Seattle District News

USACE, U.S. Air Force partners fortify Malmstrom national defense with ‘Gateway to Sentinel’ groundbreaking

Louis R. Velasco — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 18:43:00 GMT

U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers leaders celebrated a project groundbreaking May 28, 2026 at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana. The project will serve as the “gateway” for future modernization efforts to the installation’s Minuteman III ICBM arsenal. The Commercial Entrance Control Facility has a simple but strategic purpose: enable easier and direct access for contractors and heavy construction machinery to Sentinel-related construction sites around the installation.

Beyond the desk: A week aboard a USACE dredging vessel to protect an ancient, elusive fish

Louis R. Velasco — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:34:00 GMT

For Jacqui Bergner, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers aquatic biologist, the rumble of a dredging vessel's engine wasn't just noise—it was the sound of her office. For one week, she called the massive hopper dredge Essayons home, working 12-hour shifts sifting through thousands of pounds of sand and mud. Her mission: to monitor for the accidental “take” of threatened green sturgeon.

Albeni Falls Dam: Cutting Red Tape to Rebuild Infrastructure

Nicole L. Celestine — Tue, 26 May 2026 22:37:57 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' $20,395,700 contract award for the 11-gate replacement project at Albeni Falls Dam, in Oldtown, Idaho, signals a shift in how federal infrastructure projects are delivered: prioritizing efficiency and community transparency over bureaucratic hurdles, working as a regional team to efficiently deliver the design, hosting Industry Day events to incorporate input from industry experts and delivering a 'Hybrid contract,' a unique type of contract.

New USACE Regulatory Request System improves permit process nationwide

Abigail Chipps — Tue, 19 May 2026 18:02:00 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Seattle District Regulatory Division reviews thousands of permit applications each year. From infrastructure improvements to shoreline work, USACE regulators play an important role in protecting the nation’s aquatic resources and navigation capacity, while enabling reasonable development through fair and balanced decisions.

Libby Dam Volunteer Spotlight: Barbara Grant

Nicole L. Celestine — Mon, 04 May 2026 23:06:04 GMT

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Libby Dam spotlight Volunteer Barbara Grant, as part of National Volunteer Week (April 19-25, 2026). In 2025, Libby Dam ranked No. 60 of 322 USACE-managed projects in the nation for volunteer contributions; the cadre of 28 volunteers contributed 3,741 hours of service.

Building science: USACE delivers high-tech greenhouses for crop research capabilities

Louis R. Velasco — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 20:41:00 GMT

In Oregon’s fertile Willamette Valley, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is sowing the seeds of innovative crop and plant conservation with help from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Through interagency work between ARS and USACE Seattle District, new greenhouses with climate control systems and screenhouse facilities are now complete at ARS’ National Clonal Germplasm Repository (NCGR) in Corvallis, Ore.

Building Infrastructure: Inside the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Hydropower Mission

Shelia L. Fourman — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 22:15:00 GMT

Hydropower remains one of the most reliable and cost-effective energy sources in the U.S., and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) continues to lead the nation in its production. As the country’s largest operator of hydropower, USACE manages 75 facilities with a combined installed capacity of more than 20,000 megawatts (MW), generating nearly 100 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually, almost one-third of the nation’s total hydropower output. That energy supports approximately 10 million households each year while strengthening grid reliability and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

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

Nicole L. Celestine — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 15:00:00 GMT

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 Dam. The program highlights the District's commitment to stewardship by demonstrating how vital infrastructure and native wildlife coexist within the Kootenai’s snowy landscape.

The human switchboard: how USACE liaisons manage information during flood fight events

Louis R. Velasco — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 21:23:00 GMT

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. When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Seattle District, ramped up its emergency operations, a small, specialized group of individuals stepped into one of the most critical and least understood roles in disaster response: the liaison.

Second Life: Turning Debris into Critical River and Coastal Habitats

Nicole L. Celestine — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 15:00:00 GMT

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 transforms navigational hazards into fish and wildlife habitat, that support shoreline resilience. The collaboration began small ... and has grown over the years.

Rooted in strength: JBLM barracks tap into Pacific Northwest’s timber legacy for new military construction era

Louis R. Velasco — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 19:07:00 GMT

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 using mass timber structural materials during a groundbreaking ceremony, Dec. 12, 2025. The pilot program will evaluate the use of mass timber as the primary construction material in military construction projects and its effect on environmental sustainability, infrastructure resilience, cost-effectiveness, and construction timeliness of similar projects.

USACE Managed Record Flood Response Operations Amid Severe Weather

Shelia L. Fourman, Chief, Seattle District Public Affairs — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 17:02:00 GMT

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 widespread infrastructure damage. Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish and King counties, where major rivers like the Skagit, Green and White overflowed, were hardest-hit, triggering extensive evacuations. The widespread flooding, compounded by saturated soils and unusually warm Pacific moisture that further intensified the impacts of the storm series, led to a state of emergency and 24-hour operations by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Seattle District.

Scraping for Safe Passage: Inside the Chittenden Locks’ Annual Barnacle Scraping

Kimberly Lopes — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:15:00 GMT

For salmon, migration is already a dangerous, perilous journey. At the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, locally known in Seattle as the Ballard Locks, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Seattle District works to make their journey a little safer.

Libby Dam 50th Commemoration: Reflections of Legacy

Nicole L. Celestine — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 14:30:00 GMT

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District celebrated 50 years of operations at Libby Dam, during its commemoration event at Libby, Montana, Aug. 23, 2025. The event recognized the achievements of former and current USACE employees in building and maintaining the dam, the partnerships that made it possible and to reflect on the impacts the dam has on the region and the nation.

Building together: USACE highlights regional needs, invites business innovation

Shelia Fourman — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 22:16:00 GMT

The Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Northwest Posts hosted the Meet the Chiefs 2025 Regional Event on June 17, at the Seattle Airport Marriott. This gathering brought together leaders from key federal agencies and industry partners for a full day of strategic insights, networking, and future planning.

From Construction to Conservation: One Family’s Legacy of Service at Libby Dam

Tana Wilson, Natural Resource Manager, Libby Dam — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 21:30:00 GMT

As part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District's commemoration of 50 years of operations at Libby Dam, Montana, Natural Resource Manager Tana Wilson shares her family's legacy of service from construction to conservation, today.

‘You either love or hate Pullman’: USACE project engineer, Washington State University alumna, reflects on vital project for alma mater

Louis R. Velasco — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 14:39:00 GMT

For Katlyn Struxness, a project engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Seattle District, Pullman, Washington, isn’t just a place—it’s where innovation, community and agriculture come together in unexpected ways. Her role in the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Plant Sciences Building project on Washington State University has deepened her connection to the Palouse region, a place where she can be part of something larger than a job title.

From delamination to durability: How Fiber-Reinforced Polymer is fortifying Albeni Falls Dam's Gate 3

Nicole L. Celestine — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 16:00:00 GMT

Discovered in April 2024 during routine maintenance, Gate 3, one of Albeni Falls Dam’s 10 spillway gates revealed defective steel, likely a consequence of the original 1950s fabrication process. While a long-term plan for complete gate replacement is underway, the immediate need was for a robust, interim solution to bring Gate 3 back into service and restore the dam's full operational flexibility. Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) offers a technically superior Band-Aid, providing significant structural enhancement, a glimpse into the future of dam maintenance and a testament to modern engineering ingenuity.

Engineering Readiness for the Indo-Pacific: The 34th Forward Engineer Support Team – Advance Deployment & Certification Training Exercise

1st Lt. Allan Jung — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 18:10:28 GMT

The 34th Forward Engineer Support Team - Advance (FEST-A), from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Seattle District successfully conducted a Certification Exercise (CERTEX), used to validate deployment readiness for engineering support across the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM).

Holding Back the Flow: Seattle District's Dam Safety Program

Nicole L. Celestine — Thu, 29 May 2025 16:00:00 GMT

“One might think that in 21st century America, we’ve put an end to dam failures, but that’s not true,” said Seattle District’s Dam Safety Program Manager Richard Smith. “Dams continue to fail for numerous reasons and all too often with disastrous consequences. Lives are still being lost, and it’s our responsibility as good dam stewards to ensure our dams do not fail."