USACE issues an Environmental Assessment to support the Interim Operations Plan for the L-28 South Gated Culverts

Press Operations — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:01:42 GMT

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Jacksonville District is issuing a Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment (EA) and proposed Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) to support the interim operations plan for the L-28 South gated culverts (S-229A, S-229B, and S-229C).

USACE Far East District provides an open dialogue about contracting, construction, engineering and quality

Monique Freemon — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 23:44:00 GMT

In partnership with the Public Procurement Service (PPS) and the 411th Contracting Support Brigade (411th CSB), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Far East District (USACE FED) hosted its annual Industry Day and Quality Symposium April 7–8, 2026, in Suwon, South Korea.

Block release of water from Santa Rosa Reservoir scheduled to begin April 20, 2026

Press Operations — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:57:10 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Albuquerque District has scheduled a block release of water from Santa Rosa Reservoir, New Mexico, to start Monday, April 20, 2026, at 8:00 am.

USACE to temporarily close boat ramp at Tucker Hollow

Press Operations — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:51:28 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is temporarily closing the Tucker Hollow boat ramp and the surrounding area on Bull Shoals Lake Apr.13 for one day. The closure is necessary for contract crews to complete essential paving and construction work around the ramp.

USACE introduces QR Code payment system for activity passes along the Arkansas River

Press Operations — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:40:43 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Russellville Site Office has launched a QR code payment system to give visitors a faster, more convenient way to purchase activity passes at USACE-managed campgrounds along the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System.

Army Corps shares update for Strathmere and Sea Isle City beachfill project

Press Operations — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:24:44 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Philadelphia District shared an update regarding periodic nourishment of the Great Egg Harbor Inlet to Townsends Inlet dune and beachfill project. Three days after receiving $28 million in federal funding, USACE has published a contract solicitation for dune and beachfill work in Sea Isle City and Upper Township (Strathmere), N.J. USACE will continue to expedite pre-construction steps consistent with the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works’ “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork” initiative.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Opens Upgraded Chicago Harbor Lock for 2026 Season

Press Operations — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 18:30:00 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Chicago District will re-open the Chicago Harbor Lock on April 15 after completing off-season repairs. This event kicks off the summer boating season at one of the most active locks in the nation.

ERDC scientists transform scientific measurement with “illuminating” discovery

Justin Campfield, public affairs specialist — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:01:00 GMT

Fluorescence is a fundamental component of scientific analysis, serving as a core measurement tool in applications ranging from environmental monitoring and field analytics to materials testing and biological and chemical detection. The Army uses fluorescence in countless ways, including detecting toxic chemicals, identifying pathogens and even tracking how materials like cement degrade in the field, just to name a few. Combining subject-matter expertise from ERDC’s Environmental Laboratory in Vicksburg, Miss., and Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory in Hanover, N.H., the team developed a novel approach – and potentially transformed innumerable scientific experiments – by building photoprotection directly into a new molecular design in a way that dramatically increases the durability of fluorescence.

USACE briefs public on potential resumption of dredging in ACF River Basin

Pentagon News — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 15:50:00 GMT

The meeting aimed to inform the public about the initiation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate this possibility.

USACE announces regulatory transformation workshop in Little Rock

Press Operations — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 15:42:12 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host a regulatory transformation workshop from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 12 at the Statehouse Convention Center, located at 101 E. Markham St., Little Rock, Arkansas.

Army Corps shares update regarding temporary closure of portion of C&D Canal trail

Press Operations — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:28:49 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Philadelphia District shared an update regarding upcoming work along the Chesapeake & Delaware (C&D) Canal that will temporarily impact access to the Michael N. Castle trail system on the north side of the Canal and the access road off Cox Neck Road.

Los Angeles District hosts seven county flood directors meeting, discusses future initiatives

Shawn Davis, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 21:55:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES — Officials from San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Riverside, Orange, Los Angeles and San Diego counties met with senior leaders of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District on April 7 at the district's headquarters in downtown Los Angeles.

Identifying Overwintering Habitat of Silver and Bighead Carp in the Lower Mississippi River: Implications for Harvesting and Population Reduction

Press Operations — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 20:32:00 GMT

Purpose: A total of 41 sites along a 58 mi reach of the Lower Mississippi River (LMR) were surveyed during winter 2022 for invasive carp aggregation. Sites consisting of scallops closest to the dike-vegetated bank interface with deeper, slow-moving water and consistent access back to the main channel were preferred. Carp avoided strong currents, and there was no trend in depth selection other than avoiding shallow (less than 20 ft) water. In January 2023, recreation-grade sonar (e.g., side-scan and down-imaging) surveys were conducted in the same reach of the LMR to demonstrate the technology and evaluate carp population size at sites with high abundances based on previous surveys. Fish density was estimated to be 32 fish/10,000 yd3 (95% confidence interval [CI; 31–34]) using down-imaging software, which is the first estimate of assumed bigheaded carp density in the LMR. Additional fish collections are needed to confirm species composition and size abundance provided by sonar technology. Resurveying sites with high carp abundance over a range of river stages would be necessary to fully characterize habitat conditions, evaluate influence of river stage on occupancy duration, and continue to evaluate species composition and mass removal techniques as a management option in the Lower Mississippi River.

Photocatalytic Degradation of Microcystins from a Field-Collected Cyanobacterial Assemblage by 3D Printed TiO2 Structures Using Artificial Versus Solar Irradiation

Press Operations — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 20:30:00 GMT

Abstract: Microcystins from freshwater cyanobacteria cause adverse effects to humans and ecological receptors through multiple exposure routes requiring adaptable and diverse treatment technologies. Photocatalysis of MCs using TiO2 is a promising technology; however, TiO2 photocatalysts as unbound nanoparticles in suspension are impractical to deploy. 3D Printing provides a means to immobilize TiO2, producing deployable photo-catalyst structures with extensive geometric freedom. The objective of this proof-of-concept experiment was to incrementally increase the environmental complexity while comparing photocatalysis rates of MCs by 3DP TiO2 structures using polylactic acid as the binder. Degradation half-lives of MCs were shorter in TiO2 embedded in 3DP PLA relative to PLA-only controls with differences in half-lives ranging from 3.6 to 10h. The one exception was the outdoor solar and an algal assemblage, where signiﬁcant differences could not be discerned due to the already rapid photolysis rates. Ultimately, photocatalysis rates were comparable to those previously published for TiO2 3DP structures in a laboratory environment and TiO2 ﬁxed- ﬁlms demonstrating feasibility of 3DP to immobilize TiO2 photocatalysts under a range of conditions. This is the ﬁrst time that MC concentrations from a ﬁeld-collected HAB were photocatalytically degraded in both solar simulated light and sunlight using a custom-made advanced photocatalytic nano- composite with enhanced performance through high surface area design enabled by 3D printing. These data inform future development of scalable, retrievable, and operationally ﬂexible structures with immobilized TiO2.

Round Robin Experiment to Detect, Size, and Characterize Flaws in the Welds of Existing Hydraulic Steel Structures Using Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing

Press Operations — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 20:28:00 GMT

Abstract: Limited information exists on the ability of nondestructive testing techniques to detect, size, and characterize ﬂaws in existing hydraulic steel structures (HSS). Round robin experiments were conducted using phased array ultrasonics to inspect welded steel specimens representing joints in existing HSS. Technicians detected 83% of the ﬂaws scanned, but detection rates varied widely by ﬂaw and technician. Uncertainty in ﬂaw size estimates, represented by 90% conﬁdence bounds on the ratio of estimated to actual length or height, ranged from 0.52 to 2.10 for length and 0.32 to 3.59 for height. Planar, volumetric and laminar ﬂaws were accurately characterized 80% of the time.

Effects of Exopolysaccharides from Rhizobium tropici on Transformation and Aggregate Sizes of Iron Oxides

Press Operations — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 20:25:00 GMT

Abstract: Iron oxide transformations in soil signiﬁcantly impact nutrient availability and plant health. This study investigated the interaction between exopolysaccharides (EPS), produced by Rhizobium tropici, and iron oxide (Fe3O4), focusing on their impact on the transformation, particle size, and zeta potential of iron oxides. The characterization of the EPS-iron oxide composites was carried out using X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Trans-form Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)/Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDX). The EPS adsorption kinetics revealed chemisorption and diffusion as controlling processes for EPS adsorption on Fe3O4, while isotherm data with releasing proton indicated possible ion exchange and heterogeneous layered adsorption. Desorption studies suggested the high stability of EPS-iron complexes. Notably, EPS signiﬁcantly increased the aggregate size of EPS-iron complexes at low EPS/iron oxide molar ratios but shrank the aggregate size at higher ratios. Additionally, EPS complexation resulted in a shift in the zeta potential towards more negative surface functionality. Functional groups within EPS, speciﬁcally –COOH, –OH and –NH played a crucial role in the interaction of EPS with iron oxides. The study concluded that EPS coating prevented the transformation of Fe3O4 into other iron oxide forms like β-FeOOH, α-Fe2O3, and γ-Fe2O3, elucidating the signiﬁcant role of EPS in soil mineral processes.

Vertebrates in Trade that Pose High Invasion Risk to the United States

Press Operations — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 20:23:00 GMT

Abstract: The United States imports thousands of live vertebrate species annually as part of legal trade. Escapes and releases from captivity are major pathways of invasion, however, the risk posed by the thousands of imported vertebrate species has not been systematically assessed. We conducted a horizon scan that used a data-driven climate match to ﬁlter a list of nearly 15,000 taxa drawn from across the globe of imported ﬁsh, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals for rapid assessment by taxonomic experts. Experts evaluated 840 species and identiﬁed 32 as having the highest risk for establishment, spread, and negative impacts. Of those high-risk species, the majority have the capacity to disrupt ecosystem processes via their role as top predators or the unique ecological niches that they occupy, while several of the snake species pose a threat to human health. High-risk species were often scored with high conﬁdence while in contrast, low scores were attributed to a combination of ecological redundancy, low propagule pressure, or low climate match while low conﬁdence arose from a lack of information in the literature. Our study therefore highlights legally imported species likely to cause the greatest harm with the recognition that many other species could also become invasive in the United States. The ranked list of vertebrate threats can be used to prioritize watchlists and inform the development of targeted regulations for importation can be applied to regions to provide a rapid, preliminary screening for large pools of potential invaders.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to Continue Work on Brandon Road Interbasin Project

Press Operations — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 20:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will soon begin the next construction phase of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project (BRIP). This comes as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle announced Thursday, April 9, that he has directed management and execution of BRIP be immediately transferred from the USACE Rock Island District to the USACE Detroit District. This transfer will ensure the project progresses in closer coordination with the state of Michigan, which has been a model non-federal sponsor for this project to date.

Agencies Join Forces to Build Mile-Long Firebreak After Near-Miss Blaze in Harker Heights

Pentagon News — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:56:19 GMT

After a wildfire at Dana Peak Park crept dangerously close to homes in Harker Heights, local, state and federal agencies partnered to build a large-scale firebreak aimed at protecting neighborhoods bordering Stillhouse Hollow Lake.

Dredging project to stabilize Little River Inlet jetty begins

Press Operations — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:50:17 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Charleston District, will start dredging the Little River Inlet in Horry County. Staff expect to start dredging on April 13. The operations and maintenance project will remove about 65,000 cubic yards of sand from a shoal in the federal navigation channel and use that material to stabilize the northern jetty.