17 Mar 2022

22-016 Dworshak Dam discharge to vary in remainder of March to support multiple uses

AHSAHKA, Idaho –Dworshak Dam is currently discharging 10,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) to meet end of month flood control targets. Discharges will remain steady through the rest of the week before slowly decreasing over the weekend, reaching around 4,600 cfs by Monday.

16 Mar 2022

Flood Control Partnerships for a Safer Sacramento

In December 1861, as the Civil War raged in the Eastern United States, the young city of Sacramento, California, was fighting its own battle—with raging flood waters. The city’s fight to stay dry continues to the present day, spearheaded by a variety of federal, state, and local agencies.

4 Mar 2022

22-014 Dworshak Dam releases to slowly increase in the month of March

AHSAHKA, Idaho –Dworshak Dam will be slowly increasing releases this month from 1,700 cubic feet per second (cfs) to the approximate range of 6,000-10,000 cfs. Operations at Dworshak will change the height of the Clearwater River downstream of the dam by approximately 1.5 feet, gradually, across a two-week period.

21 Jan 2022

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Acts provides more than $881.9 million in supplemental funding

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District released its Fiscal Year 2022 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) supplemental funding for Construction, Continuing Authorities Program, Environmental Infrastructure, and Operations and Maintenance, Jan. 20.

14 Jan 2022

USACE, FEMA to host series of virtual, levee safety workshops

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District announced that USACE and FEMA will be offering a series of nine virtual workshop on levee safety throughout January and February 2022 with the first workshop beginning, Jan. 18 from 12 –4 p.m. CST.

9 Dec 2021

Field Jet Erosion Tests on Benbrook Dam, Texas

Abstract: This report summarizes the results of eight field Jet Erosion Tests (JETs) performed on Benbrook Dam, TX. The results from these tests will be used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District, in assessments of the erosion resistance of the Benbrook Dam with regards to possible overtopping by extreme flooding. The JETs were performed at four different locations, i.e., two locations at the lowest crest elevation and two locations at the mid-slope face of the downstream embankment. Variations in estimated critical hydraulic shear stress and erosion rate values may have been caused by differences in soil composition, i.e., when the material changed from silt/sand to clay. The resulting values of the Erodibility Coefficient, Kd, and Critical Stress, τc, are very useful information in assessing the stability of Benbrook Dam during an overtopping event. Because of the observed natural variability of the materials, combining the erosion parameters presented in this report with the drilling logs and local geology will be imperative for assessing erosion-related failure modes of Benbrook Dam.

6 Dec 2021

USACE team successfully completes miter gate repairs at Markland Locks and Dam

For approximately two years, Markland Locks and Dam’s auxiliary chamber, in Warsaw, Kentucky, has been closed for repair. However, as of Dec. 4. 2021, the 600-foot chamber has reopened to navigation traffic. The chamber was originally closed due to an issue with the upper miter gate, and during that time all traffic continued to pass through the primary chamber. The Regional Heavy Capacity Repair Fleet has been on site at the project since August working to repair the miter gates.

2 Dec 2021

Nebraska Tailwaters boat ramp closed until Monday, Dec. 6 for maintenance

The U.S. Corps Army of Engineers, Omaha District announced that the boat ramp at the Nebraska Tailwaters located at the Gavins Point Dam, Nebraska, will be closed through Dec. 6, due to continued maintenance activities.

8 Oct 2021

21-055 Summer Dellamater selected as Chief of Operations at Lower Monumental

KAHLOTUS, Wash. – Summer Dellamater has been selected for a 2-year term as Chief of Operations at Lower Monumental Lock and Dam.

5 Oct 2021

Lockmaster’s view – The McAlpine Locks and Dam

Within the entire length of the Ohio River, there was only one place where rock reef extended across the river for a stretch of three miles – The Falls of the Ohio. This area of water was a low water slope, dropping around thirty feet over the three miles and made it practically impassable by cargo and transportation vessels in the early 1800s except when the water level was high; even then, it was treacherous. This article consists of a safety summary and a personal interview from the McAlpine Locks and Dam Lockmaster, Jay Rickman.