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Author: Nicole L. Celestine
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  • June

    Interior of the containment shelter that houses Gate 3 after its return to Albeni Falls Dam, Oldtown, Idaho, May 12, 2025. The gate is currently being outfitted with strain gauges and temperature probes that will help monitor the condition of the gate and repair. Gate 3 is projected to return to service in August 2025.

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

    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.

  • May

    Map illustration of USACE-owned and managed dams in Seattle District. The district’s inventory of dams has multiple purposes including flood risk management, hydropower, navigation, water supply, river flow augmentation for fish, fish passage and recreation.

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

    “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."

  • April

    Photo of Security and Law Enforcement Chief John Landers receiving his Certificate of Retirement from Seattle District Commander Kathryn Sanborn during the April employee potluck. Landers retires April 30, 2025, after 39 years of public service.

    A Legacy of Dedication: John Landers Bids Farewell to Public Service

    As the calendar turns to April 30, 2025, Seattle District Security and Law Enforcement Chief Jon Landers will embark on a new chapter, leaving behind a legacy of commitment, hard work and genuine care for the district he served.

  • December

    Corps of Engineers employees volunteer to scrape barnacle buildup along the filling tunnels.

    Scraping barnacles gives salmon a fighting chance

    Army Corps employees scrape barnacle buildup along the filling tunnels at the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, Seattle, fulfilling a federal law requirement to help improve endangered salmon’s chances of survival, by reducing their potential for injury or death.

  • September

    Group photo of Army officers and civilians standing in front of the Administration building of the Lake Washington Ship Canal and Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, Seattle, Washington.

    USACE debris recovery vessel crew earns Army Risk Management Award

    U.S. Army Corps debris recovery vessel wins Army Risk Management Award for keeping team safety and risk management practices at the forefront of everything they do.

  • July

    Photo collage of team members.

    Developing long-term mitigation climate change impacts secures Team Award

    The Northwestern Division Columbia River Treaty Vulnerability Assessment Team earned the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Engineering and Construction Climate Champion Team Award for its substantial contributions to district, regional, and national climate product development, to help advance understanding of and preparation for future climate change in the Pacific Northwest.

  • December

    Aerial photo of Shoalwater Bay Dune, on the Tokeland Peninsula, Washington.

    Commitment to tribal partners restores Shoalwater Bay Dune, protects Shoalwater Bay Tribe

    A partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with the Shoalwater Bay Tribe restores the Shoalwater Bay Dune on the Tokeland Peninsula, Washington, in time before the first major storm of 2022.

  • January

    Photo of Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District Commander Col. Alexander ‘Xander’ Bullock and Robert “Rob” Frazier, during the district’s Corps Day awards ceremony, at its headquarters in Seattle, July 29, 2021.

    Former Resource Management Chief Bids Farewell to Army Corps and Federal Service

    Robert Frazier, Seattle District’s former resource management division chief, officially retired from federal government service Dec. 31, 2021.