12 Aug 2014

USACE publications begin moving to digital environment

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Digital Library is giving a permanent home to a large collection of publications, reports and documents prepared by districts across USACE. The materials within the collection include information by and about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. All content is contributed by offices throughout USACE and is enriched with metadata designated by its contributors and librarians. The digitized materials are uploaded into the CONTENTdm® Digital Collection Management System which allows for greater search and retrieval of items. The digital library is managed and maintained by the USACE Library Program.

11 Aug 2014

Runway replacement project nearing completion

The final phase of a three-phase $67 million program to completely replace the Minot Air Force Base, N.D., runway begain in April 2014. The $32.8 million construction contract is scheduled for completion in early October.

26 Jun 2014

Collaboration leads to flood risk solutions in Schuyler

The first half of the month of June brought heavy rainfall to northeastern Nebraska including the community of Schuyler. Heavy storms the weekend of June 20 caused lowland flooding along Shell Creek reminding residents of Schuyler of the importance of constructing a new levee. The Shell Creek Levee project experienced work delays during the week of June 23 because of the increased precipitation and runoff. Ceremonial shovels broke ground in Schuyler March 27 and despite rain and chilly temperatures, warmth from smiles radiated from the project team.

4 Jun 2014

Engineering, more than a full-time job

Engineers are needed around-the-world for their knowledge and expertise. Their skills and talents are honed through formal education and job experiences and many choose to share their talents through volunteering. Jennifer Davis, a hydrological engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District is a volunteer with the Nebraska Chapter of Engineers without Borders (EWB-NE). In June 2013, a team from the EWB-NE spent two weeks in Uganda working on rain harvesting projects. Traveling to Uganda were eight representatives of the Nebraska chapter: two students, a student chapter advisor from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and five members of the Nebraska professional chapter, including Davis.

10 Apr 2014

Delicate dance with a dinosaur

There are dozens of elements within the collection including pieces that are at least 5 feet long and take up the length of an entire crate and pieces that are smaller than 5 centimeters, wrapped in foil and paper and stored in sealed plastic bags. Following a checklist that identifies the crate, the box, the body part, and the bone piece; the team photographs and inspects the condition of each fossilized bone.

13 Mar 2014

Greybull Levee performs as designed reducing risks from ice jam flooding

While snowmelt and ice jam flooding can occur at any time, they typically occur during early spring thaw. Any ice jam can cause flooding or rapid increases in water levels within a short time period. Residents living near these rivers are reminded to monitor reports closely for ice jam flooding and be prepared to relocate to higher ground if flooding occurs. The levee in Greybull, Wyo., reduced risks to the town during recent ice jam flooding.

5 Mar 2014

Project maintenance, cavitation repairs and OJT

Among the various projects taking place at Gavins Point Power Plant, generator unit number three was recently dewatered to allow project crews to inspect the draft tube for damage caused by cavitation and make the necessary repairs. Cavitation repairs in the draft tube for unit three will continue through mid-March. Additional maintenance and rehabilitation projects are also underway at the Gavins Point project including replacing three power transformers and rehabilitating the spillway’s tainter gates. Work will move to unit two for annual generator maintenance, to install new un-watering and drain valves, to install a new motor control center, and replace switchgear equipment.

26 Nov 2013

Exercising Safety: Bear Creek, Cherry Creek and Chatfield dams catch floodwaters while reducing flooding risks

A stalled front brings record rainfall to the Front Range of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The runoff brings a surge of water through canyons and foothills and into major population centers of central Colorado. But, this surge of water happened only in a virtual environment. During the week of Aug. 19, several employees from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District participated in a safety exercise focused on Cherry Creek Dam and Reservoir near Denver, Colo. – or more to the point, in the middle of the Denver metropolitan area.

24 Oct 2013

Colorado flooding brings flood of attention to vital regulatory permitting program

In mid September, a wet monsoonal pattern stalled along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains bringing heavy rains to the foothills west of Boulder. The resulting flooding impacted roads, bridges and other infrastructure, with rivers carving new channels and eroding riverbanks. Major roadways in the Estes Park area sustained severe damages with limited alternatives to access these areas for repairs. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District activated its Emergency Operations Center Sept. 12, in preparation for the anticipated requests for assistance during and following the resulting flooding. Calls also began to flood the Omaha District’s Denver Regulatory office located on Chatfield Dam near Littleton, Colo.

19 Sep 2013

Corps expert has challenging career

Julie Clements, is a health physicist in Huntsville Center’s Environmental and Munitions Center of Expertise, Environmental Sciences Division in Omaha, Neb. She works in a demanding environment and carries out multiple missions aimed at keeping workers and the public safe. She says that’s what makes her field of engineering so dynamic.