U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District

The history of the Louisville District encompasses more than two centuries. Contributions include frontier exploration and mapping, defense fortification during America’s major wars, the opening of Ohio Valley waterways, flood reduction, military construction, environmental cleanup and national disaster response.

The district’s history is rooted in the role it had in developing Ohio River navigation, notably at the Falls of the Ohio at Louisville, Ky., where the natural river dropped 26 feet in a little more than two miles. Year-round navigation was impossible, and moving over the falls was dangerous. Lives and cargo were routinely lost. The Louisville and Portland Canal Company, with the help of Army engineers, operated a canal around the Falls from 1830 to 1874 when Congress handed over full jurisdiction to the Corps. In 1875, the Corps began constructing locks and dams along the entire length of the Ohio River. Today, the district operates eight lock and dam systems along the Ohio. 

The district acquired its flood damage reduction mission after Congress, spurred by the 1937 flood in Louisville, appropriated the funding for projects meant to reduce flood damage.

The district’s military construction mission began during the 1941 mobilization for World War II. It built camps, airfields, ordnance plants and training facilities in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois. The district lost its mission in 1972 only to acquire it back in 1982 during that era’s massive defense buildup.

The district received its nation-wide Army Reserve mission in 1994 and the Air Force Reserve mission in 1999.

Read all about it...

The Falls City Engineers: A history of the Louisville District, Corps of Engineers (Vol. 1)

The Falls City Engineers: A history of the Louisville District, Corps of Engineers, 1970-1983 (Vol. 2)

The Falls City Engineers: A history of the Louisville District, Corps of Engineers, 1984-2004 (Vol. 3)

The Falls City Engineers: A history of the Louisville District, Corps of Engineers, 2005-2016 (Vol. 4)

Last of the Old Wicket Dams: A History of Ohio River Locks and Dams 52 and 53, 1928-2018

Ohio River Locks and Dams 52 and 53: Oral History Collection: A collection of the oral history interviews used for the writing of the Ohio River Lock and Dam 52 and 53 history book.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is an innovative, transformative organization providing engineering solutions to customers worldwide. Our 32,000 employees—primarily civilian—are delivering positive impacts for today and tomorrow.

Working at the Corps as a civilian employee means making a direct contribution to war fighters and their families, supporting overseas contingency operations, developing technology and systems that save the lives of soldiers and civilians, providing disaster relief, and protecting and enhancing the environment and the national economy.

It’s an exciting time to work for the Corps. We offer challenging professional, technical and administrative assignments in the U.S. and abroad—each building on a strong tradition of public service extending back more than 200 years.

The Corps also offers education reimbursement, certificate programs, professional and leadership development as well as mentoring programs. We support and nurture the growth of our employees and provide the tools to ensure superior performance in all our missions. At the Corps, your opportunities are limitless.

This U.S. Army Corps of Engineers video provides a summary of the organization's missions. Produced in January 2021 by Headquarters USACE and Sacramento District. Watch the video here: USACE Mission

FAQs

1. Do you have to be an engineer to work for USACE? No, our workforce includes park rangers, biologists, architects, lock and dam operators, scientists and much more. Together everyone plays a valuable role within our organization. 

2. Do you have to be a Solider, or in the Army, to work for USACE? No, USACE currently employs more than 33,000 civilians and 800 military personnel. 

3. Does USACE only build things? No, we are proud to have contributed to some of the nation's great landmarks including the Washington Monument and the Capitol Dome, but our missions also extends to other areas such as research and development, recreation, and support to emergency responses. 

4. What kind of benefits are available? We have great benefits that set us apart from others. We have 11 paid federal holidays, annual and sick leave, retirement benefits, thrift savings plans, alternate work schedules, telework opportunities and more. 

Becoming a Student Intern

USACE delivers vital engineering solutions, in collaboration with our partners, to secure our Nation, energize our economy, and reduce disaster risk. USACE Louisville District is a large employer of architects, engineers and scientists (not to mention several other disciplines) that execute military, environmental and civil works missions of more than $1B annually. Our multidisciplined team supports regional and national customers by providing best engineering practices and innovative solutions to our Nation’s toughest challenges. The district’s recruiting goal is to identify and hire the best engineering students, work with them to build competency in the area of their interest, and ultimately hire the student as a permanent employee once they have graduated from qualifying education institutions. Come join our world-class team!

Recognition Program Awards:

2022 Employer of Choice - American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE).

2021 Employer of Choice – J.B. Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville

For more information, contact us at 502-315-6223 or by email at lrl-pao@usace.army.mil

Useful Links

• Louisville District jobs

• USAJobs

• Engineer Pay Table

• General Schedule (GS) Pay Table

• Work for USACE Video

• Federal Benefit Information 

Where can I find navigational charts and maps?
Navigation Charts are available for purchase by internet from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore, or by calling the Government Printing Office toll-free at (866) 512-1800. Navigation charts are no longer available for purchase directly from Corps of Engineers' offices. All charts must be ordered through the U.S. Government Online Bookstore. For other Chart and Map resources see:     http://www.usace.army.mil/Library/MapsandCharts.aspx.

All IENCs are available for download at http://ienccloud.us.

How do I reserve a recreation site?
Visit www.recreation.gov or call 1(877)444-6777.

What is the America the Beautiful Pass and cost?
America the Beautiful Interagency Senior Pass (Age 62 and older) is $10 (if obtained in person at an issuing site); $20 (if obtained via mail order through USGS Store). America the Beautiful Interagency Access Pass (for persons with permanent disabilities) is FREE (if obtained in person at an issuing site); $10 (if obtained via mail order through USGS Store).

Where can I get the America the Beautiful Pass?
Passes may be obtained at hundreds of locations throughout the country, including many Federal sites where they are accepted. PLEASE be sure to call a site and verify they are still issuing the passes BEFORE you make a special trip to obtain a pass. The Louisville District projects that will issue the passes are: Nolin River Lake, Barren River Lake, Green River Lake, Rough River Lake, Monroe Lake, Cecil M. Harden Lake, Cagles Mill Lake, Patoka Lake, Caesar Creek Lake, William H. Harsha Lake, C.J. Brown Dam and Reservoir, Brookville Lake, Buckhorn Lake, Carr Creek Lake, and Cave Run Lake.

Passes may be obtained through USGS (888-275-8747, option 3), or http://store.usgs.gov/pass/general.html

Find more information at: http://www.nps.gov/findapark/passes.htm.

I would like to change or alter a creek on my property -- Do I need a permit? 
Our Regulatory office can let you know. To ensure a timely response to general information requests and other inquiries, the Louisville District Regulatory Division recommends using our “Door to the Corps” email address.  When submitting an information request email, please include “Information Request” in the subject line of the email, your preferred contact information, a brief description of your request, and the location of the property that is the subject of your request.   

CELRL.Door.To.The.Corps@usace.army.mil 

The  “Door to the Corps” email address is also the preferred method for submitting permit applications, violation compliant forms, and other documents.  If documents must be mailed, the addresses for our offices are provided below.  Please use the office location map provided on this webpage to identify the proper office to contact based on the location of your project or inquiry. 

How do I join the Army?
To find information about joining the Army, please visit the U.S. Army website at http://www.army.mil or contact your local Army Recruiter.

Employment/Jobs/Working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – How do I apply for a job?
All civilian job opportunities available with the Federal government, including USACE, are posted on USAJobs at http://www.usajobs.gov. USAJobs is the Federal Government's Official Job Site. One must apply for Federal jobs using the tools available (including a resume/resume builder).

Doing Business with the Corps – How do I contract with or do business with the Corps?
To get information regarding contracting with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, please visit our LRD Business With Us page.  Solicitations and contract award actions over $25,000 are advertised at SAM.gov. SAM.gov is the official "Governmentwide point of entry" for all public notices. The Office Code for Louisville District is W912QR. 
 

My Local Corps of Engineers Office – How do I find the office serving my geographical location of interest?
Please visit our Office Locator page and enter the zip code for your geographical area. Contact information for the Corps of Engineers office serving your geographical area of interest will be provided.

Freedom of Information Act Requests – Where and how do I make a FOIA request?
Please visit our FOIA page where you will find extensive information to include mailing addresses, email addresses, phone numbers and fax numbers of all of the USACE FOIA offices.