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  • Mapping, planning tool provides situational awareness on a global scale

    When devastating and fatal floodwaters struck Kerr County, Texas, in July 2025, first responders did not rely on radio chatter to coordinate their rescue operations. They used a shared digital map to track efforts and hazards instantly, allowing for quick, reliable communication across multiple agencies.

  • USACE innovations increase fish survivability on the Snake and Columbia rivers

    KAHLOTUS, Wash. – Beneath the surface of the Snake River, an ever-changing aquatic environment dictates the survival of some of the region's most iconic wildlife, Pacific salmon and steelhead. To protect these vulnerable species, personnel with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District are deploying innovative “fish bubblers” to combat rising temperatures.

  • District revives Brainstorm the Castle innovation initiative

    Innovation often starts with a simple idea, like an observation from someone doing the work every day who sees a better way to accomplish the mission. A program known as Brainstorm the Castle is giving employees across the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District a platform to turn those ideas into real improvements that strengthen operations, streamline processes and support the district’s mission.

  • RD26 showcases ERDC innovation, collaboration

    The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) recently hosted RD26, the fifth installment of its biennial research and development workshop, bringing together a record number of participants from across the enterprise.

  • Second pilot project for innovative Water Injection Dredging set to begin at Tuttle Creek Lake

    The Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in partnership with the Kansas Water Office, is pleased to announce the start of the second demonstration period for the innovative Water Injection Dredging project at Tuttle Creek Lake. The second demonstration period will take place from March 17-27, 2026, providing a real-world assessment of Water Injection Dredging's effectiveness in sedimentation management within inland reservoirs. This pioneering project aims to evaluate Water Injection Dredging (WID) as a potential alternative to traditional mechanical dredging. WID uses a controlled injection of water, under pressure, to loosen sediment from the riverbed, allowing it to be carried downstream by the natural current.

  • Ingenuity and innovation bring knife gate back to life

    In the face of a challenge, there are the doers and the dawdlers. The staff at Blue Springs Lake in Blue Springs, Missouri, are doers. When the knife gate in the dam’s outlet tower was facing a full replacement, the lake project staff suggested they attempt to rebuild it instead. Despite the obstacles they faced, the team’s ingenuity and innovation prevailed – not only improving the functionality of the knife gate but also saving taxpayers an estimated $200,000. A knife gate is a specialized low-flow valve inside of a dam’s outlet tower, which features a sharp-edged blade designed to cut through debris so water can flow freely. The knife gate at Blue Springs Lake had not been serviced since its installation, more than 30 years ago. In desperate need of attention, engineers suggested it be replaced. However, due to the conditions in the outlet tower, the cost of a replacement would have been significant.

  • Borrowing lessons from Mother Nature, outlet channel gets first major repair in over 70 years

    If your roof had a leak, most homeowners would be quick to repair it. But if there was an underlying issue with the roof itself, most people would probably agree it would be wise to address the larger issue instead of continuing to make short-term fixes. Only making small repairs would likely add up to a significant cost over time without fixing the root problem. This is the analogy Ben Johnson, hydraulic engineer and technical lead with the Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, used to describe the outlet channel repair project at Kanopolis Lake. During both regular water releases and flood events, water from Kanopolis Lake is released through the outlet channel where it flows downstream into the Smoky Hill River. However, due to the geology of the area and the force of the released water, erosion has occurred in the outlet channel since the Great Flood of 1951.

  • Baltimore District team refines regulatory process, recognized with national innovation award

    This past fall, regulatory experts from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Baltimore District garnered a USACE “Innovation of the Year” award for efforts that may reshape how the agency evaluates vulnerable ecosystems nationwide.

  • Shaping the future of military construction through innovation and partnerships

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Excellence in Contracting Awards Program recently selected the Louisville District as the Innovative Team of the Year for their work awarding the Fort Campbell, Kentucky Voluntary Army (VOLAR) Barracks Renovation, the first construction agreement award for USACE using Other Transaction Authority (OTA).

  • Ad astra per aspera: Kansas a global leader in solving sediment challenges

    The year was 1952. The world’s first rock and roll concert was held in Cleveland, Ohio, Mr. Potato Head was the first toy advertised on TV, Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected president and Elizabeth II was proclaimed Queen of England. Post-WWII America was rife with invention and innovation. New technologies and scientific advances included development of the Polio vaccine, the first commercial computer and the first airbag for cars. In the heart of America, however, communities were recovering from devastating flooding from the previous year. The Great Flood of 1951 destroyed thousands of homes, farms and businesses in the Kansas River Basin, causing over $725 million of damage. Despite the destruction it caused, the historic flood set in motion the final piece needed for the construction of one of Kansas’s most vital water resources – Tuttle Creek Dam and Reservoir.