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Around the Northwestern Division

News Stories and News Releases from the Northwestern Division and the NWD Districts including the Kansas City, Omaha, Portland, Seattle and Walla Walla Districts.

Division - News Releases

Lower than normal runoff expected for the Missouri River Basin in 2026

Missouri River Water Management Division

2/4/2026

January runoff in the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City was 1.0 million acre-feet, which is 132% of average. Runoff was above average for all of the reaches in the upper Missouri River Basin, even...

Army Corps of Engineers waives day use fees at recreation areas in observance of Presidents Day

HQ USACE Public Affairs Office

1/27/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers today announced that it will waive day use fees at its more than 2,800 USACE-operated recreation areas nationwide in observance of Presidents Day, February 16...

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announces publication of 2026 nationwide permits

Headquarters USACE Public Affairs Office

1/8/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced today the publication of the 2026 nationwide permits in the Federal Register. The 56 reissued and one new nationwide permit in the final action are necessary...

Forecast shows Missouri River runoff returning to more normal levels after below-average 2025

Missouri River Water Management Division

1/8/2026

For the 2025 calendar year, Missouri River basin runoff above Sioux City, Iowa totaled 19.9 million acre-feet, 78% of average. For 2026, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is forecasting runoff in the...

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announces finalization of nationwide permits

USACE Public Affairs Office

1/7/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced today that it will reissue 56 existing nationwide permits and issue one new permit for work in wetlands and other waters that are regulated by Section 404 of...

District - News Releases

Winter access policy set for Lakes Sakakawea, Audubon

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

1/30/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District’s Garrison Project has released the 2025-2026 winter access policy for Lake Sakakawea and Lake Audubon...

Fort Peck announces winter access for motorized vehicles

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

1/30/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Fort Peck Project has announced winter guidance for motorized access at Fort Peck Reservoir located near Fort Peck, Montana...

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seeks public comment on Natural Resource Master Plan for Albeni Falls Dam

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, SEATTLE DISTRICT

1/29/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is inviting public input on the Albeni Falls Dam Master Plan, to guide the long-term management of recreation and natural resources at Lake Pend Oreille...

Public encouraged to submit comments on Lower Missouri River flood risk study

Kansas City District and Omaha District

1/23/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District and Kansas City District (USACE) have jointly prepared a feasibility report with integrated programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) that...

Public encouraged to submit comments on Lower Missouri River flood risk study

Kansas City District and Omaha District

1/23/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District and Kansas City District (USACE) have jointly prepared a feasibility report with integrated programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) that...

USACE developing long-term plans for Fern Ridge Lake, requests public input

Portland District

1/16/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) invites the public to participate, virtual or in-person, to help update the nearly 40-year old Fern Ridge Master Plan during two upcoming public meeting about...

USACE awards $35.9M contract for Mount St. Helens sediment dam improvement

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

1/15/2026

In an effort to manage flood risk for downstream communities, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will raise the dam that captures some of the sediment that continues to flow from Mount St. Helen after...

Public asked to help shape land use near four Willamette Valley lakes

Portland District

1/15/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is holding public meetings and asking for input on a plan for land use around the Willamette Valley’s Fall Creek, Dexter, Lookout Point, and Hills Creek lakes...

Contract awarded to clean up former pistol range, landfill at Bradford Island

Portland District

1/12/2026

The Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is taking action to clean up contaminated areas at Bradford Island, part of Bonneville Dam, including a former pistol range and landfill...

Public comment period opens for Cascade Renewable Transmission Project Environmental Impact Statement

Portland District

1/9/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Portland District, is accepting public comments through Feb. 4, 2026, for the proposed Cascade Renewable Transmission Project...

The Dalles Dam Visitor Center hosts 16th annual Eagle Watch

Portland District

1/8/2026

Join Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) park rangers at The Dalles Dam Visitor Center and the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum Jan. 17, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., to catch a...

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announces publication of 2026 nationwide permits

Headquarters USACE Public Affairs Office

1/8/2026

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announces publication of 2026 nationwide permits

Headquarters USACE Public Affairs Office

1/8/2026

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announces finalization of nationwide permits

USACE Public Affairs Office

1/7/2026

Corps of Engineers reimagines barracks construction with mass timber material

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District

1/6/2026

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

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,...

News Stories from across the Division

Corps of Engineers vs. Pineapple Express: Looking back on the 1996 Oregon Floods

2/4/2026

In early February 1996, a jet stream steered a warm pineapple express into a snow-covered Pacific Northwest...

The human switchboard: how USACE liaisons manage information during flood fight events

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District

2/2/2026

Two weeks of relentless atmospheric rivers inundated western Washington in December 2025. Rivers swelled to historic levels, threatened homes, industrial areas and stressed communities in floodplains...

Workshop emphasizes budget-driven design-build project delivery

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

1/30/2026

A three-day workshop was held at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District headquarters building, Jan. 21–23, that brought together more than 40 professionals from across the USACE Northwestern...

Charting the course: Completed mega project maps out lessons in partnership

Kansas City District

1/29/2026

Group projects are almost never easy. Getting all parties to agree on everything, all the time can be a challenging feat, if not downright impossible. Now imagine trying to complete a group project on...

Hunting in the heartland: Harlan County Lake an ‘oasis’ for outdoor enthusiasts

Kansas City District

1/27/2026

To those unfamiliar with the sport of hunting, it might seem cruel or violent. While there are certainly gray areas, for those who hunt responsibly and legally, hunting is more than just a sport. In...

Fort Peck breathes new life into two butterfly valves

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

1/23/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, is overseeing the rehabilitation of two 65-year-old, 216-inch diameter, 135,000-pound butterfly valves inside Powerhouse 2 at the Fort Peck Dam in...

Herd Highlight: Scott Sterling, natural resources specialist and piping plover preservationist

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

1/22/2026

Meet Scott Sterling, a natural resources specialist at the Garrison Project in North Dakota, and one of only two Omaha District specialists trained to capture and relocate piping plover chicks and...

Second Life: Turning Debris into Critical River and Coastal Habitats

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS/SEATTLE DISTRICT

1/13/2026

Since 2006, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, and the Port of Seattle have repurposed salvaged large, woody debris to restore vital aquatic ecosystems. This collaborative effort...

Hydraulic models guide design of Garrison Dam spillway, mega dam safety project

USACE OMAHA DISTRICT

1/9/2026

Engineers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Omaha and Huntington districts and Risk Management Center are advancing the Garrison Dam Spillway Modification Project using scale models to enhance...

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...

Walking the line: USACE team ensures safe terrain for future soldiers

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

12/29/2025

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Military Munition Response Program is working to clear a 416-acre swath of property for the Oregon National Guard at the former Umatilla Army Ammunition Depot that had...

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...

Ellsworth runway reopens, strengthening U.S. long-range strike readiness

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

12/5/2025

Ellsworth Air Force Base marked a major milestone Dec. 3 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of its $129.5 million runway reconstruction project, a critical upgrade that...

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

Kansas City District

12/4/2025

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...

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

Kansas City District

12/3/2025

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...