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Levees are a vital part of modern flood risk management. They are part of flood defense systems that may also include flood walls, pumping stations, gates closures, and other associated structures. These elements work together to reduce risk to human life and reduce economic damages from flood events. — USACE extends comment period on draft National Levee Safety Guidelines

'The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced today it is extending the comment period on the draft first edition of the National Levee Safety Guidelines to Aug. 31, 2024. The guidelines were developed with stakeholder input under the National Levee Safety Program and released for public review on...'

7/19/2024
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HQ USACE NEWS RELEASES

Water Resources Development Act of 2024 public comment period

March 6, 2025

News Stories

Archive: 2020

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February

6 Feb 2020
MVD to get new Bank Grading Unit
“A lot of work is accomplished with the use of a barge mounted dragline and bulldozers,” Civil Engineer Jake Storz said. “Right now, the current machine used to do much of this work is over 70 years old and ready to retire. That’s why the Mississippi Valley Division is well on its way to getting a new Bank Grading Unit to replace the current one.”
5 Feb 2020
Investing in Infrastructure
The Buffalo North Breakwater structure located at the entrance into Buffalo Harbor is maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Buffalo District and is critical to the Great Lakes Navigation System. The structure serves to protect the northerly entrance into the Buffalo Harbor, the entrance into the Black Rock Canal and the downtown waterfront from powerful natural forces such as storm surges, large waves and ice.
5 Feb 2020
DMCAs – Savannah’s solution for placing dredged material
The Corps of Engineers has been dredging sediment from the Savannah River since the 19th century. A crucial requirement for maintaining a deepened harbor is having a designated placement area for sediment. The Corps calls these designated areas “dredged material containment areas” (DMCA). And since the Corps must dredge miles of the Savannah River year after year, large containment areas are required.
5 Feb 2020
St. Francis Lake project a success
If anyone ever hoped for a success story involving scour repair, the St. Francis Lake Control Structure Scour Protection project is it. Not only was this Memphis District project completed ahead of schedule and under budget, but it also came complete without any safety incidents in all the 800.5 hours spent working.
4 Feb 2020
ARL ceremony signifies another completed project for 65th Medical Brigade
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea—The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Far East District (FED), is known for its history of overseeing the design and construction of outstanding quality of life and operation facilities for the Department of Defense community and other stakeholders in South Korea.
4 Feb 2020
Work nears finish line on Farrenburg Levee Renovation
Employees from the Memphis District’s Caruthersville (Missouri) Area Office, our Project Operations Branch, and C&M Contractors, Inc., met on Dec. 13, 2019, to mark the substantial completion of Phase 1 of the Farrenburg Levee Renovation. The site is located north of New Madrid, Missouri, on St. Johns Bayou.
3 Feb 2020
Corps crane operators complete crane proficiency training
GRAND RIVERS, Tenn. (Feb 3, 2020) – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District, Operations Division personnel recently completed required 100-ton Crane Proficiency Certification training at Barkley Lock. All the employees currently have completed 50-ton certifications and operate cranes around the district.
3 Feb 2020
Keeping the river open for business
The Memphis District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently completed another important Mississippi River project located just across the Mississippi River from New Madrid, Missouri. The stone dike construction project, named Kentucky Point, Kentucky, was designed to assist in maintaining a safe and reliable navigation channel for commercial towboats in the Mississippi River. It also directly supports the Mississippi River Channel Improvement navigation mission.
2 Feb 2020
Final concrete shell placement sets project back on critical path
GRAND RIVERS, Ky. (Feb. 2, 2020) – The final concrete shell placement at Kentucky Lock for the downstream cofferdam, which also forms the new lock wall, took place today, a milestone that put the construction project back on track.
January

31 Jan 2020
Army Corps of Engineers helps open Wounded Warrior Rehabilitation Center in Republic of Georgia
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U.S. Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC) and U.S. Embassy in Georgia cut the ribbon on a 2,050 square-meter modernized wounded warrior rehabilitation center for the Georgian Armed Services, Jan. 27, 2020.

News Releases

Archive: 2020

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10 Jun 2020
Army Corps announces upcoming lane closures on SR-1 Bridge in Delaware
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Philadelphia District will be conducting concrete deck repairs on the Senator William V. Roth, Jr. Bridge (SR-1) in Delaware beginning July 6th and ending in late August. The repair work will require single lane closures.
10 Jun 2020
Pipestem Reservoir reaches expected summer release
Reservoir releases are being increased from Pipestem Dam to its expected summer release. The current pool elevation at Pipestem Dam is 1478.5 feet, almost 51% into its flood pool. Lake levels peaked this year on June 3 at 1479.4 feet, almost 53% into its flood pool. Today, releases are being increased from 450 cubic feet per second to 550 cfs. This release is expected to stay constant for the remainder of the summer. The target date for flood control evacuation at Pipestem Dam is Sept. 1.
10 Jun 2020
Pipestem Reservoir reaches expected summer release
Reservoir releases are being increased from Pipestem Dam to its expected summer release. The current pool elevation at Pipestem Dam is 1478.5 feet, almost 51% into its flood pool. Lake levels peaked this year on June 3 at 1479.4 feet, almost 53% into its flood pool. Today, releases are being increased from 450 cubic feet per second to 550 cfs. This release is expected to stay constant for the remainder of the summer. The target date for flood control evacuation at Pipestem Dam is Sept. 1.
10 Jun 2020
Corps to open Lock and Dam 14 Auxiliary Lock and modify zone designation in the LeClaire Canal
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi River Project will open the Locks and Dam 14 auxiliary lock in Pleasant Valley, Iowa, for weekend recreational boating traffic beginning June 12 and running through Sept. 7.
10 Jun 2020
Corps of Engineers begins repairs to Lock and Dam 10 lockmaster house
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is repairing its lockmaster house at Lock and Dam 10, in Guttenberg, Iowa.
10 Jun 2020
Corps of Engineers urges lake visitors to watch for algae blooms
KANSAS CITY, Mo. –The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District is actively responding to a potentially toxic blue-green algae blooms at several lakes with site-specific sampling and posting public health advisory signs at lakes as recommended by state health agencies.
10 Jun 2020
PUBLICATION NOTICE: Nearshore Placement Workshop 2019: Sediment Nourishment of the Nearshore Environment
Abstract: The Coastal Inlets Research Program and the Regional Sediment Management Program co-sponsored the 2019 Nearshore Placement Workshop. Thirty-four participants from the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and numerous districts met in Vicksburg on January 29–30, 2019, as a part of the workshop. This workshop was convened to facilitate discussions on concerns districts face regarding nearshore placements from resource agencies and stakeholders, challenges to placing sediment in the nearshore, and future research needs. The workshop included ERDC presentations on the state of the science regarding nearshore placements; specific implementations of nearshore placements within various US Army Corps of Engineers districts; break-out-style discussions on nearshore placement challenges and potential paths forward; and group discussions on metrics for success, quantification of benefits, Statements of Need (SON), and research priorities. A few of the major recurring themes throughout the workshop were the importance of monitoring, concerns over the fate of fine-grained sediment, and difficulties conveying the benefits of nearshore placements to a wide range of audiences. The workshop culminated in a discussion of possible SON to be put forth to the ERDC research and development community. This special report describes the discussions and outcomes of the 2019 Nearshore Placement Workshop.
10 Jun 2020
NR 20-018: Nashville District beaches, picnic shelters in Tennessee reopening June 12
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 10, 2020) – As part of a phased approach for reopening recreation facilities following COVID-19 closures, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District is opening additional Corps-managed day use recreation areas and amenities on June 12, 2020.
10 Jun 2020
PUBLICATION NOTICE: Projecting Changes in Food Security Throughout Central America
Abstract: Climate non-stationarity continues to change the productivity of local food and water supply. These changes in supplies could result in starvation or surpluses, greatly affecting the surrounding populations and causing adverse effects such as malnutrition, mass migration, and political unrest. This study addresses the following questions regarding the future potential of land resources to support local populations with food and water: How will crop production be affected by changing environmental conditions? Which specific regions are expected to experience the greatest pressure? How might we expect land use to shift through the end of the 21st century, based on future environmental conditions? Current crop growth is analyzed, along with projected crop growth based on future climate scenarios. Recent historic anthropogenic biome maps are statistically correlated with recent historic climate data to generate models and are applied to anticipated future climates to generate future anthrome maps. The crop analysis is then coupled with the anthromes results, yielding a crop suitability forecast. This analysis is constrained to the area of Central America over the course of the 21st century for this study.
10 Jun 2020
PUBLICATION NOTICE: Full-Scale Testing of Commercially Available Cementitious Backfill and Surface Capping Materials for Crater Repairs
Abstract: The Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC) Rapid Airfield Damage Recovery (RADR) program currently utilizes rapid-setting flowable fill (RSFF) and rapid-setting concrete (RSC) for backfilling and capping crater repairs. These materials have been proven successful through many full-scale tests, troop demonstrations, and live flight trafficking. However, only one proprietary product is currently approved for each material. Two candidate capping materials and one backfill material were evaluated by conducting simulated crater repairs and collecting appropriate data. For capping products, both small (8.5 ft x 8.5 ft) and large (15 ft x 15 ft) repairs were conducted and trafficked with simulated F-15E aircraft traffic. For the backfill material, three small repairs were backfilled and the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) was estimated at cure times of 0.5, 2, and 24 hr. Overall, repairs capped with Western Materials Fastrac 246 failed after only 2,000 passes, so the material is not currently recommended for approval. Repairs capped with Buzzi Unicem Ulti-Pave3® were able to sustain 3,500 passes before trafficking was ceased, so this material is recommended for approval as a crater repair capping material. CTS rapid-setting flowable fill backfill exhibited lower than expected CBR values and did not allow timely percolation of mix water, so it is not currently recommended for approval at this time.