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  • August

    The River Basin Balancer Game offers insight into an inland waterway and a system of reservoirs, which are operated with a goal for serving each of the benefits, flood control, navigation, hydropower, irrigation, water supply, recreation, fish and wildlife, and water quality, for which many USACE reservoirs are authorized and constructed. Users can take charge of river operations and experience the unique challenges presented when managing reservoir operations in a variety of weather conditions across a geographically diverse basin.

    Managing a river is dam challenging

    In 2013, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Omaha District Leadership Development Class developed a video game that invites players to plan and make releases from two inland waterway dams. The Omaha District, with class members as project managers, awarded a contract to the U.S. Army Game Design studio to design the game. The game allows players to take charge of river operations and experience the unique challenges presented when managing reservoir operations in a variety of weather conditions across a geographically diverse basin. Like the real world, the weather forecast isn’t always accurate, presenting an additional challenge.
  • In 1978, the South Dakota State University Cross Country Team won the NCAA Division II National title. Chamberlain, a 17-year-old freshman is at far left. Six of the runners in the photo, including Chamberlain, were NCAA Division II All-American. Two of the runners in the photo ran in the Olympic trials including fourth from the right, Dick Beardsley, who finished second in the Boston Marathon in 1982 with a time of 2:08:53. The story of Beardsley's second place finish to Alberto Salazar is known as the "Duel in the Sun".

    Persistence, Patience, Inspiration of marathon running (Part 1)

    This is the first article in a four part series on Omaha District Electrical Engineer, Joe Chamberlain, who competed in the Boston Marathon in 2014 and is training to run the New York City Marathon this November.

  • June

    South Dakota National Guard Warrant Officer and Powerhouse Electrician Trainee Kenneth Podzimek works full-time at Fort Randall Dam. He received the MacArthur Leadership Award for his military leadership.

    Power Plant Electrician Honored by Army Chief of Staff for Leadership

    During a standing-room-only ceremony at the Pentagon auditorium on May 29, Army Chief of Staff Gen.
  • Posing at the ribbon cutting are (from the left): USACE Civil Engineer Mark Nelson, Schuyler City Council Member Ted Marxsen, Omaha District Commander Col. Cross Joel Cross, City of Schuyler Mayor David Reinecke, and Mike Murren from the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District.

    Levee Completion Marks New Era of Flood Protection for Schuyler Residents

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, in partnership with the city of Schuyler and the

  • May

    This map shows the locations of the series of dams along the Salt Creek watershed in Lincoln, Nebraska. Rainfall on May 6, 2015, set new records at several of the Salt Creek Dams.

    “Worst flooding in years,” isn’t most destructive

    Flooding, with record flood stages in the Salt Creek basin struck Lincoln, Nebraska on Thursday, May 7. Heavy, unpredicted rain fell overnight on May 6, with rainfall totals at nearly 7 inches in Lincoln and up to nearly 10.5 inches in Fairbury, Nebraska near the Little Blue River nearly 70 miles southwest of Lincoln. As the Salt Creek and nearby tributaries reached flood stage, the state of Nebraska and LPSNRD requested technical assistance from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under Public Law 84-99, which authorizes USACE to provide assistance when waterways are in or forecast to be in or above flood stage.

News from around USACE

Rachel Napolitan Named USACE Public Affairs Officer of the Year
5/8/2025
Rachel Napolitan, Chief of Public Affairs for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Far East District (USACE FED), was named the 2024 USACE Public Affairs Officer of the Year April 25, 2025. The award is...
LA District completes gate installation at Alamo Dam
5/8/2025
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District completed underwater gate installation May 4 at Alamo Dam in Alamo Lake State Park...
USACE helps one of their own begin to recover
5/6/2025
As a former U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, employee, Darius Wallace, had never seen anything like the Southern California wildfires that destroyed his home Jan. 7...
From risk to recovery: Arborists aid fire survivors
5/6/2025
Following the Southern California wildfires, many survivors returned to find their homes destroyed, with little left standing on their property. Among the few things that often remained were trees...
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