• Army Corps of Engineers announces end of low-water drought in Mississippi Valley Division

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Mississippi Valley Division announced today the drought that plagued the Mississippi River basin since 2022 is officially over. Low water conditions began in the region in September 2022.
  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participates in EvCo 2024 Improving Ecological Conditions in the Everglades

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District delivered a record amount of water from Water Conservation Area (WCA) 3-A to Everglades National Park (ENP) in the past year. Surpassing expectations, the USACE successfully delivered over 1.4 million acre-feet of water, marking the third-highest volume since 2012, during a non-hurricane year.
  • MKARNS Nav Notice No. SWL 24-14 Lock 3 Tow Haulage Scheduled Outage

    The tow haulage equipment at Joe Hardin Lock (No. 3) NM 50.2 is scheduled to be out of service for maintenance work from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 6, 2024. During this time double cut tows will have to be locked the conventional way (without the use of tow haulage). Although not anticipated, a follow up notice will be distributed if issues arise causing a delay in the return of the tow haulage equipment.
  • Extreme Cold Weather Airfield Damage Repair Testing at Goose Bay Air Base, Canada

    Abstract: Rapid Airfield Damage Recovery (RADR) technologies have proven successful in temperate and subfreezing temperatures but have not been evaluated in extreme cold weather temperatures near 0°F. To address this capability gap, laboratory-scale and full-scale testing was conducted at these temperatures. Methods developed for moderate climates were adapted and demonstrated alongside methods that used snow harvested on-site as compacted backfill. After only a few days of training, seven experimental repairs were conducted by Canadian airmen at Goose Bay Air Base in Labrador, Canada, and load tested with a single-wheel C-17 load cart. Existing RADR technologies performed adequately despite the freezing temperatures, with the main tactic, techniques, and procedures modification being an increased cure time for the rapid-setting concrete surface material. Compacted snow-water slurry methods also performed well, demonstrating their ability to withstand over 500 passes of single-wheel C-17 traffic after sufficient freezing time.
  • Corps holds Damen Silos Section 106 Public Meeting

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers facilitated a meeting on Thursday February 1st, 2024 to gather public comments for consideration as they move through the Section 106 permitting process regarding the proposed demolition of structures at 2900 S. Damen Ave. often referred to as the Damen Silos.
  • Public Meetings scheduled for Mississippi River study

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host public scoping meetings for the Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Study (LMR Comp) at venues throughout the study area between Feb. 27 and March 11.
  • The Influence of Mesoscale Atmospheric Convection on Local Infrasound Propagation

    Abstract: Infrasound—that is, acoustic waves with frequencies below the threshold of human hearing—has historically been used to detect and locate distant explosive events over global ranges (≥1,000 km). Simulations over these ranges have traditionally relied on large-scale, synoptic meteorological information. However, infrasound propagation over shorter, local ranges (0–100 km) may be affected by smaller, mesoscale meteorological features. To identify the effects of these mesoscale meteorological features on local infrasound propagation, simulations were conducted using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) meteorological model to approximate the meteorological conditions associated with a series of historical, small-scale explosive test events that occurred at the Big Black Test Site in Bovina, Mississippi. These meteorological conditions were then incorporated into a full-wave acoustic model to generate meteorology-informed predictions of infrasound propagation. A series of WRF simulations was conducted with varying degrees of horizontal resolution—1, 3, and 15 km—to investigate the spatial sensitivity of these infrasound predictions. The results illustrate that convective precipitation events demonstrate potentially observable effects on local infrasound propagation due to strong, heterogeneous gradients in temperature and wind associated with the convective events themselves. Therefore, to accurately predict infrasound propagation on local scales, it may be necessary to use convection-permitting meteorological models with a horizontal resolution ≤4 km at locations and times that support mesoscale convective activity.
  • An MCA Linear Additive Method for Research Project Analysis

    Abstract: This report describes a business intelligence (BI) model developed by the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) to evaluate multiple projects simultaneously and help researchers learn descriptive phrases found in alignment sources representative of their projects. The BI model combines the linear additive model with the analytical hierarchy process to take advantage of the qualitative and quantitative nature of both methods. The model has five variations, all built along the same objectives but with different criteria due to the specialized emphasis areas of each variation. The BI model operates around three central concepts for evaluating the projects: Alignment Variables, Timing, and Customer Relationship. A use-case scenario with ten projects shows the effectiveness of the model and compares it with another model from the United States Military Academy. This new BI model will assist researchers in developing and proposing research ideas that are more relevant and fundable.
  • USACE joins local, state and federal partners for Rosemead bikeway ribbon cutting ceremony at Whittier Narrows Recreation Area

    Col. Andrew Baker, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District, joined other local, state and federal partners Jan. 27 to celebrate the grand opening of the Rosemead Boulevard bike path at the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area in South El Monte, California.
  • NYS general permit now available: Expedited response after major storm events

    The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have issued the first State Programmatic General Permit (NYSPGP-1), which authorizes activities to facilitate the recovery and restoration of damaged properties, projects, aquatic resources, and infrastructure following major storm events. NYSPGP-1 ensures important environmental safeguards and encourages best management practices while agencies work to bring infrastructure back online and retore quality of life for communities quickly, and without unnecessary reviews. This permit will also help project sponsors and the public obtain any Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursements they may be eligible for following specific storm events that are declared federal disasters.