• Waterborne Geophysical Investigation to Assess Condition of Grouted Foundation: Old River Control Complex – Low Sill Structure, Concordia Parish, Louisiana

    Abstract: The Old River Low Sill Structure (ORLSS) at the Old River Control Complex (ORCC) in Concordia Parish, LA, is a steel pile-founded, gated reinforced-concrete structure that regulates the flow of water into the Atchafalaya River to prevent an avulsion between the Mississippi River and the Atchafalaya River. A scour hole that formed on the southeast wall of ORLSS during the Mississippi River flood of 1973 was remediated with riprap placement and varied mixtures of self-leveling, highly pumpable grout. Non-invasive waterborne geophysical surveys were used to evaluate the distribution and condition of the grout within the remediated scour area. Highly conductive areas were identified from the surveys that were interpreted to consist mostly of grout. Resistive responses, likely representing mostly riprap and/or sediment, were encountered near the remediated scour area periphery. A complex mixture of materials in the remediated scour area is interpreted by the more gradual transitions in the geophysical response. Survey measurements immediately beneath ORLSS were impeded by the abundance of steel along with the structure itself. The survey results and interpretation provide a better understanding of the subsurface properties of ORLSS.
  • USACE Construction Division Chief promoted to Brigadier General in U.S. Army Reserve

    Kirk Dailey, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District construction division chief was promoted to brigadier general in the U.S. Army Reserve during a ceremony held at the Romano Mazzoli Federal Building in Louisville, Ky., April 22, 2022.
  • Outdoor Open House for the Former Nebraska Ordnance Plant

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District, will host an Outdoor Open House from 5:30-7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at the Main Groundwater Treatment Plant in Ashland, Nebraska located at the junction of County Road 6 and County Road F.
  • Neuse River Basin feasibility study seeks public comments

    WILMINGTON, N.C. - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington District has prepared and is seeking public comments on the Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment (IFR/EA) for the Neuse River Basin Flood Risk Management study.
  • USACE hosts informational meeting on all phases of the Central Everglades Planning Project on May 18 2022

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, will host a virtual informational meeting May 18 2022 to share information about progress on all phases of the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP), a key project of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).
  • Corps celebrates Marsh Lake environmental enhancement project completion

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Upper Minnesota River Watershed District will celebrate the completion of the Marsh Lake environmental enhancement project with a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 17, at 11 a.m.
  • AIS Data Case Study: Dredge Material Placement Site Evaluation in Frederick Sound near Petersburg, Alaska

    Abstract: The purpose of this Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory Technical Note (CHETN) is to present an application of historic vessel position information acquired through the Automatic Identification System (AIS), which provides geo-referenced and time-stamped vessel position information. The US Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District (POA), needed to evaluate potential placement sites for dredged material near Petersburg, AK, and possible impacts to navigation were considered as part of the evaluation process.
  • Calculation of Levee-Breach Widening Rates

    Abstract: Inundation modeling is often conducted for levee systems to understand current flood risks. The extent of inundation caused by a breach in the levee is highly influenced by the widening rate of the levee breach. This study presents an approach for calculating levee-breach widening rates based on average flow velocity through the breach, embankment height, and erosion characteristics of the soil. Estimates of soil erodibility are derived through an analysis of the measurements of soil erodibility presented in the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 915 database. Levee-breach widening rate curves are calculated based on these erosion properties to demonstrate the approach, and default curves are presented for typical levees built from coarse-grained soils and fine-grained soils. While the most accurate approach for a site is to calculate site-specific widening rate curves based on estimates of local soil erodibility, the default curves presented provide a suitable starting point for initial inundation modeling.
  • West Shore Lake Pontchartrain public meetings scheduled

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District scheduled two virtual public meetings to gather input for the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain project Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) that was released April 15 for a 45-day public review period.
  • Corps of Engineers plans dredging activities near Winona, Minnesota

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is set to dredge the Mississippi River near Winona, Minnesota, this week.