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  • Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study: Coastal Texas Flood Risk Assessment: Hydrodynamic Response and Beach Morphology

    Abstract: The US Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District, is executing the Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study coastal storm risk management (CSRM) project for the region. The project is currently in the feasibility phase. The primary goal is to develop CSRM measures that maximize national net economic development benefits. This report documents the coastal storm water level and wave hazard, including sea level rise, for a variety of flood risk management alternatives. Four beach restoration alternatives for Galveston Island and Bolivar peninsula were evaluated. Suites of synthetic tropical and historical non-tropical storms were developed and modeled. The CSTORM coupled surge-and-wave modeling system was used to accurately characterize storm circulation, water level, and wave hazards using new model meshes developed from high-resolution land and sub-aqueous surveys for with- and without-project scenarios. Beach morphology stochastic response was modeled with a Monte Carlo life-cycle simulation approach using the CSHORE morphological evolution numerical model embedded in the StormSim stochastic modeling system. Morphological and hydrodynamic response were primarily characterized with probability distributions of the number of rehabilitations and overflow.

  • Missouri River navigation support; full-length season, reduced service levels

    The Missouri River Water Management Division will reduce navigation flow support beginning today for the second half of the navigation flow support season.  “We continue to monitor conditions throughout the basin and make adjustments as necessary. We will provide a full update for key stakeholders and the media on our regular July 8 call,” said John Remus, chief of the Missouri River Water Management Division. 

  • Red River Structure Physical Model Study: Bulkhead Testing

    Abstract: The US Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, and its non-federal sponsors are designing and constructing a flood risk management project that will reduce the risk of flooding in the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area. There is a 30-mile long diversion channel around the west side of the city of Fargo, as well as a staging area that will be formed upstream of a 20-mile long dam (referred to as the Southern Embankment) that collectively includes an earthen embankment with three gated structures: the Diversion Inlet Structure, the Wild Rice River Structure, and the Red River Structure (RRS). A physical model has been constructed and analyzed to assess the hydraulic conditions near and at the RRS for verification of the structure’s flow capacity as well as optimization of design features for the structure. This report describes the modeling techniques and instrumentation used in the investigation and details the evaluation of the forces exerted on the proposed bulkheads during emergency operations for the RRS.

  • Upper basin runoff forecast continues to be below average

    After our June communication materials were sent, we received a few calls from the public seeking clarification on planned releases from Gavins Point Dam. The press release has been updated to highlight this information. Below-average precipitation and dry soil conditions persist in the upper Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, IA (upper Basin). The updated 2021 upper Basin runoff forecast is 17.9 million acre-feet (MAF), 69% of average. If realized, this runoff amount would be in the 22nd driest year in the upper Basin since 1898.

  • The Army’s recreation mission goes back further than you think

    It might surprise you to hear the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is one of the largest providers of

  • Remotely Sensed Habitat Assessment of Bottomland Hardwood and Swamp Habitat: West Shore Lake Pontchartrain Hurricane Storm Damage Risk Reduction System Potential Impact Area

    Purpose: This study used remote sensing techniques to identify and assess the current condition of bottomland hardwood (BLH) and swamp habitats within the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain (WSLP) hurricane storm-damage risk reduction system (HSDRRS) project area. This effort provides baseline knowledge of the location and quality of these habitats prior to the construction of the WSLP HSDRRS project. The resultant products will assist the USACE—New Orleans District (MVN) by informing ecosystem decision-making related to environmental assessments.

  • Wintertime Snow and Precipitation Conditions in the Willow Creek Watershed above Ririe Dam, Idaho

    ABSTRACT:  The Ririe Dam and Reservoir project is located on Willow Creek near Idaho Falls, Idaho, and is important for flood risk reduction and water supply. The current operating criteria is based on fully storing a large winter runoff event. These winter runoff events are generally from large storm events, termed atmospheric rivers, which produce substantial precipitation. In addition to the precipitation, enhanced runoff is produced due to frozen soil and snowmelt. However, the need for additional water supply by local stakeholders has prompted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to seek to better understand the current level of flood risk reduction provided by Ririe Dam and Reservoir.  Flood risk analysis using hydrologic modeling software requires quantification of the probability for all of the hydrometeorologic inputs. Our study develops the precipitation, SWE, and frozen ground probabilities that are required for the hydrologic modeling necessary to quantify the current winter flood risk.

  • Automated Characterization of Ridge-Swale Patterns Along the Mississippi River

    Abstract: The orientation of constructed levee embankments relative to alluvial swales is a useful measure for identifying regions susceptible to backward erosion piping (BEP). This research was conducted to create an automated, efficient process to classify patterns and orientations of swales within the Lower Mississippi Valley (LMV) to support levee risk assessments. Two machine learning algorithms are used to train the classification models: a convolutional neural network and a U-net. The resulting workflow can identify linear topographic features but is unable to reliably differentiate swales from other features, such as the levee structure and riverbanks. Further tuning of training data or manual identification of regions of interest could yield significantly better results. The workflow also provides an orientation to each linear feature to support subsequent analyses of position relative to levee alignments. While the individual models fall short of immediate applicability, the procedure provides a feasible, automated scheme to assist in swale classification and characterization within mature alluvial valley systems similar to LMV.

  • 21-027 Dworshak Dam reservoir continues to refill

    AHSAHKA, Idaho –Dworshak Dam will continue minimum releases of 1,600 cubic feet per second (cfs) as the reservoir refills. Discharges are expected to remain at 1,600 cfs until the last week of May. Water managers will release another announcement regarding Dworshak operations before Memorial Day.

  • Drought conditions driving lowered runoff forecast

    Very dry conditions in April resulted in very low runoff in the upper Missouri River Basin. The upper Basin runoff was 44% of average, which was the 9th driest April in 123 years of record. The updated 2021 upper Basin runoff forecast is 17.8 million acre-feet (MAF), 69% of average, which, if realized, would rank as the 22nd lowest calendar year runoff volume.