Kansas City District News

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Archive: April, 2025
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  • April

    ‘More than one plus one’: Cost engineers play critical role in USACE construction projects

    Before making a big purchase, whether a product or a service, many people conduct research to ensure they pay a fair price. Comparing prices, reading reviews and even calling to get real-time quotes can help inform consumers before pulling the trigger and making a purchase. The same is true for the federal government. Before approving taxpayer dollars to be used to construct military facilities, improve the nation’s infrastructure or implement flood risk reduction projects, Congress must ensure the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ project cost estimates are as accurate as possible. At the Kansas City District, a highly skilled team of cost engineers is tasked with the challenging job of estimating the cost of a project before Congress will agree to fund it.
  • ‘Like going to the dentist’: Perry Dam tests innovative preventative maintenance system to clean relief wells

    Preventative maintenance is important for many things—cars, homes and even our bodies. Keeping things healthy and running smoothly helps prevent major breaks or failures throughout the course of a life. The same is true for dam and levee relief wells. Some dams and levees are built with a system of water wells, which are constructed downstream to relieve excess pressure in the foundation. These relief wells experience natural build-up and need to be cleaned, roughly every three to five years, to ensure water can flow freely.