• Innovation at the Speed of Relevance – USACE Transatlantic Division participates in the 2021 USACE Innovation Summit

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Transatlantic Division displayed its innovative spirit during the 2021 USACE Innovation Summit, a virtual event with national visibility that showcased Army Corps of Engineers innovations both from research and design and applied practices as well as innovations in human capital and business practices.
  • Muddy River Flood Risk Management project work area to be fenced off near War Memorials November 1

     The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District announced today an upcoming temporary work
  • Blue Marsh Lake updates Harmful Algae Bloom Status

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Philadelphia District is updating the harmful algal bloom status at Blue Marsh Lake from a Warning Status down to a Harmful Algal Bloom Advisory Status. The update in status does not eliminate the risks associated with harmful algae.
  • Government contractors emerge victorious following historic $1.1 billion fiscal year

    Handling contracts that can value up in the millions while under immense pressure and tight deadlines can be a nerve-racking experience for most. But for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District's Contracting team, their financial expertise equips them to surpass challenges like these. They emerged victorious as they ramped up operations to ensure the successful and timely execution of budgetary requirements throughout a historic fiscal year closeout, where they oversaw $1.1 billion in obligations. Not only did the Contracting team race against the clock amid an enduring global pandemic, but they also relied on their innovative contracting approaches to power through regional hurricane impacts from Ida and a high-profile mission to support the in-processing of Afghan evacuees. Providing comprehensive acquisition services to ensure timely execution of requirements while upholding best value, quality, ethics, and compliance under such circumstances wasn't easy, but the team relished in their accomplishments.
  • Munitions services contract awarded ahead of schedule

    The $49 million QA Seeding MATOC allows continued mission support for services to address munitions response concerns assigned to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
  • Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for determination of geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol in volatile emissions from soil disturbance

    Abstract: A method is described here for the concentration and determination of geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB) from the gaseous phase, with translation to field collection and quantification from soil disturbances in situ. The method is based on the use of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers for adsorption of volatile chemicals from the vapor phase, followed by desorption into a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) for analysis. The use of a SPME fiber allows simple introduction to the GC-MS without further sample preparation. Several fiber sorbent types were studied and the 50/30 μm DVB/CAR/PDMS was the best performer to maximize the detected peak areas of both analytes combined. Factors such as extraction temperature and time along with desorption temperature and time were explored with respect to analyte recovery. An extraction temperature of 30 ◦C for 10 min, with a desorption temperature of 230 ◦C for 4 min was best for the simultaneous analysis of both geosmin and 2-MIB without complete loss of either one. The developed method was used successfully to measure geosmin and 2-MIB emission from just above disturbed and undisturbed soils, indicating that this method detects both compounds readily from atmospheric samples. Both geosmin and 2-MIB were present as background concentrations in the open air, while disturbed soils emitted much higher concentrations of both compounds. Surprisingly, 2-MIB was always detected at higher concentrations than geosmin, indicating that a focus on its detection may be more useful for soil emission monitoring and more sensitive to low levels of soil disturbance.
  • STEM & USACE: Linking the future of the Corps with the engineers of tomorrow

    HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 27, 2021)— Antioch Middle School teacher Thomas Yan toured the Old Hickory Lock and Dam, and the Old Hickory Hydropower Plant during the Middle Tennessee Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Innovation Network Externship with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on October 21-22 to learn what STEM job opportunities USACE has to offer future graduates.
  • USACE installs blue roofs on over 90 apartment buildings in the New Orleans area

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers installed temporary roofing, or Blue Roofs, on a low-income apartment building in New Orleans recently. In total USACE installed Blue Roofs on 90 buildings at four sites within the greater New Orleans area.
  • USACE Announces LOSOM Listening Session on October 28

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District announces a Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) Listening Session scheduled for Thursday, October 28, from 3:15 p.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Closure of riverfront walkway at Locks and Dam 14 extended

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, has extended the closure of the public walkway located downstream of Locks and Dam 14 in Pleasant Valley, Iowa. Due to ongoing construction, it will remain closed through late February 2022. The extension is the result of material shortages which have delayed construction.