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:

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.

21 May 2020

Employee Spotlight: Vicky Person

Vicky Person joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, team three years ago and has over 35 years of experience in the field of geotechnical, environmental and construction quality control in the Midwest.

19 May 2020

High Water Impacts on Coastal Erosion

Record high lake levels in 2019 on Lake Michigan have increased the height of the wave impact and accelerated the erosion. Holland, Michigan reported a loss of 50 feet of beach since last summer. Many homeowners and communities have been caught off-guard with the dramatic increase in erosion along the coastline, with numerous homes lost to the collapsing bluff.

10 Dec 2019

Employee Spotlight: Kelly Schroter

After participating in a developmental assignment at the USACE headquarters office for four months, Kelly Schroter reflects on her experiences.“[I] really enjoyed learning how aspects of my job, such as Congressional inquiries and taskers, are generated and processed at headquarters level,” according to Schroter, the Detroit District Strategic

4 Dec 2019

Detroit wins Corps Small Business awards

The Detroit District leadership participated in the Federal Small Business Conference this year and received U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awards while there for the great work the district does with the small business community.The Detroit District won First Place for Top Hub Zone and Third Place for the Top Small Business awards in 2018, competing

25 Oct 2019

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III announced

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler unveiled an updated action plan under the Great lakes Restoration Initiative, GLRI, at Sunset Point in Belle Isle Park in Detroit. The GLRI Action Plan III will guide the actions of federal agencies and their many partners over the next five years to protect and restore the Great Lakes –

7 Oct 2019

Employee Spotlight: Chuck Gould

Chuck Gould, lead program analyst, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, recently served four and a half months at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters office in a developmental assignment. "The experience was fast-paced and a great opportunity for those working in or interested in the Corps Civil Works Planning Community,” said

28 Nov 2018

Restoring the Boardman

By Emily Schaefer, public affairs specialistConstruction teams have been actively engaged and moving dirt since 2017 to remove two dams on the Boardman River in Traverse City, Michigan.    The Boardman River Ecosystem Restoration Project is one of the most comprehensive dam removal and restoration projects in Michigan’s history and one of the

6 Jun 2018

Biologist plans to fish fulltime

As a young boy growing up in the small town of Midland, Michigan, he spent his summers fishing, water skiing and swimming. Now, as a 68-year-old biologist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, he still very much enjoys the outdoors.Hal Harrington, who works on ecosystem restoration projects, feels his life has come full circle as