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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

Lower Granite Lock and Dam Visitor Center operations update

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District

2/23/2026

POMEROY, Wash. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District invites the public to visit the Lower Granite Lock and Dam Visitor Center, open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m...

Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works announces "Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork" initiative for Army's civil works program

Portland District

2/23/2026

Today, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam R. Telle announced a major initiative, “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork,” for the Army’s Civil Works program...

Army’s Civil Works program’s “Build Infrastructure, Not Paperwork” initiative drives Walla Walla District hydropower and navigation modernization

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District

2/23/2026

WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Today, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam R. Telle announced a major initiative, “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork,” for the Army’s Civil Works program...

Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works announces ‘Build Infrastructure, Not Paperwork’ initiative for the Army’s Civil Works program

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District

2/23/2026

Today, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam R. Telle announced a major initiative, “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork,” for the Army’s Civil Works program...

USACE Omaha District highlights potential for improved delivery across flood risk management and hydropower missions

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, OMAHA DISTRICT

2/23/2026

Today, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam R. Telle announced a major initiative, “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork,” for the Army’s Civil Works program. Within the Omaha...

USACE Kansas City District highlights potential for improved support for flood risk management mission

Kansas City District

2/23/2026

USACE Kansas City District highlights potential for improved support for flood risk management mission Today, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam R. Telle announced a major...

Lower reservoir levels planned at Hills Creek Dam

Portland District

2/20/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District will lower Hills Creek reservoir levels to reduce seismic risk...

Public invited to comment on proposed Perkins County Canal Project

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

2/20/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Omaha District Regulatory Division is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act for the...

Federal review clears navigation improvements near Longview and Kalama

Portland District

2/19/2026

A federal environmental review has cleared the way for navigation improvements on the lower Columbia River aimed at reducing ship delays and improving safety near the ports of Longview and Kalama,...

Public crossing at Little Goose Dam closed Feb. 17 - 19

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District

2/12/2026

STARBUCK, Wash. – Public crossing at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Little Goose Lock and Dam will be closed Feb. 17-19 for annual debris removal and maintenance...

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers aims to spark student innovation during National Engineers Week

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District

2/11/2026

WALLA WALLA, Wash. – In celebration of National Engineers Week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District is hosting its annual Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics...

Once-in-a-generation Missouri River study seeks public input

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

2/11/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District and Omaha District, announced today it will host a series of public meetings to provide updates and gather public input on the Lower Missouri...

Once-in-a-generation Missouri River study seeks public input

Kansas City and Omaha Districts

2/11/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District and Omaha District, announced today it will host a series of public meetings to provide updates and gather public input on the Lower Missouri...

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...

News Stories from across the Division

USACE joins OMSI event commemorating 30th anniversary of ’96 floods

2/18/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Portland District, is proud to announce its participation in the Oregon Chapter of the American Meteorological Society's (AMS) event, "30th Anniversary of the...

Ingenuity and innovation bring knife gate back to life

Kansas City District

2/17/2026

In the face of a challenge, there are the doers and the dawdlers. The staff at Blue Springs Lake in Blue Springs, Missouri, are doers. When the knife gate in the dam’s outlet tower was facing a full...

Blast from the past: Omaha District supports emergency response in Blizzard of 1949

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

2/11/2026

The winter of 1948-49 brought a series of powerful storms that blanketed much of Nebraska, Wyoming and the Dakotas with heavy snow, extreme cold and blinding winds. Snowdrifts reached as high as 30...

Borrowing lessons from Mother Nature, outlet channel gets first major repair in over 70 years

Kansas City District

2/9/2026

If your roof had a leak, most homeowners would be quick to repair it. But if there was an underlying issue with the roof itself, most people would probably agree it would be wise to address the larger...

Libby Dam engineers the next generation of conservationists during Scotchman Peak’s annual “Winter Tracks”

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS/SEATTLE DISTRICT

2/9/2026

U. S. Army Corps of Engineers partnered with Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness to host the 12th annual "Winter Tracks" event, providing 200 students with hands-on environmental education at Libby...

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...