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  • January

    A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-owned barge is stacked with large woody debris, recovered by Seattle District's Motor Vessel (MV) Puget.

    Second Life: Turning Debris into Critical River and Coastal Habitats

    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.

  • August

    Libby Dam Operating Project Manager Rick Spiger and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District Commander Col. Kathryn Sanborn cut a slice of cake, to celebrate Libby Dam's 50th commemoration, Aug. 23, 2025. The event, which included a formal ceremony with Presentation of Colors and a memorial unveiling, included walking across the top of the dam and the Treaty Tower.

    Libby Dam 50th Commemoration: Reflections of Legacy

    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.

  • June

    Side-by-side photos of Libby Dam Natural Resource Manager Tana Wilson and her paternal grandfather Donald “Whitey” Wilson, who joined the Operating Engineers Union in 1967 at 29 years old, and was hired by Morrison-Knudsen as a batch plant operator during the construction of Libby Dam. The dam was constructed in response to annual spring floods that cascaded down from the Rocky Mountains which caused fatalities and destruction to communities in the U.S. and Canada located along the length of the Kootenai and Columbia River watersheds. (Photo courtesy Tana Wilson)

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

    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.
  • 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."