USACE News

October

20 Oct 2023
Crowdsourcing bathymetry could provide near-time picture of nation’s inland waterways
The more the merrier. That common saying could be the motto for an effort within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to create a near real-time system that would track the safety and accessibility of our nation’s inland waterways.
20 Oct 2023
Global Hydro Intelligence analysis unlocks secure water resources
Through the mighty waves and gentle streams of Earth’s waters flow countless opportunities for scientific discovery. Scientists with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory (CHL) are exploring potential opportunities by utilizing Global Hydro Intelligence (GHI) to answer questions about the nation’s bodies of water and the possibilities available for scientists to research.
20 Oct 2023
Natural features to play crucial role in building a more resilient Great Lakes coastline
Communities along the Great Lakes coastline are experiencing increased frequency in coastal flooding and erosion, causing property damage, putting lives at risk, and disrupting local economies. Recent historic high lake levels illustrate the widespread vulnerabilities along the coast.
20 Oct 2023
Dwindling capacity at Tuttle Creek Reservoir calls for an urgent and innovative solution
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is no stranger to sediment build-up issues. The organization is responsible for maintaining and managing thousands of miles of inland and intracoastal waterways, channels, ports and harbors with a dredging budget of more than $1.7 billion in fiscal year 2023 alone. Presently, USACE researchers are taking on a slightly different challenge and investigating new methods to diminish the accumulation of sediment in lakes and reservoirs caused by dams.
April

25 Apr 2023
From Antiquated to Automated: USACE wetland delineation tool helps revolutionize regulatory process
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, United States has lost more than half of its wetlands since the 1600s, and approximately 35 percent of the world’s wetlands were lost between 1970 and 2015. To protect against further impairment of wetlands and the essential functions they provide, the U.S. established a policy of "no net loss" of wetlands, as well as procedures to ensure responsible management of wetland resources.
25 Apr 2023
New engineering index will strengthen coastal management decisions
Coastlines are ever-changing. Whether from nonstop wave action, wind or storms, these landscapes constantly shift and reshape, causing challenges for coastal managers. In response, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) researchers have created a tool to help assess the resiliency of our nation’s coastlines and improve coastal management strategies.
25 Apr 2023
USACE team ensures Army’s and DOD’s data is protected
Rapid technological advancement has ushered in a time of near-constant innovation for the Department of Defense (DOD), bringing both previously unimaginable progress and a marked increase in threats. Cybersecurity has emerged as a critical aspect of day-to-day DOD operations, and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) is home to a Security Control Assessor-Validator (SCA-V) team that is playing an integral role in securing vulnerable infrastructure and sensitive data.
25 Apr 2023
Stronger, Lighter, More Durable: Ultra-High Performance Concrete is key to a more sustainable and modern infrastructure network
As the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) works to modernize the nation’s infrastructure, it does so at a time when existing infrastructure components are operating well past their original lifespans. In the case of many of the locks supporting inland navigation, new techniques and technologies are critical to make sure lock facilities – some built in the 1930s – continue operating for another 100 years or more.
January

23 Jan 2023
Structural Health Monitoring key to a more resilient, modern infrastructure network
Given the aging condition of much of the nation’s navigation infrastructure, managers need accurate and real-time information on the conditions of such structures as locks, dams and bridges operating well beyond their expected design lives.
23 Jan 2023
Remote sensing gives USACE an edge at detecting harmful algal blooms
The rapid bloom of tiny freshwater microorganisms, called cyanobacteria, sometimes releases toxins that are harmful to aquatic life and can contaminate drinking water. These harmful algal blooms (HABs) pose a significant threat to public health and safety, ecosystems, freshwater resources and recreation. They also cause about $82 million in economic losses to the seafood, restaurant and tourism industries each year.