Seattle District News Releases

USACE officials advise boaters to expect earlier high water levels in Lakes Washington and Union

Press Operations — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:17:00 GMT

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials advise private and commercial interests along Lake Washington Ship Canal and in Lakes Washington and Union to expect earlier high water than in previous years.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seeks public comments on potential future changes to the nationwide permits

Press Operations — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced on March 16 that it is seeking input from all interested parties on ways to increase the efficiency of the nationwide permit program.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awards spillway gate replacement contract; announces refill date at Albeni Falls Dam

Press Operations — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:19:00 GMT

USACE awards $20 million contract to replace all 11 spillway gates at Albeni Falls Dam, located in Oldtown, Idaho, and begins gradual spring refill of Lake Pend Oreille, April 1. USACE officials will share more details about spring refill, restricted gate operations, spillway gate replacement project developments, recreation area updates and forecast for snowpack and inflows, at their public meeting May 7, in Sandpoint, Idaho.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers begins Grays Harbor maintenance dredging April 8

Press Operations — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 12:18:29 GMT

USACE's hopper dredge vessels, Yaquina and Essayons, begin Grays Harbor outer harbor maintenance dredging April 8. The maintenance navigation dredging is required in the harbor area, whose deep draft channel is 350 feet wide increasing to 1,000 feet over the bar, to support Washington State's economy that relies on navigation and commerce.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awards Grays Harbor North Jetty major maintenance contract

Press Operations — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 19:26:02 GMT

USACE awards $30 million contract to repair North Jetty at the entrance of Grays Harbor, Grays Harbor County, Washington. The repair project focuses on sections of the jetty that have sustained significant damage over time. This federal navigation channel is a critical component for commerce in the region; repairing North Jetty is a vital investment in the community's economic health.

USACE refilling Lake Washington for summer

Press Operations — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 15:39:00 GMT

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials began Lake Washington’s annual summer refill operations Feb. 15.

Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works announces ‘Build Infrastructure, Not Paperwork’ initiative for the Army’s Civil Works program

Press Operations — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 19:17:00 GMT

Today, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam R. Telle announced a major initiative, “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork,” for the Army’s Civil Works program.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seeks public comment on Natural Resource Master Plan for Albeni Falls Dam

Press Operations — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:20:00 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is inviting public input on the Albeni Falls Dam Master Plan, to guide the long-term management of recreation and natural resources at Lake Pend Oreille.

Corps of Engineers reimagines barracks construction with mass timber material

Press Operations — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:13:00 GMT

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) 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.

Army Corps monitors widespread navigation hazards

Press Operations — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 22:19:00 GMT

Army Corps monitors widespread navigation hazards caused by the recent accumulation of large woody debris carried into the Puget Sound and along the Washington coast, due to multiple atmospheric rivers and heavy precipitation impacting the region.

Army Corps updates communities on record flood recovery, critical infrastructure status during state governor press conference

Press Operations — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 02:28:00 GMT

Army Corps and Washington State leadership gave updates on their flood response efforts, during a joint press conference, Dec. 20. The press conference came on the heels of both entities' flood fight response due to back-to-back atmospheric river storms and record-breaking flooding that impacted the state over the past two weeks.

USACE uses strategic safe reservoir drawdowns to protect Green, White River valleys amid winter storm cycles

Press Operations — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 19:48:00 GMT

As Western Washington moves through the peak of flood season, Army Corps, Seattle District, water management team provides critical information on the process of "drawdowns" at Howard A. Hanson and Mud Mountain Dams, and why responsible drawdowns are necessary to protect communities in the Green and White River Valleys during flood season.

USACE delivers materials, offers on-the-ground expertise to numerous threatened communities for flood-damaged levees

Press Operations — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 01:21:00 GMT

Army Corps Emergency Management team continues its flood fight support, providing critical flood-fighting materials and on-the-ground expertise to local and county partners across western Washington, Idaho and Montana.

Army Corps monitors Lake Pend Oreille elevations for downstream communities

Press Operations — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 23:42:55 GMT

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Seattle District, Water Management team is monitoring rising Lake Pend Orielle elevations, as a result of the atmospheric river event that hit the region, Dec. 16.

USACE increases flow from Howard A. Hanson Dam following Desimone Levee repairs

Press Operations — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 01:09:29 GMT

Following an emergency repair to the breach at Desimone Levee on Dec. 15, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District (USACE) will resume normal flood water outflows from Howard A. Hanson Dam.

UPDATE: USACE is Working with King County Officials to Support HESCO Breach

Press Operations — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 13:34:00 GMT

King County officials reported a HESCO breach in Pacific, Washington to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District at approximately 4 a.m. on Dec. 16.

USACE is working with King County officials to support Desimone Levee breach

Press Operations — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 00:14:00 GMT

King County officials reported a breach at the Desimone Levee in Tukwila, Washington, to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District at approximately noon Dec. 15.

Army Corps regulates water flows to protect downstream communities on the White and Green River Basins

Press Operations — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 23:59:00 GMT

Army Corps' Water Management will reduce outflows from Howard A. Hanson Dam, before the next atmospheric river hits western Washington, Dec. 14-16. Mud Mountain Dam will also reduce outflows within the next 24 hours.

UPDATE: Army Corps Regulates Peak Flow to Mitigate Extensive Flooding in Skagit County

Press Operations — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 21:48:00 GMT

Army Corps regulates peak flow in the Skagit Basin, to manage the impacts of heavy rainfall and mitigate potential flooding in the region.

Army Corps releases water from Howard A. Hanson Dam and Mud Mountain Dam Reservoirs, prepares for predicted rain events

Press Operations — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 17:23:00 GMT

Peak rainfall from recent atmospheric rivers in the Green and White River basins has passed, however, high flow conditions will continue for many days.