News from Around the Northwestern Division

Rooted in strength: JBLM barracks tap into Pacific Northwest’s timber legacy for new military construction era

By Louis R. Velasco U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District Published Jan. 6, 2026
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, JBLM Army Garrison, and 1st Special Forces Group leadership joined together to celebrate the Department of War's largest-to-date construction project using mass timber structural materials during a groundbreaking ceremony, Dec. 12, 2025. The pilot program will evaluate the use of mass timber as the primary construction material in military construction projects and its effect on environmental sustainability, infrastructure resilience, cost-effectiveness, and construction timeliness of similar projects.
USACE Managed Record Flood Response Operations Amid Severe Weather

By Shelia L. Fourman, Chief, Seattle District Public Affairs U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS/SEATTLE DISTRICT Published Jan. 6, 2026
A series of powerful atmospheric river events struck western Washington in early December 2025, bringing over 10 inches of rainfall in some areas, leading to catastrophic flooding, landslides and widespread infrastructure damage. Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish and King counties, where major rivers like the Skagit, Green and White overflowed, were hardest-hit, triggering extensive evacuations. The widespread flooding, compounded by saturated soils and unusually warm Pacific moisture that further intensified the impacts of the storm series, led to a state of emergency and 24-hour operations by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Seattle District.
Cold War-era rolling pin barracks undergo vital renovation

By Christine E. Reinhardt, Public Affairs Specialist Kansas City District Published Dec. 29, 2025
Soldiers marching in uniform, drill sergeants yelling, muddy obstacle courses – these are often the images the words “basic training” evoke. Hollywood and pop culture have helped ingrain the military’s grueling boot camp experience in the minds of the average person. Whether Hollywood’s depictions of basic training are based in truth or not, one thing is for sure: the soldiers who complete Army basic combat training are some of the toughest in the world. Tucked away amongst the dense forests and scenic lakes of central Missouri lies Fort Leonard Wood, one of four installations home to the Army’s basic combat training course. Originally built in 1940 as a small World War II training site, Fort Leonard Wood is now a premier training installation within the Army, the U.S. military and the world.
Kanopolis Lake: Go for the water, stay for the land

By Christine E. Reinhardt, Public Affairs Specialist Kansas City District Published Dec. 17, 2025
This is a story about a lake. But before you read any further, you should know this won’t be a story about water. Sure, I could tell you Kanopolis Lake has a normal pool surface of 3,460 acres and has prevented an estimated $100 million in flood damages since its construction. I could also tell you nearly 400,000 people visit the lake annually, many of whom fish, swim, boat and partake in other water-based recreation. But if I only told you about the water, you’d be missing out on what makes Kanopolis Lake truly special: the land. Stick your finger in the center of a map of the U.S. and chances are you will come within a few centimeters, or map miles, of Kanopolis Lake. Located in central Kansas, it’s about as close to the middle of the lower 48 states as you can get. Despite its location in the center of the country, Kanopolis Lake feels quite remote.
Omaha District towboats set to power up with new engines for 2026

By Delanie Stafford USACE OMAHA DISTRICT Published Dec. 17, 2025
Two Missouri River towboats operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, are undergoing major engine overhauls to ensure reliable navigation and river maintenance operations ahead of the 2026 season.
Missouri River Navigation Structure repairs continue with Cora Island flow control structures after severe damage from 2019 Flood

By Lawrence Brooks IV, Public Affairs Specialist Kansas City District Published Dec. 11, 2025
Missouri River navigation is a critical mission of the Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to support both the American public and regional commerce. That’s why a massive construction project on the Missouri River was recently completed to repair and improve navigation support, while protecting a valuable ecosystem managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
District employee charts final course toward master boat pilot license

By Delanie Stafford USACE OMAHA DISTRICT Published Dec. 8, 2025
Larry Morgan Jr. has worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District since 2000. He has served at the Missouri River Project Office and on the Missouri River most of his career as a deckhand, equipment operator and maintenance supervisor. One title that has eluded him is master towboat pilot. Inspired by an early mentor, and with the help of an accomplished towboat pilot, that will soon change, as he nears completion of an unrestricted master of towing vessel license.
Ad astra per aspera: Kansas a global leader in solving sediment challenges

By Christine E. Reinhardt, Public Affairs Specialist Kansas City District Published Dec. 4, 2025
The year was 1952. The world’s first rock and roll concert was held in Cleveland, Ohio, Mr. Potato Head was the first toy advertised on TV, Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected president and Elizabeth II was proclaimed Queen of England. Post-WWII America was rife with invention and innovation. New technologies and scientific advances included development of the Polio vaccine, the first commercial computer and the first airbag for cars. In the heart of America, however, communities were recovering from devastating flooding from the previous year. The Great Flood of 1951 destroyed thousands of homes, farms and businesses in the Kansas River Basin, causing over $725 million of damage. Despite the destruction it caused, the historic flood set in motion the final piece needed for the construction of one of Kansas’s most vital water resources – Tuttle Creek Dam and Reservoir.
Trot lines, and trammel nets and trawls, oh my! Trying to catch the elusive age-one pallid sturgeon

By Christine E. Reinhardt, Public Affairs Specialist Kansas City District Published Dec. 3, 2025
It’s said beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To some, a long-snouted, murky white, boneless bottom feeder native to the Missouri and Mississippi rivers – known as the pallid sturgeon – might not sound very beautiful. To others, the endangered fish is an essential part of the river ecosystem – making it a beautiful creature worth saving. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, pallid sturgeon can live up to 40 years and weigh upwards of 100 pounds. Once harvested commercially, the pallid sturgeon is now listed as endangered, in part due to alterations to the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. However, efforts aimed at restoring the population like captive breeding, juvenile stocking and habitat restoration, have made meaningful progress over the past few decades. Still, much remains to be learned, and continued research is essential to fully recover this ancient species.
Hydropower helps feed Thanksgiving feasts

By Tom Conning Northwestern Division Published Nov. 24, 2025
This Thursday, people across the Pacific Northwest will use ovens to bake turkeys, air fryers to crisp vegetables, mixers to fluff mashed potatoes and OLED televisions to gawk at parades and sportsball. Likely, many people are grateful for the conveniences that make Thanksgiving preparations and entertainment relatively easy and enjoyable. However, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers humbly recommends giving appreciation for consistent, affordable and easily dispatchable hydropower (of course, USACE would suggest that).
Conservation programs improve outlook of threatened piping plover

By Delanie Stafford USACE OMAHA DISTRICT Published Nov. 14, 2025
The Missouri River Recovery Program’s Emergent Sandbar Habitat Program and Tern and Plover Monitoring Program, managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District’s Threatened and Endangered Species Section, continues to improve habitat and reproductive outcomes for the threatened Northern Great Plains piping plover and formerly endangered interior least tern.

Latest News Releases

Army Corps monitors widespread navigation hazards

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, SEATTLE DISTRICT

12/23/2025

Army Corps monitors widespread navigation hazards caused by the recent accumulation of large woody debris carried into the Puget Sound and along the Washington coast, due to multiple atmospheric...

Army Corps updates communities on record flood recovery, critical infrastructure status during state governor press conference

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District

12/20/2025

Army Corps and Washington State leadership gave updates on their flood response efforts, during a joint press conference, Dec. 20. The press conference came on the heels of both entities' flood fight...

USACE uses strategic safe reservoir drawdowns to protect Green, White River valleys amid winter storm cycles

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/Seattle District

12/19/2025

As Western Washington moves through the peak of flood season, Army Corps, Seattle District, water management team provides critical information on the process of "drawdowns" at Howard A. Hanson and...

USACE publishes ﬁnal Dakota Access Pipeline environmental impact statement

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

12/19/2025

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District has published the Final Environmental Impact Statement evaluating Dakota Access, LLC’s request for an easement under the Mineral Leasing Act for the...

USACE delivers materials, offers on-the-ground expertise to numerous threatened communities for flood-damaged levees

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/Seattle District

12/17/2025 UPDATED

Army Corps Emergency Management team continues its flood fight support, providing critical flood-fighting materials and on-the-ground expertise to local and county partners across western Washington,...

Army Corps monitors Lake Pend Oreille elevations for downstream communities

Seattle District

12/17/2025

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Seattle District, Water Management team is monitoring rising Lake Pend Orielle elevations, as a result of the atmospheric river event that hit the region, Dec...

Federal water managers take precautions by adjusting water levels behind John Day dam as precipitation mounts

Northwestern Division

12/17/2025

Federal water managers at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will adjust water levels behind John Day Dam (Lake Umatilla), in north-central Oregon, this week to prepare for another round of...

USACE increases flow from Howard A. Hanson Dam following Desimone Levee repairs

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District

12/16/2025

Following an emergency repair to the breach at Desimone Levee on Dec. 15, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District (USACE) will resume normal flood water outflows from Howard A. Hanson Dam...

UPDATE: USACE is Working with King County Officials to Support HESCO Breach

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District

12/16/2025

King County officials reported a HESCO breach in Pacific, Washington to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District at approximately 4 a.m. on Dec. 16...

USACE is working with King County officials to support Desimone Levee breach

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District

12/15/2025

King County officials reported a breach at the Desimone Levee in Tukwila, Washington, to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District at approximately noon Dec. 15...

Feature Stories

Rooted in strength: JBLM barracks tap into Pacific Northwest’s timber legacy for new military construction era

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District

1/6/2026

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, JBLM Army Garrison, and 1st Special Forces Group leadership joined together to celebrate the Department of War's largest-to-date construction project...

USACE Managed Record Flood Response Operations Amid Severe Weather

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS/SEATTLE DISTRICT

1/6/2026

A series of powerful atmospheric river events struck western Washington in early December 2025, bringing over 10 inches of rainfall in some areas, leading to catastrophic flooding, landslides and...

Cold War-era rolling pin barracks undergo vital renovation

Kansas City District

12/29/2025

Soldiers marching in uniform, drill sergeants yelling, muddy obstacle courses – these are often the images the words “basic training” evoke. Hollywood and pop culture have helped ingrain the...

Kanopolis Lake: Go for the water, stay for the land

Kansas City District

12/17/2025

This is a story about a lake. But before you read any further, you should know this won’t be a story about water. Sure, I could tell you Kanopolis Lake has a normal pool surface of 3,460 acres and has...

Omaha District towboats set to power up with new engines for 2026

USACE OMAHA DISTRICT

12/17/2025

Two Missouri River towboats operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, are undergoing major engine overhauls to ensure reliable navigation and river maintenance operations ahead of...

Missouri River Navigation Structure repairs continue with Cora Island flow control structures after severe damage from 2019 Flood

Kansas City District

12/11/2025

Missouri River navigation is a critical mission of the Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to support both the American public and regional commerce. That’s why a massive construction...

District employee charts final course toward master boat pilot license

USACE OMAHA DISTRICT

12/8/2025

Larry Morgan Jr. has worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District since 2000. He has served at the Missouri River Project Office and on the Missouri River most of his career as a...

News from Around the Northwestern Division

Rooted in strength: JBLM barracks tap into Pacific Northwest’s timber legacy for new military construction era

USACE Managed Record Flood Response Operations Amid Severe Weather

Cold War-era rolling pin barracks undergo vital renovation

Kanopolis Lake: Go for the water, stay for the land

Omaha District towboats set to power up with new engines for 2026

Missouri River Navigation Structure repairs continue with Cora Island flow control structures after severe damage from 2019 Flood

District employee charts final course toward master boat pilot license

Ad astra per aspera: Kansas a global leader in solving sediment challenges

Trot lines, and trammel nets and trawls, oh my! Trying to catch the elusive age-one pallid sturgeon

Hydropower helps feed Thanksgiving feasts

Conservation programs improve outlook of threatened piping plover

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Latest News Releases

Army Corps monitors widespread navigation hazards

Army Corps updates communities on record flood recovery, critical infrastructure status during state governor press conference

USACE uses strategic safe reservoir drawdowns to protect Green, White River valleys amid winter storm cycles

USACE publishes ﬁnal Dakota Access Pipeline environmental impact statement

USACE delivers materials, offers on-the-ground expertise to numerous threatened communities for flood-damaged levees

Army Corps monitors Lake Pend Oreille elevations for downstream communities

Federal water managers take precautions by adjusting water levels behind John Day dam as precipitation mounts

USACE increases flow from Howard A. Hanson Dam following Desimone Levee repairs

UPDATE: USACE is Working with King County Officials to Support HESCO Breach

USACE is working with King County officials to support Desimone Levee breach

Feature Stories

Rooted in strength: JBLM barracks tap into Pacific Northwest’s timber legacy for new military construction era

USACE Managed Record Flood Response Operations Amid Severe Weather

Cold War-era rolling pin barracks undergo vital renovation

Kanopolis Lake: Go for the water, stay for the land

Omaha District towboats set to power up with new engines for 2026

Missouri River Navigation Structure repairs continue with Cora Island flow control structures after severe damage from 2019 Flood

District employee charts final course toward master boat pilot license