USACE News

March

29 Mar 2021
Celebrating the valiant women of USACE
"I can do anything I want to do," young Suzy Weil, now Memphis District counsel and senior legal officer said. “Now, looking back,” she said, "I never questioned that I could one day could grow up one day and do whatever I wanted to do. I can remember one of my father's law partners and best friend and his wife who was an attorney… and I can remember this woman who would come to my house. I would call her aunt Sherry. I just never thought it was something I could never do – becoming a lawyer." This is just one of many responses heard during the virtual meeting the Memphis District held in celebration of Women's History Month. The meeting, held on Mar. 24, 2021, featured seven of the Mississippi Valley Division's most exceptional women working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). During the meeting, with a theme aptly titled "Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to be Silenced!", Memphis District Counsel and Senior Legal Officer Suzy Weil acted as both moderator and participant in a captivating one and half hour Question and Answer session.
January

7 Jan 2021
GLMRIS Brandon Road
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has evaluated potential control options and technologies at Brandon Road Lock and Dam to prevent the upstream Interbasin transfer of Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) while minimizing impacts to Illinois Waterway uses and users. This effort has identified a recommended plan. Implementation of the recommended plan requires congressional authorization.
November

23 Nov 2020
Mississippi Valley Division’s R5: Forging ahead for FY21
The week of Oct. 19 – 23 was bustling at Vicksburg District headquarters as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division (MVD) and District leaders convened for the annual major subordinate command (MSC) Regional Governance Boards known as R5. If you aren’t familiar with the R5, the purpose of the meeting is a financial, program, and project review of the previous fiscal year (FY) and an assessment of the upcoming three FYs with a focus on the direction of the organization through the development of Lines of Effort (LoE).
September

16 Sep 2020
Big Creek Remedial Works
The Big Creek Remedial Works provides protection for parts of Polk City, Iowa, and adjacent Big Creek Valley which are below the full flood pool level.
1 Sep 2020
Historic Clock Gets Much Needed Preservation Work
The Rock Island District’s historic clock, which sits atop the Clock Tower in the District’s headquarters building, is undergoing a significant preservation effort, not completed since 1950.
August

21 Aug 2020
Rock Island District employee named Structural Engineer of the Year
Eric Johnson of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, has been named the USACE Structural Engineer of the Year. The honor, which was announced by USACE Headquarters June 30, was presented to Johnson August 5 during a virtual award ceremony conducted by Maj. Gen. Diana Holland, Mississippi Valley Division Commanding General.
July

14 Jul 2020
New Hammock Area Installed at Saylorville Lake
In the past couple of years, “hammocking” has become a growing trend across the country and now people wishing to “hammock” can do so in a designated area at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, Saylorville Lake project. Typically, use of a hammock on Corps property is strictly prohibited but thanks to the installation of hammock poles, people can now enjoy the activity without breaking rules or damaging trees.
June

11 Jun 2020
Upper Mississippi River - Illinois Flood Risk Assessments
This inter-agency pilot project developed map products to provide risk communication to communities in Illinois Mississippi Riverfront communities. Structural flood damage assessments for all structures were developed using multi-frequency flood depth grids. Survey data was collected for the lowest entry point and first floor elevation for all residential, commercial and industrial structures within the 1% annual chance exceedance floodplain. Parcel data, GIS data, and elevation certificate data that have been prepared for structures in the floodplain was obtained from county assessors.
May

13 May 2020
UMRR Program - Steamboat Island HREP - Pool 14
The Steamboat Island Project is located in the middle section of Pool 14 along the right descending bank of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR), between the town of Princeton and the Wapsipinicon River. The goals are to maintain, enhance, and restore quality habitat for all native and desirable plant, animal, and fish species and maintain, enhance, restore, and emulate natural river processes, structures, and functions for a sustainable ecosystem.
March

11 Mar 2020
Upper Mississippi River System Hydraulic Model Update
The development of a standardized and seamless flood risk management hydraulic model for the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) is an essential tool to understanding the risks that currently exist to the river communities and is a critical first step for the development of systemic flood risk management (FRM) strategy.