23 Jun 2023

River training structure repairs progressing on Missouri River: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law pivotal

The flood of 2019 made apparent the need for extensive repairs on the Missouri River training devices – dikes and revetments – that direct the downstream flow into the navigation channel to keep it deep enough for boat traffic and generally clear of debris. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated $248 million to repair those devices that are on the lower stretch of the Missouri River.

14 Jun 2023

Training with Industry: Teaching the next generation of leadership what the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has to offer

Progress in a profession is often the result of an innovator identifying an issue, proposing a solution and working to accomplish that solution. That is just what the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District did in 2012 when they collaborated with the Command and General Staff College, also known as the CGSC, hosted at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to develop a new educational program. CGSC is a joint, interagency, intergovernmental and multinational College, and was the perfect place for a program to teach more about USACE. At the time, the Kansas City District identified a need for greater recruitment of officers into USACE, as well as a need for increased understanding across the U.S. Army of what USACE could provide to the nation. The solution they proposed, spearheaded by then district commander Col. Anthony Hofmann, was Training with Industry, or TWI, an educational program administered by the Kansas City District. The program is now an annual elective in the CGSC curriculum. The first few years of the program, the class averaged about 10 to 15 students. This year, 31 students participated in TWI, including international students from partner nations. The 2023 course started on April 6 and ran through May 31. Although the need to recruit officers into USACE is still ongoing, the benefits from the program have not gone unnoticed.

13 Jun 2023

Young and Promising: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District Employee Receives Industry 40 Under 40 Award

The inland maritime profession is a unique and demanding one. Tackling the challenges associated with the career field requires determination and innovation. Every now and then, an individual comes along who, early in their career, makes an impact that is felt across the industry. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District employee Dane Morris is one of these individuals. This June, Morris was recognized with a 40 Under 40 Award at the 2023 Inland Marine Expo in Nashville, Tennessee, also known as IMX, for his outstanding achievements. IMX is an annual event where inland marine professionals collaborate to make maritime transportation more cost-effective, safe and environmentally friendly. Each year, the event recognizes a group of individuals under the age of 40 who have made significant contributions to the inland marine transportation industry and show promise in shaping its future. These award recipients are young professionals in a variety of career fields within the industry, including engineers, surveyors and professionals working on towboats, passenger vehicles or other commercial craft. This year, Morris was the only employee of the federal government to receive the honor.

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.