Contractors working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District install a 23-foot-tall concrete shaft enclosure weighing approximately 120,000 pounds as part of the guard wall at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 4 in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, Nov. 16, 2023.

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Headwaters Highlights: How the real estate office powers Pittsburgh District’s federal lands mission

Pittsburgh District
Published Nov. 21, 2023
The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of managing property for the Pittsburgh District.

Nakita Smith, a lead realty specialist in the Real Estate office for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, poses for a portrait at the district office in Pittsburgh, Nov. 20, 2023. The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of managing property for the Pittsburgh District. Their work includes appraisals, acquisition, land condemnation, legal descriptions, mapping, title work, licenses, permits, boundary disputes, compliance reviews and more. The district also manages more than 1,900 land leases known as outgrants for recreational and other public purposes. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District will host a groundbreaking ceremony at Montgomery Locks and Dam to kick off construction to update the Ohio River’s oldest and smallest navigation facilities.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District will host a groundbreaking ceremony at Montgomery Locks and Dam to kick off construction to update the Ohio River’s oldest and smallest navigation facilities.

The Montgomery Lock and Dam megaproject will demolish and expand the 87-year-old auxiliary chamber at the facility during the next 10 years to accommodate more barges navigating on the Ohio River.

Alex Benedict, a project engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, supervises a construction project at Montgomery Locks and Dam, in Monaca, Pennsylvania, Oct. 25, 2023. The Montgomery Lock and Dam megaproject will demolish and expand the 87-year-old auxiliary chamber at the facility during the next 10 years to accommodate more barges navigating on the Ohio River. The current phase of construction involves clearing an area to construct a batch plant. The batch plant will produce about 500,000 pounds of concrete to reconstruct the middle wall and river wall during the expansion. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Brandon Hubbard, Public Affairs Specialist)

The Montgomery Lock and Dam megaproject will demolish and expand the 87-year-old auxiliary chamber at the facility during the next 10 years to accommodate more barges navigating on the Ohio River.

Alex Benedict, a project engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, supervises a construction project at Montgomery Locks and Dam, in Monaca, Pennsylvania, Oct. 25, 2023. The Montgomery Lock and Dam megaproject will demolish and expand the 87-year-old auxiliary chamber at the facility during the next 10 years to accommodate more barges navigating on the Ohio River. The current phase of construction involves clearing an area to construct a batch plant. The batch plant will produce about 500,000 pounds of concrete to reconstruct the middle wall and river wall during the expansion. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Brandon Hubbard, Public Affairs Specialist)

The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of managing property for the Pittsburgh District.

David Gillingham, a cartographer in the Real Estate office for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, poses for a portrait at the district office in Pittsburgh, Nov. 20, 2023. The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of managing property for the Pittsburgh District. Their work includes appraisals, acquisition, land condemnation, legal descriptions, mapping, title work, licenses, permits, boundary disputes, compliance reviews and more. The district also manages more than 1,900 land leases known as outgrants for recreational and other public purposes. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District operates the reservoir to provide flood protection for the Mahoning River Valley and the Beaver and upper Ohio rivers. The recreation areas offer residents and visitors opportunities for fishing, hiking, boating, camping, picnicking and disc golf.

Michael J. Kirwan Dam and Reservoir, located in Wayland, Ohio, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, provides flood protection for the Mahoning River Valley and the Beaver and upper Ohio rivers. The recreation areas offer residents and visitors opportunities for fishing, hiking, boating, camping, picnicking and disc golf.

Helicopter flight over Pittsburgh District

The photo above is an aerial view of Crooked Creek Lake and dam in Ford City, Pennsylvania, July 21, 2023. Crooked Creek Lake is one of 16 flood risk reduction projects in the Pittsburgh District, providing flood protection for the lower Allegheny and upper Ohio rivers. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers started constructing Crooked Creek Lake in April 1938 and completed in July 1940. The reservoir became operational June 1940. Pittsburgh District’s 26,000 square miles include portions of western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, eastern Ohio, western Maryland, and southwestern New York. It has more than 328 miles of navigable waterways, 23 navigation locks and dams, 16 multi-purpose flood-control reservoirs, 42 local flood-protection projects, and other projects to protect and enhance the nation’s water resources infrastructure and environment. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of managing property for the Pittsburgh District.

Allen Gratzer, a realty specialist in the Real Estate office for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, poses for a portrait at the district office in Pittsburgh, Nov. 20, 2023. The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of managing property for the Pittsburgh District. Their work includes appraisals, acquisition, land condemnation, legal descriptions, mapping, title work, licenses, permits, boundary disputes, compliance reviews and more. The district also manages more than 1,900 land leases known as outgrants for recreational and other public purposes. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

Woodcock Creek Lake, located in Saegertown, Pennsylvania, is owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District. The reservoir provides flood protection for the French Creek system. Additionally, the recreation areas offer residents and visitors with opportunities to camp, boat, picnic, hike and enjoy a round of disk golf.

Disk Golf is a popular activity at Woodcock Creek Lake in Saegertown, Pennsylvania. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District operates the reservoir to provide flood protection for the French Creek system. Additionally, the recreation areas offer residents and visitors with opportunities to camp, boat, picnic, hike and enjoy a round of disk golf.

Recreation at Youghiogheny river lake
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Two girls ride a raft pulled by a motorboat on Youghiogheny River Lake in Confluence, Pennsylvania, July 15, 2022. Youghiogheny River Lake is operated as a reservoir by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District. The reservoir offers flood risk reduction to the Youghiogheny and lower Monongahela River valleys and the upper Ohio River. Youghiogheny River Lake provides camping, water sports, biking trails, and fishing opportunities to residents and visitors. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

Shenango River Lake is one of 16 flood-control projects operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District. The project mitigates flooding in the Shenango River Valley as well as the Beaver and upper Ohio rivers. Since its completion in 1965, Shenango Dam has prevented more than $252 million in flood damages.
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 11 of 22

Public affairs specialists from across the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division came to the Pittsburgh District to train on their photography and multimedia skills during the first regional visual storytelling workshop hosted by the district’s public affairs office. Shenango River Lake is one of 16 flood-control projects operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District. The project mitigates flooding in the Shenango River Valley as well as the Beaver and upper Ohio rivers. Since its completion in 1965, Shenango Dam has prevented more than $252 million in flood damages. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

Recreation at Youghiogheny river lake
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A camper prepares his site at the Mill Run Recreation Area and campground at Youghiogheny River Lake in Maryland, July 15, 2022. Mill Run is one of two campsites operated by the Youghiogheny River Lake staff and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District. The lake serves as a reservoir, which offers flood risk reduction to the Youghiogheny and lower Monongahela River valleys as well as the upper Ohio River. Youghiogheny River Lake provides camping, water sports, biking trails, and fishing opportunities to residents and visitors. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of managing property for the Pittsburgh District.
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Matthew Opsitos, a realty specialist in the Real Estate office for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, poses for a portrait at the district office in Pittsburgh, Nov. 20, 2023. The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of managing property for the Pittsburgh District. Their work includes appraisals, acquisition, land condemnation, legal descriptions, mapping, title work, licenses, permits, boundary disputes, compliance reviews and more. The district also manages more than 1,900 land leases known as outgrants for recreational and other public purposes. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

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Recreational boaters enjoy the water near the Point of Pittsburgh before the fireworks show July 4, 2021. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District locks and dams are open year-round, including on federal holidays, for recreational boaters to enjoy the city’s views and for commercial barges to navigate the waterways safely. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

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PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 15 of 22

Nicole Govan, a northern area ranger for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, hikes along a newly-mulched trail at East Branch Clarion River Lake in Wilcox, Pennsylvania, April 30, 2021. The Pittsburgh District will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by an open house event at the East Branch Clarion River Lake on May 27. The reopening celebrates the dam’s return to normal operations and its continued ability to reduce floods, improve downstream water quality and supports the environmental ecosystem. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of managing property for the Pittsburgh District.
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Jeff Horneman, the deputy chief of the Real Estate office for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, poses for a portrait at the district office in Pittsburgh, Nov. 20, 2023. The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of managing property for the Pittsburgh District. Their work includes appraisals, acquisition, land condemnation, legal descriptions, mapping, title work, licenses, permits, boundary disputes, compliance reviews and more. The district also manages more than 1,900 land leases known as outgrants for recreational and other public purposes. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District operates Conemaugh River Lake to provide flood risk reduction to the Conemaugh, Kiskiminetas, lower Allegheny and upper Ohio River valleys. Recreationally, Conemaugh River Lake provides residents and visitors with biking and hiking trails, fishing and picnic areas.
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 17 of 22

Visitors kayak downstream from the Conemaugh River Lake in Saltsburg, Pennsylvania, Aug. 13, 2022. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District operates the reservoir to provide flood risk reduction to the Conemaugh, Kiskiminetas, lower Allegheny and upper Ohio River valleys. Recreationally, Conemaugh River Lake offers residents and visitors with biking and hiking trails, fishing and picnic areas.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District operates Conemaugh River Lake to provide flood risk reduction to the Conemaugh, Kiskiminetas, lower Allegheny and upper Ohio River valleys. Recreationally, Conemaugh River Lake provides residents and visitors with biking and hiking trails, fishing and picnic areas.
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Fog lifts in morning downstream from the Conemaugh River Lake in Saltsburg, Pennsylvania, Aug. 13, 2022. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District operates the reservoir to provide flood risk reduction to the Conemaugh, Kiskiminetas, lower Allegheny and upper Ohio River valleys. Recreationally, Conemaugh River Lake provides residents and visitors with biking and hiking trails, fishing and picnic areas.

The Kinzua Dam releases 15,000 cubic feet of water per second for eight hours, resulting in 3.2 billion gallons of water released into the river during those hours, equivalent to nearly 5,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools in Warren, Pennsylvania, March 30, 2023. Kinzua Dam released this water in March to simulate a “spring pulse,” which are natural phenomena that typically occur in temperate climates and during early spring and send cues to aquatic species and other parts of the ecosystem by moving sediments and nutrients. The district’s water management team modeled the operation to ensure the artificial pulse would not impact the reservoir’s summer pool or cause flooding. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Andrew Byrne)
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The Kinzua Dam releases 15,000 cubic feet of water per second for eight hours, resulting in 3.2 billion gallons of water released into the river during those hours, equivalent to nearly 5,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools in Warren, Pennsylvania, March 30, 2023. Kinzua Dam released this water in March to simulate a “spring pulse,” which are natural phenomena that typically occur in temperate climates and during early spring and send cues to aquatic species and other parts of the ecosystem by moving sediments and nutrients. The district’s water management team modeled the operation to ensure the artificial pulse would not impact the reservoir’s summer pool or cause flooding. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Andrew Byrne)

Construction for a new lock on the Monongahela River
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Construction laborers perform work on the chamber floor concrete infill and wall-facing rebar and formwork for the Charleroi Lock Construction Project at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 4 in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, March 21, 2023. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District operates the facility and has overseen the construction project at Charleroi to improve inland navigation in the region. The newly constructed chamber is scheduled to fill with water before the summer, and it is planned to go into full operation in 2024. Construction at Charleroi began in 2004. Over a span of 20 years, the Charleroi project required 17 contracts and 20 designers. Once complete, the Pittsburgh District will begin removing the river dam at Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, to create one continuous navigable pool between Charleroi and Braddock, Pennsylvania. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photos by Michel Sauret)

Park rangers and maintenance workers add amenities for visitors at Stonewall Jackson
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Scott Hannah, a park ranger for Stonewall Jackson Lake, stands over a miniature model of the reservoir that he helps manage, displayed at the dam’s visitor center in Weston, West Virginia. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District presented the management and maintenance team at Stonewall Jackson Lake with the 2023 “Project Site of the Year” for the amenities they added to improve visitor experience at the dam and reservoir. The team built a handicap-accessible overlook area, a fishing deck, a sand digger pit for kids, picnic tables, pavilions, and a sandbag tossing game, among other amenities for visitors to enjoy. Stonewall Jackson Lake is in Lewis County, West Virginia, and one of 16 flood-control projects in the Pittsburgh District. The reservoir provides flood protection for the Monongahela, upper Ohio, and West Fork rivers. The corps began constructing Stonewall Jackson Lake in 1983 and completed it in 1990, though the dam has been operating since January 1988. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The Environmental and Cultural Resources Section includes biologists, environmental specialists, physical scientists, environmental engineers, archaeologists, a tribal liaison, and a hist
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A team of environmental specialists from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District walk along a hiking trail at Tionesta Lake in northwestern Pennsylvania, July 24, 2023. The team inspected a proposal to reroute the trail through federal lands near the lake. The Environmental and Cultural Resources Section includes biologists, environmental specialists, physical scientists, environmental engineers, archaeologists, a tribal liaison, and a historian. Their mission includes protecting natural resources, wetlands, waterways, and locations of archaeological value. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

PITTSBURGH – In the heart of the Pittsburgh District lies a realty office working quietly behind the scenes to support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ mission.

This is where blueprints and digital maps of federal lands meet the real needs of construction projects and determine decisions on the front lines of property lines.  

While Pittsburgh may be known for its rivers and bridges, much of its surrounding landscape would be vastly different today without the reservoirs that hold back rain and prevent catastrophic flooding in the region.

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Pittsburgh Locks Dams Independence Day
Recreational boaters enjoy the water near the Point of Pittsburgh before the fireworks show July 4, 2021. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District locks and dams are open year-round, including on federal holidays, for recreational boaters to enjoy the city’s views and for commercial barges to navigate the waterways safely. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 210704-A-TI382-1235

The Pittsburgh District owns and operates 16 reservoirs and 23 locks and dams, but none of those lakes or navigation facilities would be possible without the land needed to create them.

“One of the things that makes my job meaningful is that everything starts and ends with real estate,” said Nakita Smith, a team lead realty specialist for the Pittsburgh District. “It means that no project can begin without first acquiring the necessary lands to build the project.”

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District will host a groundbreaking ceremony at Montgomery Locks and Dam to kick off construction to update the Ohio River’s oldest and smallest navigation facilities.
US Army Corps of Engineers hosts groundbreaking to kick off construction at Montgomery Locks and Dam on upper Ohio River
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District will host a groundbreaking ceremony at Montgomery Locks and Dam to kick off construction to update the Ohio River’s oldest and smallest navigation facilities.
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 230808-A-TI382-1002

Even though the Pittsburgh District belongs to the U.S. Army, its mission deals with mostly civil works, not military construction. The district builds and maintains dams to form reservoirs, locks and dams to support river navigation, and local-protection projects to reduce river flooding in places like Johnstown and Punxsutawney.

In the case of a reservoir, adding a dam means transforming a portion of a river into a lake, flooding a valley to hold more water in place. The Pittsburgh District handles more than 13,000 parcels of land associated with flood mitigation.

The Kinzua Dam releases 15,000 cubic feet of water per second for eight hours, resulting in 3.2 billion gallons of water released into the river during those hours, equivalent to nearly 5,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools in Warren, Pennsylvania, March 30, 2023. Kinzua Dam released this water in March to simulate a “spring pulse,” which are natural phenomena that typically occur in temperate climates and during early spring and send cues to aquatic species and other parts of the ecosystem by moving sediments and nutrients. The district’s water management team modeled the operation to ensure the artificial pulse would not impact the reservoir’s summer pool or cause flooding. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Andrew Byrne)
Pittsburgh District’s Water Quality team conducts first “spring pulse”
The Kinzua Dam releases 15,000 cubic feet of water per second for eight hours, resulting in 3.2 billion gallons of water released into the river during those hours, equivalent to nearly 5,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools in Warren, Pennsylvania, March 30, 2023. Kinzua Dam released this water in March to simulate a “spring pulse,” which are natural phenomena that typically occur in temperate climates and during early spring and send cues to aquatic species and other parts of the ecosystem by moving sediments and nutrients. The district’s water management team modeled the operation to ensure the artificial pulse would not impact the reservoir’s summer pool or cause flooding. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Andrew Byrne)
Photo By: Andrew Byrne
VIRIN: 230330-A-XW512-2873

“Our real estate office serves as the executive agent for the land and waters associated with our mission,” said Ken Lieu, the chief of the Real Estate office for the Pittsburgh District.

His office operates in two branches, the Realty Services Branch and the Management & Disposal Branch, each with distinct functions. The former handles technical aspects like acquisitions, appraisals and certifications, while the latter oversees property disposal when it no longer serves the corps' mission. Their work also includes appraisals, land condemnation, mapping, legal descriptions, title work, licenses, permits, boundary disputes, compliance reviews and more.

Beyond its federal mission, the district leases some of its land for recreation purposes. The team manages more than 1,900 land leases known as “outgrants.” Local and state partners use the outgrants to offer camping, hunting, and outdoor sports to the public. The district had more than 5 million visitors in 2022. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is one of the nation's leading federal providers of outdoor recreation, welcoming 260 million visitors annually across 43 states.  

Recreation at Youghiogheny river lake
Youghiogheny Recreation
A camper prepares his site at the Mill Run Recreation Area and campground at Youghiogheny River Lake in Maryland, July 15, 2022. Mill Run is one of two campsites operated by the Youghiogheny River Lake staff and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District. The lake serves as a reservoir, which offers flood risk reduction to the Youghiogheny and lower Monongahela River valleys as well as the upper Ohio River. Youghiogheny River Lake provides camping, water sports, biking trails, and fishing opportunities to residents and visitors. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 220716-A-TI382-1297

“We make land available to state agencies like the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Ohio Department of Natural Resources and other agencies for outdoor purposes, environmental stewardship , such as manage and protect wildlife and their habitats and many other missions,” said Jason Caldwell, a lead realty specialist.

The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of managing property for the Pittsburgh District.
Real Estate Office
David Gillingham, a cartographer in the Real Estate office for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, poses for a portrait at the district office in Pittsburgh, Nov. 20, 2023. The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of managing property for the Pittsburgh District. Their work includes appraisals, acquisition, land condemnation, legal descriptions, mapping, title work, licenses, permits, boundary disputes, compliance reviews and more. The district also manages more than 1,900 land leases known as outgrants for recreational and other public purposes. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 231120-A-TI382-1025

The team of 20 includes a diverse group of specialists such as appraisers, surveyors, GIS professionals, and cartographers, united by their real estate expertise.

"We focus on hiring people with experience rather than with a particular education," said Jeff Horneman, the deputy chief of Real Estate and chief of Realty Services.

The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of managing property for the Pittsburgh District.
Real Estate Office
Jeff Horneman, the deputy chief of the Real Estate office for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, poses for a portrait at the district office in Pittsburgh, Nov. 20, 2023. The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of managing property for the Pittsburgh District. Their work includes appraisals, acquisition, land condemnation, legal descriptions, mapping, title work, licenses, permits, boundary disputes, compliance reviews and more. The district also manages more than 1,900 land leases known as outgrants for recreational and other public purposes. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 231120-A-TI382-1265

That is why park rangers often become great candidates to work in realty. They come with years of knowledge from working at the district’s reservoirs, becoming very familiar with their lands, boundaries and local land issues.

“They have a great knowledge of what goes on at our projects, and they understand how to coordinate with local landowners, which is key to the whole real estate office,” Smith said.

The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of managing property for the Pittsburgh District.
Real Estate Office
Matthew Opsitos, a realty specialist in the Real Estate office for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, poses for a portrait at the district office in Pittsburgh, Nov. 20, 2023. The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of managing property for the Pittsburgh District. Their work includes appraisals, acquisition, land condemnation, legal descriptions, mapping, title work, licenses, permits, boundary disputes, compliance reviews and more. The district also manages more than 1,900 land leases known as outgrants for recreational and other public purposes. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 231120-A-TI382-1186

Knowing and defending the property boundaries is a major aspect of the job. The district often faces encroachment problems from property owners who build beyond their property lines. Sometimes the encroachment is due to an honest mistake, such as relying on outdated or insufficient public data.

Many land surveys are done based on a records search that goes back only 30 years, but the district built most of its dams 60 to 100 years ago. It can be costly for a property owner to acquire titles that go back that far in history. Additionally, many geospatial tax maps do not show easements, which is the buffer zone of land extending from an estate where building restrictions apply.

Shenango River Lake is one of 16 flood-control projects operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District. The project mitigates flooding in the Shenango River Valley as well as the Beaver and upper Ohio rivers. Since its completion in 1965, Shenango Dam has prevented more than $252 million in flood damages.
Public affairs specialists produce photo stories at Shenango Riv
Public affairs specialists from across the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division came to the Pittsburgh District to train on their photography and multimedia skills during the first regional visual storytelling workshop hosted by the district’s public affairs office. Shenango River Lake is one of 16 flood-control projects operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District. The project mitigates flooding in the Shenango River Valley as well as the Beaver and upper Ohio rivers. Since its completion in 1965, Shenango Dam has prevented more than $252 million in flood damages. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 231024-A-TI382-1303

To help property owners avoid encroachments, the realty office spent thousands of hours consolidating data into an accurate multi-layered online map. The geographic information system map, known as the Civil Works Land Data Migration, shows all USA lands owned in the Pittsburgh District and across the country.

“If someone buys or already owns land adjoining our corps property, and if they decide to build a structure, they can use the CWLDM tool to see where existing USA easements are,” Horneman said.

Viewers can use the map to reference layers such as parcel lines, regulatory boundaries, reservoirs, channel lines and more. It took five years for Horneman and fellow team members to map every inch of their Pittsburgh territory.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District operates the reservoir to provide flood protection for the Mahoning River Valley and the Beaver and upper Ohio rivers. The recreation areas offer residents and visitors opportunities for fishing, hiking, boating, camping, picnicking and disc golf.
Michael J. Kirwan Dam and Reservoir
Michael J. Kirwan Dam and Reservoir, located in Wayland, Ohio, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, provides flood protection for the Mahoning River Valley and the Beaver and upper Ohio rivers. The recreation areas offer residents and visitors opportunities for fishing, hiking, boating, camping, picnicking and disc golf.
Photo By: Ashley Daugherty
VIRIN: 220818-A-WW751-1732

"It was a huge accomplishment, a feat we're incredibly proud of," Horneman said.

They organized and uploaded thousands of data points, all to serve the public. The office continuously keeps the database consistent and accurate.

“Each of our projects might have 400 paper maps. It would take days to match up maps with one another to make a project decision,” said Horneman. “Now they are all digitized and overlayed to the same scale, combining old records and deeds.”

The Environmental and Cultural Resources Section includes biologists, environmental specialists, physical scientists, environmental engineers, archaeologists, a tribal liaison, and a hist
Environmental stewards clear path for projects
A team of environmental specialists from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District walk along a hiking trail at Tionesta Lake in northwestern Pennsylvania, July 24, 2023. The team inspected a proposal to reroute the trail through federal lands near the lake. The Environmental and Cultural Resources Section includes biologists, environmental specialists, physical scientists, environmental engineers, archaeologists, a tribal liaison, and a historian. Their mission includes protecting natural resources, wetlands, waterways, and locations of archaeological value. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 230724-A-TI382-0344

Their work extends beyond technical triumphs and real estate transactions. They support the public, elected officials, commercial property owners and stakeholders at all levels of government to use land to serve and benefit people.

“We spent hours upon hours, even nights and weekends, trying to pull thousands of pieces of properties together into one place,” Smith said.

Park rangers and maintenance workers add amenities for visitors at Stonewall Jackson
Headwaters Highlights: Stonewall Jackson team keeps it ‘in-hou
Scott Hannah, a park ranger for Stonewall Jackson Lake, stands over a miniature model of the reservoir that he helps manage, displayed at the dam’s visitor center in Weston, West Virginia. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District presented the management and maintenance team at Stonewall Jackson Lake with the 2023 “Project Site of the Year” for the amenities they added to improve visitor experience at the dam and reservoir. The team built a handicap-accessible overlook area, a fishing deck, a sand digger pit for kids, picnic tables, pavilions, and a sandbag tossing game, among other amenities for visitors to enjoy. Stonewall Jackson Lake is in Lewis County, West Virginia, and one of 16 flood-control projects in the Pittsburgh District. The reservoir provides flood protection for the Monongahela, upper Ohio, and West Fork rivers. The corps began constructing Stonewall Jackson Lake in 1983 and completed it in 1990, though the dam has been operating since January 1988. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 230817-A-TI382-1941

Those hours of work are meaningful for the team because of their lasting effect, Smith said. Her name, and the names of her fellow realty specialists, appear on documents stored in courthouses records across the region. She finds satisfaction in knowing those documents will serve as references and help determine major land decisions in communities for decades to come.

"We're not just about land; we're about enhancing communities," Smith said.

Members of the public who want to access the Civil Works Land Data Migration can visit it online: USACE Civil Works Viewer (army.mil)

The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of managing property for the Pittsburgh District.
Real Estate Office
Allen Gratzer, a realty specialist in the Real Estate office for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, poses for a portrait at the district office in Pittsburgh, Nov. 20, 2023. The Real Estate office handles the day-to-day technical aspects of managing property for the Pittsburgh District. Their work includes appraisals, acquisition, land condemnation, legal descriptions, mapping, title work, licenses, permits, boundary disputes, compliance reviews and more. The district also manages more than 1,900 land leases known as outgrants for recreational and other public purposes. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 231120-A-TI382-1223

“Headwaters Highlights” is part of a story series to highlight every one of the facilities or teams that make the Pittsburgh District’s mission possible. Pittsburgh District’s 26,000 square miles include portions of western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, eastern Ohio, western Maryland, and southwestern New York. It has more than 328 miles of navigable waterways, 23 navigation locks and dams, 16 multi-purpose flood-control reservoirs, 42 local flood-protection projects, and other projects to protect and enhance the nation’s water resources, infrastructure and environment.


Chick Lock

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