his staff the ability to reinforce the main effort and move enablers around to a greater extent than if the Brigade Engineer Battalions are embedded in the BCTs.”

The “TiC” initiative’s focus on cutting edge, off-the-shelf technology is aimed at optimizing the effectiveness of forward elements while holding down costs. “A popular phrase in innovation development circles is ‘human-machine integration,’” said Curry. “How do we make use of the newest technologies being developed today by private industry and commercial developers, while extending our imagination for what could be or needs to be developed in the future? How do we build our formations to receive and leverage future technologies to maximum effect, to give us that advantage

on the battlefield and protect our most valuable resource, our troops?”

A top priority in the dynamic future battlespace is force protection. It’s always been dangerous for a Soldier in the breach, of course – but Shumway believes it is even more so today. “As we’re seeing in Ukraine, the proliferation of small unmanned aerial systems and loitering munitions is added to other direct and indirect fire weapons that engage personnel while they’re in the breach. Both Ukrainians and Russians have taken a lot of casualties as they conducted breaching operations through dense obstacles.”

Robotic and autonomous systems can help breach obstacles, cross contested areas, conduct river crossings, or perform other dangerous missions. “If we can keep Engineer Soldiers out of those particular environments, we can reduce

our casualties,” Shumway said. “Another aspect of human-machine integration is increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of our formations by enabling, for example, a construction equipment operator to control multiple pieces of equipment through automation. If we can leverage some of those capabilities . . . we can reduce risk to our forces, be more efficient and effective on the battlefield, and are better able to support our forces in contact.”

It’s a future fraught with uncertainty, but Curry isn’t sweating it. “The Engineer Regiment is strong and has a bright future,” he said. “The things we’re doing, even though change is hard, are absolutely aligned with Army priorities and efforts to defend our nation today, tomorrow, and years from now. I’m proud and excited for the future of our force.” AE

p Damaged power lines along a road in Humacao, Puerto Rico, one of the island’s hardest-hit municipalities, Oct. 28, 2017. MICHAEL IZARD-CARROLL, USACE

Remembering the Longest Blackout in U.S. History

In 2017, Hurricane Maria caused catastrophic damage in Puerto Rico, leading to the longest blackout in U.S. history. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) played a crucial role in restoring power, with more than 3,000 personnel volunteering. They worked with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, FEMA, and the U.S. electric power industry to procure more than 51 million replacement parts, including 61,000 power poles and 8,400 miles of conductor wire. USACE also installed generators at more than 1,200 critical facilities and used microgrids to restore power to 15,000 businesses and households in isolated communities.

USACE’s efforts included logistical planning, engineering, contracting, and project management. They coordinated the work of more than 4,000 contractors daily, with FEMA

BY USACE OFFICE OF HISTORY

pp Newly manufactured poles at the Task Force Power Restoration laydown yard at the Port of Ponce, Feb. 4, 2018. ROBERT DEDEAUX, USACE

p Neighbors celebrate outside the home of Mara Aleres Gomez in the Maleza Baja neighborhood of Aguadilla as a porch light illuminates, Nov. 14, 2017. Gomez’s home was the last of approximately 320 residences in that area to receive power. Jubilant scenes like this were repeated across the island over the next several months. STEVEN SHEPARD, USACE

allocating $1.8 billion for grid repair. USACE’s successful completion of the mission demonstrated its ability to use federal resources efficiently and transparently, ensuring that the lights came back on across Puerto Rico.

In the years following Maria, USACE continued to work on flood-risk-reduction projects and coastal storm-risk management studies in Puerto Rico. The new Caribbean District in San Juan now oversees Civil Works and Military Construction projects, reflecting the ongoing commitment to the region’s resilience and recovery. AE

Charting a Sustainable Future: How America’s

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Institute for Water Resources (IWR) and its Navigation and Civil Works Decision Support Center (NDC) play a pivotal role in managing America’s waterways. Their mission is to ensure that these channels not only enhance the nation’s landscapes but also serve as crucial arteries for commerce, supply chains, and ecosystems. By leveraging data, the NDC supports the revitalization, management, and sustainability of these essential waterways, offering substantial benefits to the economy, environment, and public well-being.

BY ANA ALLEN

HARNESSING DATA FOR A SMARTER FUTURE

The NDC’s core mission is to use data strategically to boost the resilience and efficiency of the nation’s waterborne commerce. Its motto, “We don’t move the commodities, but the data we manage helps to inform decisions that make them move better,” emphasizes its role in enhancing waterborne transportation systems. NDC’s director, Shawn Komlos, highlighted the critical role of accurate information in maintaining transportation infrastructure. “The investments being made to ensure the continued resilience of our transportation systems are too important for guesswork. Sound data form the foundation for informed decisions, and the data we manage are critical components of the data infrastructure on which those decisions are based,” stated Komlos. As the primary source of domestic waterborne commodity movement data, the

t Low water conditions in the Mississippi River, observed from USACE’s New Orleans District parking lot on Oct. 27, 2022. The challenging conditions underscore the importance of timely data and effective management for maintaining navigable waterways.

USACE PHOTO BY SHAWN KOMLOS

NDC supports a wide range of data needs for USACE, other federal agencies, and industry stakeholders.

SUPPORTING STAKEHOLDERS WITH ESSENTIAL SYSTEMS

1. Dredging Information System (DIS): Crucial for scheduling and reporting dredging activities, the DIS helps stakeholders such as ports and commercial operators plan and execute dredging tasks. Effective dredging maintains navigable channels, ensuring the smooth transport of goods by preventing silt buildup that could disrupt commerce.

2. Lock Performance Monitoring System (LPMS): This system collects data on vessel and commodity movements through locks and dams. It helps prioritize maintenance, identify bottlenecks, and plan modernization efforts, ensuring timely repairs and reducing disruptions in waterborne traffic.

3. Notices to Navigation Interests (NTNI): The NTNI system provides real-time updates on disruptions such as lock closures or dredging activities. These updates are vital for safe and efficient navigation, allowing commercial vessels and boaters to adjust their plans accordingly.

4. Transportation Operations and Waterborne Statistics (TOWS) System: TOWS tracks commercial traffic and supports funding decisions for infrastructure investments. It provides detailed data on cargo movements and helps justify investments in maintenance and modernization, thus ensuring resilient supply chains and sustainable economic growth.

ADAPTING TO CHANGING CONDITIONS

As extreme weather events become more frequent, the NDC’s data becomes increasingly important for managing risks

to navigation. For instance, low water levels in the Mississippi River in 2022 and 2023 necessitated emergency dredging. The NDC’s data-driven approach was crucial for making informed decisions to minimize such disruptions and manage environmental challenges effectively.

INNOVATING FOR THE FUTURE

The NDC is advancing data accessibility and usability by transitioning to cloud-based systems and exploring artificial intelligence (AI). These innovations include:

1. Availability: Moving from outdated formats to cloud-based systems for more intuitive data access.

2. Visibility: Centralizing data access and using geographic formats to improve data visualization and decision-making.

3. Accessibility: Implementing modern data formats and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to integrate data more easily into various systems.

4. Usability: Providing robust metadata to help users understand data contexts and limitations.

5. Ar tificial intelligence: Utilizing AI to enhance data processing capabilities, automate analysis, and generate insights for better traffic management and investment decisions.

CONNECTING AND PROTECTING FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

Through these efforts, the IWR and NDC are not only managing today’s waterways, but are also safeguarding these national assets for future generations. Their data-driven and innovative approaches ensure that America’s rivers and harbors support economic growth, protect communities, and sustain global connections. By preparing for future challenges, they are fostering a resilient and sustainable future for all.

In conclusion, the IWR and NDC’s commitment to efficient, data-driven waterway management benefits the economy, environment, and public welfare. Their forward-thinking strategies are essential for maintaining and enhancing America’s vital waterways, ensuring they continue to support the nation’s supply chains and drive economic progress for generations to come. AE

USACE Report Offers New Approaches for Better Water Resource Planning

The Institute for Water Resources (IWR), part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), has released a report through its Water Resources Center on improving the use of structured decision-making for water resource management. Titled, “Analysis of Tradeoffs Approaches Applicable to USACE Civil Works Planning,” the report outlines methods for comparing the benefits and effects of various planning alternatives to support selecting alternative plans in managing the nation’s water resources.

Water resource planning often involves making tough decisions. Projects such as building dams, restoring rivers, or managing flood risks require balancing multiple factors, including economic, environmental, and social impacts. The new report emphasizes the importance of a structured tradeoffs analysis to guide these decisions.

The report introduces several approaches for analyzing tradeoffs. Qualitative methods involve discussing and listing the pros and cons of different options. This approach helps teams understand the various factors at play without needing complex calculations. Quantitative methods, on the other hand, use numbers to rate and compare options, providing a more detailed evaluation. Combining

BY ANA ALLEN

these methods offers a balanced approach, using discussions to identify key issues and qualitative and quantitative analysis to compare alternatives.

Additionally, the report stresses the importance of collaboration and transparency in the decision-making process. Engaging stakeholders – such as local communities, environmental groups, and government agencies – ensures that diverse perspectives are considered. Clear communication of decision criteria and uncertainties helps build trust and understanding among all parties involved.

“Our goal was to introduce a framework that not only helps in selecting the best plan but also builds a shared understanding among all parties involved. This collaborative approach is essential for the success of

t The Big Sioux River is depicted as having overflowed, previously affecting Interstate 90 in South Dakota. This past event highlights the importance of updated water resource management strategies, as emphasized in a recent IWR Water Resources Center report. The report suggests adopting more adaptive planning approaches to better handle extreme weather and protect key infrastructure.

GLASCH

any water resource project,” said Michelle Hilleary, Ph.D., report co-author, IWR Water Resources Center.

To illustrate the effectiveness of these methods, the report includes case studies from past USACE projects. For example, the Central Valley Integrated Flood Management Study in California used both qualitative discussions and quantitative analysis to identify the best flood management strategies, resulting in a more informed and accepted decision.

Hilleary noted, “The methods outlined in this report provide a clear pathway for incorporating multiple perspectives and values into our planning process. This ensures that we are not just making decisions but making the right decisions that benefit everyone.”

As water resource challenges grow more complex, USACE’s new report provides a valuable toolkit for making informed, balanced decisions. By combining different tradeoff analysis methods and prioritizing collaboration, USACE aims to improve the planning and execution of water resource projects, ensuring they deliver maximum benefits to the public. “The real value of this report lies in its practical application. By implementing these tradeoff approaches, we can enhance transparency and trust with our stakeholders, leading to more sustainable and accepted project outcomes,” said Kat McCain, Ph.D., report co-author, Ecosystem Restoration Planning Center of Expertise.

“The comprehensive analysis of tradeoffs presented in this report provides our teams with robust tools to make informed decisions. This is critical as we tackle increasingly complex water resource challenges and strive to deliver the best outcomes for our communities,” said McCain.

For more information on the report and to access the full document, visit the Institute for Water Resources library at: https://iwrlibrary.sec.usace.army.mil/. AE

USACE PHOTO BY MICHAEL

U.S. ARMY ENGINEER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER

ERDC Upgrades Blast Effects Research Capabilities

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is advancing the study of blast effects with an upgraded facility designed to enhance protection for structures, facilities and most importantly, people. From testing military helmet designs to evaluating walls and high-performance materials, the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory’s (GSL) updated Advanced Blast Load Simulator (ABLS) facility in Vicksburg, Mississippi, allows researchers to get a first-hand look at blast effects in a controlled environment.

Carol Johnson, Ph.D., a research civil engineer at GSL, leads the work at the ABLS.

“The Blast Load Simulator [BLS] devices

BY MARY MILLER MORGAN

are more efficient and economical for testing rather than going out to the field. Here in Vicksburg, we can conduct more research and gather data at a faster rate with significantly reduced costs,” Johnson said. “We

p A recent upgrade to a blast simulation facility at ERDC has expanded a unique ERDC capability to test the effects of larger explosions and shockwaves. Carol Johnson, Ph.D., a research civil engineer who manages the facility, is shown with the Advanced Blast Load Simulator, which has helped build stronger and more resilient structures, led to the development of better technologies, and most importantly, worked to protect the lives of the men and women in our armed forces.

PHOTO BY KHARY RATLIFF, ERDC PUBLIC AFFAIRS

can then confirm a final design and take it out to the field to get validation.”

The facility simulates explosive devices detonating at a certain distance from

U.S. ARMY ENGINEER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER

a target. Research engineers can replicate the air blast associated with that explosive event, and from the results, understand the capacity of a structure, the response of buildings, or how to better retrofit structures.

The original BLS is a compressed gas-driven device with a pressure vessel on the front end. Research engineers pump air and helium into the pressure vessel and use steel and aluminum diaphragms to confine the gases. While under pressure, a mechanical striker impacts the diaphragms and forces them to rip and rupture. The blast wave then travels down the expansion cone, through the rings, and hits the target at the far end. After the blast wave impacts the target, it rebounds and travels back through the rings and vents out of the gaps of the BLS.

“New components were recently added to the BLS to expand the target size of 71-by-53 inches to a maximum target size of 8-by-8 feet,” Johnson said. “The largest experiment conducted in the original BLS replicated a maximum pressure and impulse combination of 55,000 pounds of TNT roughly 120 feet away from the target.

“The BLS is about 20 years old, so the new ABLS devices take advantage of a new patent and technological developments in this area. Due to target size limitations in the BLS, we’ve had to evaluate individual components in our experiments instead of testing full-scale targets,” she said. “The new ABLS allows us to conduct full-scale testing within minutes as opposed to hours.”

The new ABLS is a combustible gas-driven device with a booster chamber on the front end. Research engineers fill the booster chamber with a mixture of fuel and air and then detonate it, causing a “fireball” effect. Once initiated, the shock wave from the booster detonates the ethylene and air behind it and sends the blast wave toward the target.

One type of target tested is fully reflected, and typically consists of windows, walls, and doors. The other type is referred to as diffraction/engulfment experiments, which means a blast wave is sent toward an object and researchers

then study how the blast propagates around that target. An example of a diffraction experiment would be placing a mannequin in the target space and testing for traumatic brain injury or personal vulnerability.

“The ABLS can hold a maximum target of 14-by-14 feet, and being able to conduct full-scale testing allows us to expand our knowledge base,” Johnson said. “The ABLS has increased our performance envelope, because we have the ability to conduct very low reflected pressure experiments required for personal vulnerability research and higher reflected pressure experiments required to evaluate blast designed structural elements – all in one device.”

For example, multiple mannequins, each with different protective equipment, can be tested simultaneously. They can be rotated at different angles to see the various results. Even an entire wall system with blast-designed window and door framing can be evaluated in a single experiment within the ABLS.

Highlighting the versatility of the ABLS, Johnson said “if customers bring in something that can fit in the space of one of these target vessels, we can and will shoot it for you.”

The facility also includes a functional, smaller prototype of the ABLS that can support a target size of 4-by-4 feet and is generally used for testing helmet designs, hearing protection, or high-performance material samples.

Each of the simulators can be operated daily, with testing starting small and advancing to larger experiments, which can be more efficient and economical than field evaluation.

The data generated from the BLS and ABLS experiments is also shared with ERDC engineers and researchers to validate and develop new numerical models for blast protection.

“The work we do here helps us better protect our structures, facilities, and our Soldiers,” Johnson said. “ERDC makes a huge difference in not only protecting our warfighters, but also making our nation and our world safer and better.” AE

Racing Toward a Safer Nation at the Indianapolis 500

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), demonstrated the Deployable Expedient Traffic Entry Regulator, or DETER, vehicle barrier technology at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500, May 27, 2024.

The team used DETER in support of security strategies to create temporary road closures during both the Indy 500 Carb Day and the Indy 500 to help keep more than 300,000 fans in attendance safe as they enjoyed the race weekend.

DETER is an active vehicle barrier developed by ERDC’s Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory (GSL) that serves as an expedient access control solution to protect critical assets and soft targets from vehicular attack. The friction-based barrier is integrated into a standard ISO quadruple container for easy storage, transport, and deployment. “We deployed the barrier multiple times and were able to evaluate the system’s ease of deployment and operation,” said Matt Hossley, a researcher with the ERDC-GSL. “This event provided

BY KALEY SKAGGS

p ERDC, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, utilized the Deployable Expedient Traffic Entry Regulator, or DETER, vehicle barrier technology at the Indianapolis 500. The demonstration proved a success as the race provided an opportunity to showcase the new innovative technology and the strong collaborative effort among ERDC’s partners.

PHOTO BY ERDC-GSL

valuable data to improve user guidance and illustrated additional use cases.”

The sporting event afforded the team a unique opportunity to gather valuable operational information for deployment, trafficability over the system, and environmental interaction, as well as usability feedback from local, state, and federal law enforcement agents. The event also served to highlight the strong partnership between ERDC and DHS, as DETER’s deployment and demonstration proved a success.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the successful deployment of the DETER barrier at the Indy 500, a testament to the collaborative efforts of our partners,” said S&T Physical Security Program Manager Ali Fadel. “This innovative technology exemplifies our commitment to enhancing security measures, ensuring the safety of both participants and spectators. Together, we continue to push the boundaries of technological advancement, safeguarding iconic events like the Indy 500 and upholding our nation’s security standards.”

Other partners involved agreed with the success and were excited about the collaboration.

“CISA is excited we were able to help deploy the DETER barrier at the Indy 500. Our partnership with ERDC, DHS S&T, and our colleagues in CISA Region 5 continues to set

the standard for collaboration, innovation, and collective security,” said Darrin Flick, technical assistance branch chief for CISA’s Office for Bombing Prevention.

The high-profile event, with its large attendance and traffic, including cars, trailers, motor homes, and official vehicles, greatly benefited from the amount of protection DETER provided. This event was a great way to showcase DETER’s capability to both permit traffic during pre-event operations and to close a roadway during the event, making this collaboration beneficial for all partners involved.

“It has been rewarding to work with DHS to identify the technologies that can provide additional security and protection for mass gathering events,” said Hossley. “So far, we have pinpointed the DETER and Ready Armor Protection Instant Deployment, or RAPID, protection systems, which were originally developed for military missions. The benefits of working together include making further refinements to expand use cases and lower manufacturing costs, and evaluation in real-world scenarios, leading to improved guidance for deploying in urban environments. Data from deployments at mass gathering events also helps identify challenges of providing protection while allowing movement of large groups of people and cleared vehicles.” AE

Missouri River Energy Services is harnessing the power of water to provide clean, reliable energy for generations to come.

The Red Rock Hydroelectric Project, our newest energy resource built on an existing USACE dam, is the latest example of our collaborative effort to create a brighter, cleaner and more resilient energy future for the customers we serve.

Collecting Data for a Real-time Snapshot of Our Waterways

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is spearheading an initiative to enhance the safety and accessibility of the nation’s inland waterways through the development of a near real-time monitoring system that aims to crowdsource bathymetric data from vessels already navigating these waters, using their existing depth finders and GPS systems to generate a continuous snapshot of channel conditions and identify potential obstructions. This innovative approach is designed to support and augment the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) survey fleet, which is responsible for maintaining 25,000 miles of inland waterways across the United States.

Brandan Scully, Ph.D., a research civil engineer with ERDC’s Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, explained that while USACE conducts highly accurate and precise surveys, these surveys are conducted periodically due to the high costs, time constraints, and limited availability of vessels. As a result, there is no capability for continuous monitoring under the current system.

“In order for us to do that with traditional resources, it would cost millions of dollars,” Scully noted. The crowdsourcing effort aims

BY TIM REEVES

to bridge this gap by utilizing equipment that already exists on vessels, such as depth finders and GPS, and supplementing it with a device that would transmit this data to a cloud-based system.

Once collected, the data would be quickly analyzed and aggregated with information from other vessels operating in the same area, creating a real-time picture of that portion of the waterway. Scully likens the system to a digital traffic map for inland waterways, much like popular smartphone apps that provide real-time updates on highway conditions. “Those apps tell you the speed of traffic,” Scully said. “But what this is telling

us, essentially, is, where are the potholes? Where are the speed bumps?”

This dynamic and continuous flow of information could significantly enhance the USACE survey fleet’s ability to prioritize its operations, focusing on areas that require immediate attention while still being able to monitor waterways between scheduled surveys. The system would provide mariners with crucial information, allowing them to navigate more safely and avoid potential hazards.

The project is currently in the proof-ofconcept phase, with ERDC working alongside public and private organizations to determine the best technology for transmitting, collecting, and analyzing the data. There is ongoing work to identify where to house the data and how to distribute it effectively to those who need it, such as commercial operators and teams responsible for clearing navigation threats.

Scully highlighted that ERDC is uniquely positioned to “filter the solutions and find the right answer, or we find the best available answer right now,” ensuring that the final product aligns with both the Army’s mission and the capabilities of the technology providers.

Although additional funding is needed to advance the technology further, there is already strong buy-in from several USACE districts and divisions.

Scully emphasized the significant demand for this capability, noting that mariners would greatly benefit from knowing where obstructions are located, allowing them to navigate more safely.

While similar technology is already employed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for ocean and coastal operations, this would mark the first use of such a system for inland waterways. The implementation of crowdsourced bathymetry would represent a significant step forward in the management and maintenance of the nation’s inland waterways, enhancing both safety and efficiency in navigation. AE

t Kevin Lesika performs a topographic survey of tidal flats during low tide at Harris Harbor in Juneau, Alaska. PHOTO BY DR. MICHAEL IZARD

America's Engineers: The People, Programs, and Projects of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers '24-'25

FOR AMERICANS, BY AMERICANS

Set an Example for Life Set an Example for Life

RESILIENCE ENGINEERING

WARFIGHTER SUPPORT INSTALLATION MANAGEMENT

Pumped Hydropower for Sustainable Energy Storage

Build it with AGRU

Geosynthetics

HDPE Pressure Pipes

Semi-Finished Products

USACE Meet the Chief

Lt. Gen. William H. “Butch” Graham Jr.

Deliver Today

Army Engineer Regiment Supports Hurricane Helene Response

USACE Hurricane Helene Response

USACE Military Programs

Material support for Soldiers and their families

USACE Military Programs

Leveraging Expertise

Looking Ahead

Let Us Be Your Next FF&E Contractor

USACE Military Programs

The General Survey Act

NATURE-BASED FLOOD MITIGATION FOR ARROYO STABILIZATION

CHALLENGE

The Arroyo de los Montoyas Arroyo Stabilization

Southern Sandoval County

SOLUTION

Advancing Health Care for Veterans: A New Medical Center Takes Shape in Louisville

GREAT LAKES AND OHIO RIVER DIVISION Detroit District

Modernizing the Great Lakes: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Advances Soo Locks Infrastructure

BUILDING THE FUTURE: DREDGING WITH NATURE

Sponsored Advertising Content

Validating Tiamat’s effectiveness

GREAT LAKES AND OHIO RIVER DIVISION Detroit District

GREAT LAKES AND OHIO RIVER DIVISION Pittsburgh & Nashville Districts

Modernizing the Ohio River Basin: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Advances Lock Systems

GREAT LAKES AND OHIO RIVER DIVISION Pittsburgh & Nashville Districts

A New Era for the Manhattan Project: Advancements in the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program

GREAT LAKES AND OHIO RIVER DIVISION Buffalo District

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DIVISION St. Louis District

Building a Safer Tomorrow: FUSRAP’s Cleanup Efforts in

St. Louis

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DIVISION Memphis District

Critical Eastern Arkansas Groundwater Security Projects Underway

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DIVISION New Orleans District

Multiple Approaches, Same Level of Risk-reduction

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DIVISION Rock Island District

Fabrication is Necessary for Navigation

Sand Management Partnership Pays Dividends

Revetment on the Mighty Mississippi

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DIVISION Vicksburg District

USACE Civil Works Programs

Civil Works 200th Anniversary

USACE Civil Works

Partnering

USACE Civil Works

Regulatory

Disaster Response

Civil War: The Hero of Little Round Top

Beneficial Use Project Restores Vital Delmarva Habitat

NORTH ATLANTIC DIVISION

Reinforcing Regional Security Today and Into the Future

NORTH ATLANTIC DIVISION New England District

The July 2023 Flood –One Year Later

NORTH ATLANTIC DIVISION

New England District

NORTH ATLANTIC DIVISION New York District

Davis Barracks: Enhancing

Cadet Experience and Military

Readiness at West Point

NORTH ATLANTIC DIVISION Norfolk District

Leading the Charge in Naturebased Solutions: Miami-Dade

CSRM Pioneering Pilot Program

Philadelphia District Continues to Be Super With Superfund

NORTH ATLANTIC DIVISION Philadelphia District

Modernizing Post-war Era Infrastructure

Heavy lift braces future of McNary Lock and Dam

NORTHWESTERN DIVISION Walla Walla District

NORTHWESTERN DIVISION Portland District