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Kansas City District News

  • October

    Fighting the fungus: Protecting ecosystems for endangered species

    It’s the season to be spooky and there are few things spookier than a swarm of bats bursting out of a haunted house for a classic jump scare. Thinking of bats as merely creepy creatures roaming the night makes for good entertainment and spooky Halloween folklore.

  • September

    Construction site in partially filled dam spillway

    After a 2020 inspection, Tuttle Creek Dam dewaters outlet channel to undergo massive repairs that reduces risk of spillway erosion and downstream flooding

    Tucked alongside the native tallgrasses of the Konza Prairie within the undulating Flint Hills of Riley and Pottawattamie counties in northeast Kansas, is the Tuttle Creek Dam and Lake. This engineering marvel of the midwestern United States, is a 7,500-foot-long earth and rockfill dam that chokes off the Big Blue River, creating the second largest reservoir in Kansas with a total capacity of over 2.1 million acre-feet of water.
  • A man in a grey shirt walks through waist high grass with blue sky in the background.

    ‘We have the responsibility’: Missouri River fish and wildlife mitigation project a vital undertaking

    After Lewis and Clark ended their journey westward in 1806, an expedition known as the Corps of Discovery, the Missouri River would prove to be a vital link between the east and west. Flowing right through the heartland, the Missouri River is the longest river in the U.S. and is an important economic resource to the region, the nation and the world. Before the Missouri River became the navigation hub it is today, it was an untamed, wild body of water prone to flooding, known for changing paths, with a floodplain as wide as a mile in some places. By the late 19th century, the government realized the value the river could have on westward expansion and began the process of taming the river.
  • Two large rock formations stand with water to the right and grass to the left.

    A trip through geological time: Wilson Lake’s unique topography makes it a must-see destination

    Standing over 20 feet in the air, the red, striped sandstone formations tower over the surrounding landscape, casting long shadows into the water they sit next to. Where can these majestic rock formations be found? It’s not Utah or New Mexico, but Kansas. That’s right – Kansas. Known for its agriculture (cows outnumber people, after all) and its flat prairies, it might be surprising to learn there are areas of the state with large geological formations like those found in Utah, New Mexico and other areas of the American Southwest. Wilson Lake, located in central Kansas, is home to some of the most unique topography in the state.

  • August

    A man in a grey shirt and green pants touches the keypad of an orange machine with greenery in the background.

    Ranger leads the way: Kansas City District park ranger a proponent of cashless fee system

    In the U.S. Army, they say “Rangers lead the way.” In the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it’s often park rangers leading the way at our nation’s lake projects. At Rathbun Lake, located in southern Iowa, one park ranger is leading the way by being a proponent of the cashless fee system at the lake’s campgrounds and boat ramps. Since 2020, Ryan Vogt, natural resource specialist and park ranger at Rathbun Lake, has led the way in the Kansas City District for adopting a cashless fee system at both the lake project’s campgrounds and boat ramps. While many lake projects in the district’s area of responsibility have automated fee machines from which recreators can purchase recreation passes, Rathbun Lake is one of the first to have a cashless reservation system at its over 400 campsites.

  • July

    A digital drawing of a long building with a red roof, a large black parking lot in the front, grass and trees in the background.

    ‘Someplace they can feel at home and happy’: Kansas City District completes design for new Fort Leavenworth child development center

    One of the biggest challenges our nation’s servicemembers and their families face is moving from installation to installation across the country, sometimes across the world, every couple of years. To help reduce the stress and uncertainty that servicemembers and their families can experience during a permanent change of station, the Army uses standard designs when constructing facilities on their installations. This helps to instill a sense of familiarity across installations.
  • A woman in blue jeans and a blue striped shirt holds a camera while smiling in front of a tree with grass in the background.

    Real property, real people: District real property accountability officer on making the most of her job

    April Coleman is no stranger to change. Growing up in a military family, Coleman was accustomed to changing environments. As a former Airman and military spouse, she’s continued to live a life full of change.
  • A man in blue jeans, a blue shirt, and a yellow hat sits in a golf cart with grass and trees in the background.

    Robust volunteer program helps reduce recreation operating costs at Rathbun Lake

    Rathbun Lake, located in southern Iowa, is one of the largest in the state and boasts approximately half a million visitors annually. With over 22,000 acres of land surrounding the lake, there is plenty of work to be done to keep the lake project operable for one of its congressionally authorized purposes: recreation. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the lake, which began operations in 1970. Managed by the Kansas City District, Rathbun Lake hosts recreators from all over the U.S., and even from around the world, at its over 400 campsites, 12 recreation areas, 21 trail miles, 11 boat ramps and three swimming areas. Spend a little time at the lake and you’ll understand why — the scenery in the area is beautiful. It might come as a surprise then, to learn the lake depends on dozens of volunteers rather than paid staff to keep it operating at a capacity able to satisfy the recreational needs of its visitors.

  • June

    Four soldiers in uniform stand with trees and a concrete path in the background.

    Force multipliers: 51 Charlies benefit both USACE and U.S. Army

    Behind almost every project at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is at least one contracting action. Depending on the size of the project, there could be dozens. Behind every contract is a dedicated team of professionals ensuring contracts are prepared within federal regulation. Most of these contracting professionals are Department of the Army civilians. But a select few are active-duty military serving in USACE as contracting officers, also known as 51 Charlies.
  • A man in a red shirt sits behind a computer with a blue coffee mug in front of him.

    Risk and reward: An innovative strategy pays off

    The toughest problems require the most creative solutions. Being willing to think outside the box to find the answers can feel risky, but often the rewards are great. This is something the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District’s Contracting Division knows firsthand. For the past three fiscal years, the Contracting Division has been able to successfully complete its mission, awarding upwards of $700 million in obligated funds and as many as 1,670 contracts per year. However, four years ago, the Contracting Division was facing a problem that was exhausting every current solution. It was time to get creative.