WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:02.960 happy New Year and welcome to the first 00:02.960 --> 00:06.420 core connection of 2023 . The vlog that 00:06.430 --> 00:08.597 opens the curtains and lets you take a 00:08.597 --> 00:10.819 look at what your U . S . Army Corps of 00:10.819 --> 00:13.152 Engineers is doing for our great nation . 00:13.152 --> 00:15.319 I'm your host , Patrick Bloodgood . In 00:15.319 --> 00:17.374 this edition , we head to show water 00:17.374 --> 00:19.486 Washington home to the Shoalwater Bay 00:19.486 --> 00:21.541 tribe and indian reservation . It is 00:21.541 --> 00:23.652 also the site of a uses project where 00:23.652 --> 00:25.763 work is ongoing to restore sand dunes 00:25.763 --> 00:27.819 which help protect tribal lands from 00:27.819 --> 00:29.874 coastal storm damage . Also use Aces 00:29.874 --> 00:31.986 working to mitigate flood damage risk 00:31.986 --> 00:34.480 on Hopi tribal lands . Kansas City 00:34.480 --> 00:36.536 District employees enrolled in their 00:36.536 --> 00:38.536 leadership development course , did 00:38.536 --> 00:40.591 some team building exercises at Fort 00:40.591 --> 00:42.702 Leonard Wood and the ST paul district 00:42.702 --> 00:44.758 along with a local community partner 00:44.758 --> 00:46.758 spread some holiday cheer at one of 00:46.758 --> 00:48.702 their projects . All these stories 00:48.702 --> 00:50.591 coming up on this edition of core 00:50.591 --> 00:51.280 connection 01:02.370 --> 01:04.537 following storms that heavily impacted 01:04.537 --> 01:06.648 natural barriers which helped protect 01:06.648 --> 01:08.481 the native american community of 01:08.481 --> 01:10.648 shoalwater Washington from the pacific 01:10.648 --> 01:12.870 ocean . The Omaha and Seattle districts 01:12.870 --> 01:14.870 teamed together to restore the dune 01:14.870 --> 01:14.690 system to help reduce the risk of 01:14.690 --> 01:17.030 coastal storm damage to tribal lands . 01:22.650 --> 01:25.120 Shoalwater Washington . A community of 01:25.120 --> 01:27.300 approximately 4000 people on the coast 01:27.300 --> 01:29.300 of Washington State and home to the 01:29.300 --> 01:32.130 Shoalwater Bay tribe for years . The 01:32.130 --> 01:34.352 local tribal land has been protected by 01:34.352 --> 01:36.519 two coastal barrier spits fronting the 01:36.519 --> 01:38.574 title and payment , But heavy storms 01:38.574 --> 01:40.880 occurred in 2020 and 2021 , which 01:40.880 --> 01:43.350 generated dune overtopping and overwash , 01:43.350 --> 01:45.517 causing severe erosion to the northern 01:45.517 --> 01:47.683 section of the dune . This resulted in 01:47.683 --> 01:49.906 life safety concerns for the shoalwater 01:49.906 --> 01:51.961 tribe in a flood risk to millions of 01:51.961 --> 01:54.183 dollars of infrastructure in the area . 01:54.183 --> 01:56.294 Immediate called action was needed to 01:56.294 --> 01:58.461 repair the northern damaged portion of 01:58.461 --> 02:00.461 the dune before the following storm 02:00.461 --> 02:02.350 season . And the US Army Corps of 02:02.350 --> 02:04.239 Engineers answered in a partnered 02:04.239 --> 02:06.294 effort between the Omaha and Seattle 02:06.294 --> 02:08.183 districts . You say scott to work 02:08.183 --> 02:10.406 repairing over 4000 linear feet of doom 02:10.406 --> 02:12.072 that was previously damaged . 02:12.072 --> 02:14.500 Shoalwater Tribal reservation is 02:14.500 --> 02:18.090 protected by a dune , a sand dune and 02:18.090 --> 02:20.910 that dune is subject to tidal forces 02:20.910 --> 02:23.021 from the pacific ocean that goes into 02:23.250 --> 02:26.240 the bay and every year they suffered 02:26.240 --> 02:28.090 various degrees of scour and 02:28.090 --> 02:30.690 degradation to a life safety protective 02:30.690 --> 02:33.010 measure . That's the doom . And 02:33.010 --> 02:35.177 recently there's been storms that have 02:35.177 --> 02:37.760 degraded too critical component the 02:37.760 --> 02:40.080 dune and it requires restoration 02:40.320 --> 02:42.470 projects of this magnitude generally 02:42.470 --> 02:44.692 involved many people and many different 02:44.692 --> 02:46.748 organizations . The dune restoration 02:46.748 --> 02:48.970 was a great opportunity to showcase the 02:48.970 --> 02:51.192 unique partnerships that can be created 02:51.192 --> 02:53.248 and fostered over the course of uses 02:53.248 --> 02:55.720 project . This project is a great 02:55.720 --> 02:57.910 example of the extensive collaboration 02:57.910 --> 02:59.966 that's required on a project of this 02:59.966 --> 03:01.990 magnitude to work not only with the 03:01.990 --> 03:04.323 Seattle district and the Omaha district , 03:04.323 --> 03:06.570 but extending out to a significant 03:06.570 --> 03:08.770 number of federal organizations 03:08.770 --> 03:10.881 specifically to include environmental 03:10.881 --> 03:12.659 ones . And then of course , the 03:12.659 --> 03:14.770 Shoalwater Bay tribe , a particularly 03:14.770 --> 03:16.992 interesting feature of this project was 03:16.992 --> 03:19.326 not a part of the actual project itself , 03:19.326 --> 03:21.548 but more so vital and essential feature 03:21.548 --> 03:23.548 to complete the dune repair on this 03:23.548 --> 03:23.530 project behind me . You know , we've 03:23.530 --> 03:26.590 got this culvert crossing , you know 03:26.590 --> 03:29.640 that that was a task on its own and it 03:29.640 --> 03:31.807 has nothing to do with the dune . It's 03:31.807 --> 03:33.584 just being able to get from one 03:33.584 --> 03:35.696 location to the next . You know , the 03:35.696 --> 03:37.584 team working together between the 03:37.584 --> 03:39.696 design , the guys doing the work . Um 03:39.696 --> 03:41.880 it came together probably the most 03:41.880 --> 03:44.102 difficult piece of the project , but in 03:44.102 --> 03:45.991 the end it was needed in order to 03:45.991 --> 03:48.047 complete the actual doing that we're 03:48.047 --> 03:50.269 here to do . Although the project falls 03:50.269 --> 03:52.436 into the proximal realm of the Seattle 03:52.436 --> 03:54.213 district , the Omaha District's 03:54.213 --> 03:56.436 Technical center of expertise boasts an 03:56.436 --> 03:58.213 incredibly experienced and well 03:58.213 --> 04:00.436 equipped rapid response program that is 04:00.436 --> 04:02.547 all too familiar with executing large 04:02.547 --> 04:04.880 scale projects and expedited timeframes . 04:04.880 --> 04:07.047 The Rapid response Technical center of 04:07.047 --> 04:09.158 expertise was authorized back in 1989 04:09.158 --> 04:11.380 to provide time sensitive execution for 04:11.380 --> 04:13.380 infrastructure repairs . Shoalwater 04:13.380 --> 04:15.713 doing restoration fits in that category . 04:16.020 --> 04:19.010 Seattle District solicited our help to 04:19.010 --> 04:21.177 bring our contract , our program , our 04:21.177 --> 04:23.830 expertise for time sense of execution 04:23.830 --> 04:25.941 for cost reimbursable risk management 04:25.941 --> 04:28.052 model and we're here as an integrated 04:28.052 --> 04:30.052 project delivery team to accomplish 04:30.052 --> 04:32.730 that goal . This $40 million project 04:32.730 --> 04:34.730 was completed mid november and took 04:34.730 --> 04:37.080 approximately nine months here at uses 04:37.080 --> 04:39.247 We value our ability to complete these 04:39.247 --> 04:41.413 projects of extreme magnitude in a way 04:41.413 --> 04:43.580 that many organizations could not . We 04:43.580 --> 04:45.636 prioritize our people appreciate our 04:45.636 --> 04:47.580 partnerships and take pride in our 04:47.580 --> 04:50.140 projects reporting for the USA So Maha 04:50.140 --> 04:52.660 district . I'm Samuel Weldon from 04:52.660 --> 04:54.860 coastal storm risk management to flood 04:54.860 --> 04:57.220 risk management inland . Your use case 04:57.220 --> 04:59.164 works with communities facing both 04:59.164 --> 05:01.220 types of storm damage risk . The Los 05:01.220 --> 05:03.331 Angeles district worked with the Hopi 05:03.331 --> 05:05.109 Tribe to help protect homes and 05:05.109 --> 05:07.220 critical infrastructure from flooding 05:07.220 --> 05:09.109 on their tribal lands in northern 05:09.109 --> 05:09.870 Arizona 05:15.850 --> 05:17.990 below the snow covered maces of the 05:17.990 --> 05:20.790 Hopi tribe . The Los Angeles Districts 05:20.830 --> 05:23.370 emergency management team is working at 05:23.370 --> 05:25.950 the tribe's request to mitigate flood 05:25.950 --> 05:29.460 damage to village homes . A project 05:29.460 --> 05:31.410 engineer was assigned to oversee 05:31.410 --> 05:33.980 construction . This project will 05:33.980 --> 05:37.530 protect these families and homes from 05:37.540 --> 05:41.330 future monsoons and potential 05:41.330 --> 05:43.680 flooding . In addition to the large 05:43.680 --> 05:47.040 sand field barriers called Tesco's more 05:47.040 --> 05:49.880 than 3500 sandbags will be used to 05:49.880 --> 05:52.300 protect tribal property . I'm happy to 05:52.300 --> 05:54.522 be here protecting the families and the 05:55.930 --> 05:58.170 the project is scheduled for completion 05:58.180 --> 06:01.580 december 23rd is continually works to 06:01.580 --> 06:04.290 develop its future leaders . One way is 06:04.290 --> 06:06.234 through the leadership development 06:06.234 --> 06:08.860 program or LDP . The program works to 06:08.860 --> 06:11.100 train leaders at all levels so that 06:11.100 --> 06:12.767 they may continue in a career 06:12.767 --> 06:15.370 progression within uses Recently , the 06:15.370 --> 06:17.592 Kansas City district took their L . D . 06:17.592 --> 06:19.592 P . Participants to experience what 06:19.592 --> 06:21.481 active duty soldiers do and get a 06:21.481 --> 06:23.703 better understanding of their mission . 06:23.703 --> 06:25.481 At Fort Leonard Wood Missouri . 06:30.230 --> 06:33.920 So L . E . P . Is an opportunity for up 06:33.920 --> 06:36.087 and coming leaders in our organization 06:36.087 --> 06:39.780 to get some developmental training , 06:39.780 --> 06:42.740 there's classroom training mentorship , 06:42.750 --> 06:45.900 um shadowing events that all contribute 06:45.900 --> 06:49.510 to an individual's personal development 06:49.520 --> 06:51.464 with the goal of becoming a future 06:51.464 --> 06:53.440 leader in our organization , the 06:53.440 --> 06:55.830 leadership development program or LDP 06:55.848 --> 06:57.959 is a year long program for Department 06:57.959 --> 07:00.237 of the Army civilians run by all U . S . 07:00.237 --> 07:02.348 Army Corps of Engineers districts and 07:02.348 --> 07:04.404 each district conducts their program 07:04.404 --> 07:06.348 differently in Kansas city . LDP s 07:06.348 --> 07:08.570 first mission together as a class is to 07:08.570 --> 07:10.792 head down to Fort Leonard Wood Missouri 07:10.792 --> 07:13.015 for a week , put on the same clothes as 07:13.015 --> 07:15.015 their uniformed counterparts on the 07:15.015 --> 07:17.070 rank of civilian and train like army 07:17.070 --> 07:19.015 soldiers . It's really our kickoff 07:19.015 --> 07:21.126 event so it's an opportunity for them 07:21.126 --> 07:23.126 to get to know each other on a more 07:23.126 --> 07:25.348 personal level in a neutral environment 07:25.348 --> 07:27.459 where they're all a little bit out of 07:27.459 --> 07:29.681 their comfort zone and can really start 07:29.681 --> 07:29.606 to build those relationships with 07:29.606 --> 07:31.606 themselves and then also the senior 07:31.606 --> 07:33.256 leaders and mentors that are 07:33.256 --> 07:35.423 participating in this week's events as 07:35.423 --> 07:37.756 well . Learning is a key aspect of the 07:37.756 --> 07:40.066 kickoff so far . We've learned a lot 07:40.066 --> 07:42.436 about the different aspects of what we 07:42.436 --> 07:44.492 do here in the core . So a lot of us 07:44.492 --> 07:46.603 are always focused in on our specific 07:46.603 --> 07:48.603 discipline or projects and we don't 07:48.603 --> 07:50.744 always get to hear the breath of the 07:50.744 --> 07:52.966 work that the Corps of Engineers does . 07:52.966 --> 07:55.188 The training doesn't stop with learning 07:55.188 --> 07:56.966 about the U . S . Army Corps of 07:56.966 --> 07:58.966 Engineers . It's been a really cool 07:58.966 --> 08:01.022 experience to learn about everything 08:01.022 --> 08:03.022 that members of the active military 08:03.022 --> 08:04.966 side of the army go through . They 08:04.966 --> 08:06.688 learn the uniform side of army 08:06.688 --> 08:08.744 engineering too . I don't think that 08:08.744 --> 08:10.244 all of us have a very good 08:10.244 --> 08:12.466 understanding of how important the role 08:12.466 --> 08:14.688 of an engineer is when your income that 08:14.688 --> 08:14.382 itself . But learning about the way 08:14.382 --> 08:16.604 that they build their bridges , the way 08:16.604 --> 08:18.715 that they clear obstacles and the way 08:18.715 --> 08:20.938 they're able to think on their feet was 08:20.938 --> 08:22.826 definitely a new perspective . So 08:22.826 --> 08:25.049 seeing the type of commitment that they 08:25.049 --> 08:25.022 put into their work , how much they 08:25.022 --> 08:27.244 have to work together as a team and how 08:27.532 --> 08:30.302 sensitive it is to the mission and the 08:30.302 --> 08:32.469 lives that they're trying to protect . 08:32.469 --> 08:34.580 So why are d a civilians training and 08:34.580 --> 08:36.469 learning like soldiers ? It's for 08:36.469 --> 08:38.920 understanding and support . This is one 08:38.920 --> 08:40.809 of those places where you gain an 08:40.809 --> 08:42.950 appreciation for what soldiers do on 08:42.950 --> 08:44.950 behalf of the nation , the training 08:44.950 --> 08:47.172 they go through . And so if we're going 08:47.172 --> 08:49.117 to support them , well you have to 08:49.117 --> 08:51.339 understand in their lives and what they 08:51.339 --> 08:53.450 do and maybe they'll take a few notes 08:53.450 --> 08:55.672 on leadership too so they can learn and 08:55.672 --> 08:55.450 understand our version of leadership 08:55.450 --> 08:57.617 and how we teach young soldiers coming 08:57.617 --> 08:59.670 up in the ranks to be future senior 08:59.670 --> 09:01.781 leaders in the army so they can apply 09:01.781 --> 09:03.837 those same skills hopefully in their 09:03.837 --> 09:05.948 backgrounds . The holiday season just 09:05.948 --> 09:08.170 wrapped up and last month , the ST paul 09:08.170 --> 09:10.281 district along with its partner light 09:10.281 --> 09:12.337 up the dam brought holiday cheer for 09:12.337 --> 09:14.410 the ninth year in a row at the Cross 09:14.410 --> 09:16.521 Lake campground , at the Ronald Louis 09:16.521 --> 09:18.530 Cloutier recreational area in Cross 09:18.530 --> 09:20.710 Lake Minnesota . The group's adorned 09:20.710 --> 09:22.654 the pine River Dam with lights and 09:22.654 --> 09:24.654 invited the public out to enjoy the 09:24.654 --> 09:25.654 festivities . 09:32.790 --> 09:35.310 My name is dan Williams . I'm a park 09:35.310 --> 09:36.977 ranger here at the Cross Lake 09:36.977 --> 09:39.143 Recreation Area with the Army Corps of 09:39.143 --> 09:41.366 Engineers . We are here with holiday at 09:41.366 --> 09:43.477 the day , so holiday at the day . And 09:43.477 --> 09:45.532 this is actually our ninth year that 09:45.532 --> 09:47.699 we're doing this and the park actually 09:47.699 --> 09:49.810 closes in mid october . So we like to 09:49.810 --> 09:51.866 stay involved with the community and 09:51.866 --> 09:51.700 make sure that the community knows 09:51.700 --> 09:54.370 we're here . And so light up the , you 09:54.370 --> 09:56.592 can see I'm wearing the hat . Um , it's 09:56.592 --> 09:58.592 actually a partner of ours . And so 09:58.592 --> 10:00.703 they've , they've been partnered with 10:00.703 --> 10:00.460 us for nine years and they help us 10:00.520 --> 10:03.200 decorate the campground . Everybody 10:03.200 --> 10:04.811 within the community and the 10:04.811 --> 10:06.533 surrounding towns know of this 10:06.533 --> 10:08.700 campground . A lot of locals will come 10:08.700 --> 10:10.820 in and stay throughout the year . And 10:10.830 --> 10:13.300 to me , it just represents kind of a 10:13.310 --> 10:15.421 something special . So we're a little 10:15.421 --> 10:17.310 little , even within the Corps of 10:17.310 --> 10:19.532 Engineers that are campgrounds actually 10:19.532 --> 10:21.699 located like right in town . And so we 10:21.699 --> 10:23.699 got a lot of visitation from people 10:23.699 --> 10:25.532 that will come to the campground 10:25.532 --> 10:27.699 because they can walk right across the 10:27.699 --> 10:27.400 street and be at local businesses and 10:27.400 --> 10:29.567 restaurants and those type of things . 10:29.567 --> 10:31.622 And so we try to encourage kind of , 10:31.622 --> 10:33.789 those , those local businesses and our 10:33.789 --> 10:35.844 partnerships to kind of work with us 10:35.844 --> 10:37.956 because I know that this is kind of a 10:37.956 --> 10:40.122 special event that we do each year and 10:40.122 --> 10:42.344 it's , it's very cool to have santa and 10:42.344 --> 10:44.567 mrs claus here and so the kids , it's a 10:44.567 --> 10:46.789 special thing , but then it's more than 10:46.789 --> 10:49.010 that too . So um , like we cook the 10:49.020 --> 10:51.187 kettle corn over an open fire and that 10:51.270 --> 10:53.780 there's like a history even to that pot 10:53.790 --> 10:55.957 that we have , that was donated , that 10:55.957 --> 10:58.123 we've been using year after year after 10:58.123 --> 11:00.290 year , there's a history to this whole 11:00.290 --> 11:00.230 park , but then there's a history with 11:00.230 --> 11:02.286 the partnership and it just makes it 11:02.286 --> 11:04.760 something I guess kind of intangible . 11:04.760 --> 11:06.760 It's something kind of more special 11:06.760 --> 11:08.927 than , than I think you would normally 11:08.927 --> 11:11.149 get from just any other local , we also 11:11.149 --> 11:13.204 make every year we make these little 11:13.204 --> 11:15.482 ornaments and so they , we cut cookies , 11:15.482 --> 11:17.649 little cookies of like a birch tree or 11:17.649 --> 11:19.856 something like that branch and then we 11:19.856 --> 11:22.046 brand them with the year on there and 11:22.046 --> 11:24.102 then the kids can actually take them 11:24.102 --> 11:26.268 back and we have crafts kind of inside 11:26.268 --> 11:28.602 the building where they can decorate it . 11:28.602 --> 11:30.657 And so for my family personally have 11:30.657 --> 11:32.657 years and years of the , and so our 11:32.657 --> 11:34.879 christmas tree , every time we pull out 11:34.879 --> 11:36.824 an ornament , you can say , oh you 11:36.824 --> 11:38.879 remember this year from the Corps of 11:38.879 --> 11:38.702 Engineers , you know , kim brown and so , 11:38.812 --> 11:40.812 and as you put them up , you have a 11:40.812 --> 11:42.923 story or something to tell , just , I 11:42.923 --> 11:42.812 guess the things we do here are kind of 11:42.812 --> 11:44.979 lasting traditions and hopefully we're 11:44.979 --> 11:47.145 making those same traditions for other 11:47.145 --> 11:49.256 people . That story sort of makes you 11:49.256 --> 11:49.242 want to grab some hot chocolate and 11:49.242 --> 11:51.298 curl up next to the fire . Well that 11:51.298 --> 11:53.242 wraps up our first edition of Core 11:53.242 --> 11:56.212 Connection for 2023 . We truly wish you 11:56.212 --> 11:58.323 a happy new Year and may this year be 11:58.323 --> 12:00.970 the best one yet for you and yours , we 12:00.970 --> 12:03.081 will be back next month to once again 12:03.081 --> 12:05.303 give you an inside look at your U . S . 12:05.303 --> 12:07.359 Army Corps of Engineers . Until then 12:07.370 --> 12:09.580 this is Ben Core connection .