5 Oct 2021

Lockmaster’s view – The McAlpine Locks and Dam

Within the entire length of the Ohio River, there was only one place where rock reef extended across the river for a stretch of three miles – The Falls of the Ohio. This area of water was a low water slope, dropping around thirty feet over the three miles and made it practically impassable by cargo and transportation vessels in the early 1800s except when the water level was high; even then, it was treacherous. This article consists of a safety summary and a personal interview from the McAlpine Locks and Dam Lockmaster, Jay Rickman.

28 Sep 2021

District closes fiscal year with day at the ballpark

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District employees gathered at Louisville Slugger Field Sept. 26, 2021 to recognize and celebrate the hard work by district employees over the past year.

16 Sep 2021

Logistics team removes area offices’ excess equipment

In the early morning hours of their five-day trip to Duluth, Minnesota, the Detroit District Logistics team were quietly loading excess equipment onto a flat-bed truck headed south. The equipment’s destination was the UNICOR facility in Kansas, an electronics recycling center that converts electronics into recyclable materials for resale to registered vendors. “By using UNICOR, we estimate $8,000 in savings to the district based on acquisition cost,” said Detroit District Logistics Manager Jena Graham. “Due to the area offices being spread out, it was not cost effective to consolidate their excess at one location for a typical pick-up.” A one-way trip from the District Headquarters in Detroit, Michigan to the Duluth Area Office in Minnesota is nearly a 12-hour drive.

7 Jul 2021

Developmental assignment offers growth, connection for USACE employee

DETROIT - He cannot get enough of the Great Lakes; some might say he’s hooked. By day, John Allis is the Great Lakes Hydraulics and Hydrology Office Chief and by night, he enjoys being in, on or around the Great Lakes with his family. Allis’ office in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District handles a wide range of activities supporting the International Joint Commission, including water level forecasting, flow regulation and monitoring hydroclimate conditions across the Great Lakes. The Corps of Engineers has a reputation of success through skill development and knowledge gain. By design, district employees often have opportunities to do just that through developmental assignments. John recently completed a three-month developmental assignment as Chief of Water Management Division with the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division where he had much broader responsibilities.

28 Jun 2021

Corps of Engineers student trainee heads to med school

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich., -A Lake Superior State University graduate is gaining valuable work experience with the U.S. Corps of Engineers’ Soo Area Office as an Industrial Hygienist-Intern before heading to medical school this fall. Sophie McConkey, a local to the Sault Ste. Marie area, found out about the Corps of Engineers’ student trainee internship through a friend of the family. She applied for the position in early 2020 as a chance to work in a field directly related to her degree and that offered her a chance to grow professionally in her area of study at Lake Superior State University. During an interview with Sophie about her time with the Corps of Engineers and her student trainee internship, she answered the following questions:

24 May 2021

Cheatham Lock helps fuel Middle Tennessee in wake of pipeline shutdown

ASHLAND CITY, Tenn. (May 24, 2021) – With the recent shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District opened up Cheatham Lock despite restrictions during scheduled maintenance so barges destined to fuel Middle Tennessee could navigate up the Cumberland River to Nashville terminals.

21 Apr 2021

Employee Spotlight: Barry Wright

Great Lakes and Ohio River Division LRD Employee Spotlight: Barry Wright, Safety and Occupational Health Manager

25 Mar 2021

New Employee Spotlight: John Allis

New Employee Spotlight: John Allis, Chief, Water Management Division

5 Mar 2021

Corps lowers impact to fish spawning near Soo Locks

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. (March 5, 2021) - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) officials will use dry blasting during New Lock at the Soo construction to avoid or drastically minimize impacts to fish larvae and adult fish spawning near the Soo Locks. The Soo Locks on the St. Marys River allow vessels to navigate the 21 ft elevation change between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes. A new Poe-sized lock being built will provide necessary redundancy in the Great Lakes Navigation System’s critical infrastructure. To build the New Lock, deepening the channel on the upstream side (west) of the Poe lock is necessary. Dredging is scheduled to occur in 2021-2022.

30 Dec 2020

Employee Spotlight: 20 questions in 60 seconds

Suzanne Chubb, Regulatory Program Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Great Lakes and Ohio River Division (LRD), was recently selected as the October Employee of the Month.