2 Jun 2023

Untapped Possibilities: Could navigation on the “Big Muddy” provide clean solutions for a more sustainable future?

The words “green” and “clean” are likely not the first that come to mind when thinking of ground transportation in the U.S. Trucks on the interstate and railroads are probably what come to mind first, but the greenest and cleanest form of ground transportation is one that often gets overlooked: waterway navigation. As the oldest form of transportation, navigation on U.S. waterways is not a new concept. At face value, navigation of the nation’s waterways and environmental sustainability may not seem to be related. Except they are, as navigation has very little negative impact to our environment.

31 May 2023

Employee Spotlight: Robin Nitcher

Most U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ lake projects are within 50 miles of a major metropolitan area. Many of those who work for our lake and project offices have grown up in the community they work in. Sometimes, those who grew up in the project’s backyard are the best stewards for the it. One such steward is Robin Nitcher, administrative officer at Pomona Lake project. Nitcher grew up three miles from Pomona Lake located in Vassar, Kansas, and would frequently visit before she became an employee. In May 1986, she started as seasonal clerk before working her way to a permanent position. She worked her first stretch at Pomona Lake until 2008 and then transferred to Melvern Lake. She worked at Melvern Lake for two years before transferring to Perry Lake to work as an administrative officer.

16 May 2023

More than meets the eye: Harlan County Lake completes projects to protect cultural sites

At first glance, the new rock, also called riprap, that has been placed along the banks of Harlan County Lake, Nebraska, might not look like much. However, this seemingly insignificant riprap plays a critical role not only in the mitigation of further shoreline erosion, but also in the protection and preservation of two cultural sites at the lake. Over 11,000 feet of riprap was placed along the shoreline of Harlan County Lake earlier this year. After the 2019 flood, areas of the lake’s shoreline had eroded 50 to 100 feet, with some areas having eroded as much as 400 feet since 1985. Even without experiencing flood conditions, the lake’s shoreline is susceptible to erosion.

15 May 2023

Building Leaders: Officers from the Kansas City District attend Leader Professional Development at Fort Leonard Wood

From April 24 – 29, the officers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District gathered with other military leaders throughout the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Northwestern Division at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, for Leader Professional Development, or LPD. The week-long event included many educational experiences and was a great example of the U.S. Army’s policy to continuously develop their leaders. This valuable opportunity was dedicated to building relationships and sharing operational knowledge across USACE.

15 May 2023

Protect and Preserve: Kansas City District works to manage habitat for endangered species

Every year on the third Friday in May, people around the world observe Endangered Species Day. This day is a chance to learn about fish, wildlife, and plants in need of protection. For many U.S. Army Corps of Engineer employees, this day is another day in a career dedicated to preserving vulnerable wildlife and ecosystems. USACE has one of the largest environmental missions in the federal government. The Kansas City District’s conservation biologists, environmental specialists, natural resource specialists, natural resource managers and park rangers see this day as a chance to educate others on the efforts they are making to protect endangered species on federal land.

3 May 2023

Stopping the Breach: Kansas City District Engineers work to prevent a future levee breach at Sherman Army Airfield, Fort Leavenworth

Known to many as both “the best hometown in the Army” and “the intellectual center of the Army,” Fort Leavenworth is famous for being the home of the U.S. Army’s Combined Arms Center, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, also known as the CGSC, and many other prestigious tenants. While possibly lesser-known than some of the other notable tenants at Fort Leavenworth, the installation’s own Sherman Army Airfield is no less significant. As a joint-use facility, the airfield is an important feature to civilians and military alike. Unfortunately, after the historic 2019 Missouri River flood, the airfield was devastated. In response, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District has been working to make repairs and design mitigation measures to prevent future flood damage to the airfield.

1 May 2023

Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with Phanna Cea

In the span of the first six years of Phanna Cea’s life, she had experienced life in a refugee camp and immigrated twice to flee from unrest in the southeast region of Asia during the Vietnam War. For Cea, a native Cambodian, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District hydraulic engineer, these years didn’t define her but grew her strength and appreciation for her home country’s heritage.

26 Apr 2023

As unique as they come: Big Piney Weir Project at Fort Leonard Wood

What do hellbenders, water supply and construction all have in common? It’s the Piney Weir Project at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri! The $5.8 million project in the woods of Fort Leonard Wood will repair a roughly 80-year-old weir in the Big Piney River. A weir is a low dam built across a river to raise water levels upstream. At Fort Leonard Wood, the weir does just that, but serves a special purpose to the military community living and working on the installation.

14 Apr 2023

Lasting Impressions: Kansas City District establishes district-wide Summer Student Intern Program

As the school year winds down, many college students will be focused on finals and making plans for the summer. For those looking for professional experience in the form of a summer internship, there are seemingly endless options available. The difficult choice may not be if they should do a summer internship, but where and with whom. The Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hopes to attract some of these students with its newly established Summer Student Intern Program. There are separate intern programs within the Kansas City District, and although there have been summer interns in the past, 2023 will be the first year the program is district-wide. Previously, each division or section in the district oversaw their own summer intern program. Now, the program will be standardized so that all student interns have a similar experience.

3 Apr 2023

Creating the foundation for lasting change

In 2006, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Natural Resource Section gained a new partner, the Corps Foundation. The Corps Foundation was founded by retired USACE employees and partners who volunteer their time to support recreation at USACE lake and river projects. During their time as employees or contractors, the foundation’s board of directors were able to see the needs within the organization and created the non-profit foundation. The Corps Foundation has provided over $2.93 million in support of recreation, education and advocacy at USACE lake and river projects across the nation.