News Stories

  • April

    Deceptively Quiet – Huntsville Center’s army of unseen professionals

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville stands deceptively quiet. The hallways, workspaces and meeting rooms are empty. What you can’t see is the army of Huntsville Center professionals tucked safely away in their homes, working feverishly to do their part in fighting the coronavirus pandemic that has gripped our nation and launched us all into a historic, unified response. Huntsville Center engineers and technical experts are providing engineering solutions to very real challenges. And the Corps of Engineers, FEMA and our federal, state and local partners are turning them into reality in record time.
  • Listing of USACE Contracts Awarded for Alternate Care Sites

    This listing of USACE contracts awarded to support Alternate Care Facilities will be updated daily. This report is valid as of April 1, 2020. An Alternate Care Site (ACS) is a facility that’s temporarily converted for healthcare use during a public health emergency to reduce the burden on hospitals and established medical facilities. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are working to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during this national emergency.
  • Army Corps, Partners Establish Alternate Care Facility at Javits Center; First Patients Arrive

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s mission assignment in conjunction with many state, federal and local partners, has made significant progress converting the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City to an alternate care facility to meet the demand for hospital beds created by the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).
  • Corps inspects facilities across Minnesota and eastern North Dakota for potential community alternate care sites

    ST. PAUL, Minn. –The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is performing site inspections across Minnesota and eastern North Dakota to support a nationwide FEMA mission assignment to convert existing large spaces into community alternate care sites to augment COVID-19 response efforts.
  • FED personnel earn certifications which helps increase district productivity

    CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea-- Recently, two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Far East District (FED) employees completed certifications that are instrumental when dealing with users, construction personnel and commissioning, and elevator inspections. Ho, Sung and Brian Cohill, both project engineers, recently completed training to become Qualified Commissioning Process Providers (QCxP) and Qualified Elevator Inspectors (QEI).
  • March

    Pittsburgh District Works to Increase Treatment Facilities’ Capacity

    During the past week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, in collaboration with federal, local and state partners, deployed assessment teams to evaluate the viability of three possible alternate care facilities (ACF) in western Pennsylvania.
  • On the Road Again: LTG Semonite discusses Javits Center

    Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, USACE Commanding General and 54th Chief of Engineers, speaks with New York District commander Col. Thomas Asbery on March 27, 2020, about Coronavirus response efforts at New York's Javits Convention Center in coordination with federal, state and local partners.
  • Corps defends against invasive lizards

    Cold-stunned green iguanas, dubbed “chicken of the trees,” made national headlines as they fell from the trees in south Florida during a recent cold snap. News stories and social media helped to raise public awareness about the damage that can be wrought by the large invasive lizards, which can reach more than five feet and twenty pounds. According to the media reports, these invaders weren’t just munching their way through the succulent plants of south Florida’s gardens, they also wreaked havoc on private properties and important public infrastructure, shorting out power lines and burrowing under structures, causing some of them to collapse. In one city, they reportedly contributed enough damage to a water control structure that the repair bill reached $1.8 million. Construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of critical infrastructure are key missions for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is responsible for the 143-mile Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake Okeechobee, five navigation locks and dams and recreation areas along the 154-mile long Okeechobee Waterway, and Everglades restoration. Maintaining the integrity of these structures and protecting them from damage is integral to the success of these missions.
  • Possible military pharmacy changes due to COVID-19

    Do you use a military pharmacy? If so, there may be temporary limitations that result in s decrease in service or closure at your pharmacy due to COVID-19. To maintain patient and personnel safety, you may have to temporarily switch your prescription to TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery or to a TRICARE retail network pharmacy.
  • Griffin named Nashville District Employee of the Month for February 2020

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March. 31, 2020) – Zach Griffin, junior level structural engineer in the Engineering and Construction Division, Structural Section, is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District employee of the month for February 2020.

News Releases

  • Pipestem Reservoir reaches expected summer release

    Reservoir releases are being increased from Pipestem Dam to its expected summer release. The current pool elevation at Pipestem Dam is 1478.5 feet, almost 51% into its flood pool. Lake levels peaked this year on June 3 at 1479.4 feet, almost 53% into its flood pool. Today, releases are being increased from 450 cubic feet per second to 550 cfs. This release is expected to stay constant for the remainder of the summer. The target date for flood control evacuation at Pipestem Dam is Sept. 1.
  • Corps to open Lock and Dam 14 Auxiliary Lock and modify zone designation in the LeClaire Canal

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi River Project will open the Locks and Dam 14 auxiliary lock in Pleasant Valley, Iowa, for weekend recreational boating traffic beginning June 12 and running through Sept. 7.
  • Corps of Engineers begins repairs to Lock and Dam 10 lockmaster house

    ST. PAUL, Minn. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is repairing its lockmaster house at Lock and Dam 10, in Guttenberg, Iowa.
  • Corps of Engineers urges lake visitors to watch for algae blooms

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. –The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District is actively responding to a potentially toxic blue-green algae blooms at several lakes with site-specific sampling and posting public health advisory signs at lakes as recommended by state health agencies.
  • PUBLICATION NOTICE: Nearshore Placement Workshop 2019: Sediment Nourishment of the Nearshore Environment

    Abstract: The Coastal Inlets Research Program and the Regional Sediment Management Program co-sponsored the 2019 Nearshore Placement Workshop. Thirty-four participants from the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and numerous districts met in Vicksburg on January 29–30, 2019, as a part of the workshop. This workshop was convened to facilitate discussions on concerns districts face regarding nearshore placements from resource agencies and stakeholders, challenges to placing sediment in the nearshore, and future research needs. The workshop included ERDC presentations on the state of the science regarding nearshore placements; specific implementations of nearshore placements within various US Army Corps of Engineers districts; break-out-style discussions on nearshore placement challenges and potential paths forward; and group discussions on metrics for success, quantification of benefits, Statements of Need (SON), and research priorities. A few of the major recurring themes throughout the workshop were the importance of monitoring, concerns over the fate of fine-grained sediment, and difficulties conveying the benefits of nearshore placements to a wide range of audiences. The workshop culminated in a discussion of possible SON to be put forth to the ERDC research and development community. This special report describes the discussions and outcomes of the 2019 Nearshore Placement Workshop.
  • NR 20-018: Nashville District beaches, picnic shelters in Tennessee reopening June 12

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 10, 2020) – As part of a phased approach for reopening recreation facilities following COVID-19 closures, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District is opening additional Corps-managed day use recreation areas and amenities on June 12, 2020.
  • PUBLICATION NOTICE: Projecting Changes in Food Security Throughout Central America

    Abstract: Climate non-stationarity continues to change the productivity of local food and water supply. These changes in supplies could result in starvation or surpluses, greatly affecting the surrounding populations and causing adverse effects such as malnutrition, mass migration, and political unrest. This study addresses the following questions regarding the future potential of land resources to support local populations with food and water: How will crop production be affected by changing environmental conditions? Which specific regions are expected to experience the greatest pressure? How might we expect land use to shift through the end of the 21st century, based on future environmental conditions? Current crop growth is analyzed, along with projected crop growth based on future climate scenarios. Recent historic anthropogenic biome maps are statistically correlated with recent historic climate data to generate models and are applied to anticipated future climates to generate future anthrome maps. The crop analysis is then coupled with the anthromes results, yielding a crop suitability forecast. This analysis is constrained to the area of Central America over the course of the 21st century for this study.
  • PUBLICATION NOTICE: Full-Scale Testing of Commercially Available Cementitious Backfill and Surface Capping Materials for Crater Repairs

    Abstract: The Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC) Rapid Airfield Damage Recovery (RADR) program currently utilizes rapid-setting flowable fill (RSFF) and rapid-setting concrete (RSC) for backfilling and capping crater repairs. These materials have been proven successful through many full-scale tests, troop demonstrations, and live flight trafficking. However, only one proprietary product is currently approved for each material. Two candidate capping materials and one backfill material were evaluated by conducting simulated crater repairs and collecting appropriate data. For capping products, both small (8.5 ft x 8.5 ft) and large (15 ft x 15 ft) repairs were conducted and trafficked with simulated F-15E aircraft traffic. For the backfill material, three small repairs were backfilled and the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) was estimated at cure times of 0.5, 2, and 24 hr. Overall, repairs capped with Western Materials Fastrac 246 failed after only 2,000 passes, so the material is not currently recommended for approval. Repairs capped with Buzzi Unicem Ulti-Pave3® were able to sustain 3,500 passes before trafficking was ceased, so this material is recommended for approval as a crater repair capping material. CTS rapid-setting flowable fill backfill exhibited lower than expected CBR values and did not allow timely percolation of mix water, so it is not currently recommended for approval at this time.
  • PUBLICATION NOTICE: Investigation of Materials for Charleroi Lock and Dam Monongahela River Reconstruction Project

    Abstract: The investigation described in this report was conducted for the U.S. Army Engineer District, Pittsburgh as part of a preliminary investigation of cementitious materials and concrete design pursuant to construction of Charleroi Lock and Dam Monongahela River Reconstruction Project. Local materials provided to the U.S. Army Engineer Research Development Center (ERDC) for testing included three different coarse aggregate gradations, two fine aggregate sources, a type II (MH) cement, four fly ash sources, a slag cement, a silica fume, a limestone powder, five admixtures, and two water sources. Aggregate tests consisted of sieve analysis, specific gravity, absorption, materials finer than No. 200, organic impurities, soundness, LA abrasion, clay lumps and friable particles, flat and elongated particles, lightweight particles, and petrography. All cementitious, admixtures, and water-source materials were tested for chemical and physical properties based on appropriate specifications. In addition, four mixture proportions developed by the ERDC for this project in 2005 were scaled to determine the early stiffening of mortar, freezing and thawing, and heat of hydration. This report presents the material characteristic results determined by laboratory testing in accordance with American Society for Testing and Materials procedures or regulating specification criteria.
  • Scheduled maintenance to begin at John T. Myers Locks and Dam July 8

    Due to scheduled maintenance and repairs, the main (1,200 ft.) chamber at John T. Myers Locks and Dam on the Ohio River at Mt. Vernon, Indiana, will be closed from July 8 through September 11. The auxiliary (600 ft.) chamber will be used for lockages during this period.

Mississippi Valley Division

Institute for Water Resources

South Pacific Division

News/News Release Search

@USACEHQ

Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
Twitter
Logo
X
46,808
Follow Us