8 Sep 2025

Sailing to Victory: USACE's Mike Rohde Takes First in the Mackinac Race

Mike Rohde, Chief of Real Estate for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Chicago, Detroit, and Buffalo Districts, sailed to victory last month, taking first place in his group during the prestigious Mackinac Race.

8 Sep 2025

Survey of Trees at Old Fort Niagara Helps Shape Future Shoreline Protection

BUFFALO, N.Y. – A recent survey of trees at Old Fort Niagara in Porter, NY, completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, is helping guide the future of shoreline protection along Lake Ontario, where natural preservation is combined with historic preservation. The district conducted a comprehensive tree survey within the project area for the Old Fort Niagara Emergency Shoreline Stabilization project, which is focused on mitigating wave action that threatens the fort's 18th and 19th-century structures, including the French Castle. The survey was coordinated in partnership with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, which manages the site.

4 Sep 2025

Keeping the Harbors Strong: The Breakwater Assessment Team Protects Great Lakes Infrastructure

The Great Lakes are more than scenic, they are vital to the U.S. and Canadian economies. Together, the ports, harbors and channels that make up the Great Lakes Navigation System support nearly 238,000 jobs and generate more than $28 billion in business revenue each year. From raw materials fueling manufacturing plants to the flow of goods and tourism that sustain local communities, this system touches nearly every part of daily life in the region.

2 Sep 2025

Massive Wall Beams make their move to Chickamauga Lock

After over a decade in storage, massive 120-foot-long concrete wall beams are being transported by barge from Watts Bar Dam to the Chickamauga Lock Replacement Project site, marking a key milestone in improving navigation infrastructure on the Tennessee River. These beams, originally fabricated in 2013, are crucial to completing the upstream approach wall, which is now 68% finished. The transport involves careful coordination using hydraulic systems and rotating barges over several weeks, with beam installation underway. Once complete, the new lock will significantly increase efficiency for commercial navigation, processing nine jumbo barges per lockage compared to just one currently.

28 Aug 2025

Louisville District signs Record of Decision for former Camp Breckinridge

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District has signed a Record of Decision (ROD) for the former Camp Breckinridge, a Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) located in Union County, Kentucky. Project manager for the USACE Louisville District’s Environmental Support Section within the Military Branch of the Planning, Programs and Project Management Division, Matthew Kluge, explained that the purpose of a ROD is to document the selection of the remedial action.

28 Aug 2025

USACE staff work around the clock to reopen recreation areas after historic flooding

When floodwaters finally receded throughout Kentucky’s Green River Basin, they left behind more than mud and debris –they left a monumental cleanup challenge for the crews that manage U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District flood risk management (FRM) projects in the area. Following record rainfall in early 2025, project staff at the district’s lakes have worked tirelessly repairing, cleaning and reopening facilities so visitors could enjoy as much of the 2025 recreation season as possible. Several reservoirs reached historic highs: Rough River Lake crested at a record 530.4 feet MSL (mean sea level), Barren River Lake at 586 feet MSL, Nolin River Lake reached its second-highest pool at 556.28 feet, and Green River Lake rose into its top five historic pools on record.

26 Aug 2025

From Nerves to Success: Jesse Pennington’s PE Exam Journey

For many civil engineers, the Professional Engineer (PE) exam is more than a test — it’s a milestone that can shape the trajectory of an entire career. For Buffalo District Civil Engineer, Jesse Pennington , passing the exam has opened the door to new opportunities and greater influence in her profession.

22 Aug 2025

Corps of Engineers to hold community meeting at Northwood

22 Aug 2025

USACE Command Sergeant Major visits the Louisville District

Earlier this month, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Command Sgt. Maj. Douglas Galick visited the Louisville District, touring several key projects in the area, Aug. 12, 2025. The day began with an overview of the district’s diverse missions, followed by a visit to McAlpine Locks and Dam in Louisville, Kentucky, where Galick received a site tour of the facility and observed daily operations that keep commerce moving on the Ohio River. He then toured the district’s $930 million mega project—the new Louisville VA Medical Center. As construction crews worked on site, Galick viewed progress on the future healthcare facility for Veterans. The new 104-bed, full-service hospital will serve more than 45,000 Veterans in Kentucky and Southern Indiana, integrating modern, patient-centered design concepts to deliver world-class care.

20 Aug 2025

The Louisville District aids in military recruiting mission

Recruiting is a key part of keeping the military mission-ready and for many, walking into a recruiting office is the first step of that journey. Behind the scenes, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District’s Real Estate Division works hard to make sure those offices are ready to welcome the next generation of service members. Through the Joint Recruiting Facilities Program, the Louisville District’s Real Estate Inleasing Branch manages the acquisition and maintenance of military recruitment offices across five states, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois. Under a Department of Defense directive, the Secretary of the Army is designated as the executive agent for recruiting facilities, making USACE the key player in managing space for all branches of the military.