U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Northwestern Division

As a parent organization of five very distinct districts, we sometimes get the feeling that they are more like siblings than individual government entities by the products they submit and how they interact with us 😂. What say you, Portland District I Walla-Walla District I Seattle District I US Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District I U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District? National Sibling Day

Beth Coffey serves as the as the Northwestern Division Programs Director where she is responsible for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ civil works mission consisting of planning, navigation, flood control, stream bank and shore protection, hurricane and storm damage reduction, emergency preparedness response and recovery, hydropower, water supply, recreation, environmental protection and recovery, permitting, real estate, and interagency and international support activities across the Columbia and Missouri River basins -- an area comprising about a fourth of the continental United States.

Today, a good portion of the country will be dazzled by a total solar eclipse. Parts of Oregon experienced one in 2017 and Portland District had several sites in the path of totality. This image, by Sarah P. Bennett, shows various stages of that eclipse at Detroit Dam, east of Salem, Ore., Aug. 21, 2017.

A #FlashbackFriday seems like the ideal day to reminisce about the total solar eclipse that took place in Oregon in 2017. The path of totality crossed over the state and four Portland District projects (Detroit and Big Cliff dams on the North Santiam River and Foster and Green Peter dams on the South Santiam River). Did you witness this? If so, comment below. Portland District took some extra precautions for that event because of the predicted influx of people to the state to see the celestial phenomenon. You can read more about that, here: https://lnkd.in/gT-GBJJg. In this composite image, a total solar eclipse appears above Foster Dam and Reservoir in Sweet Home, Oregon, Aug. 21, 2017. Portland District closed roads over Green Peter and Detroit dams and added additional emergency management support, public outreach and security personnel at Foster and Detroit dams in anticipation of the event. 📷 by Tom Conning

Water from the Columbia River cascades over a spillway weir at John Day Dam, March 28. We started spill operations at John Day Dam 20 days earlier than normal as part of an agreement to stay Columbia River litigation. Spill operations targeting juvenile salmon and steelhead generally start April 3 on the lower Snake River and April 10 on the lower Columbia River. We are committed to managing the Columbia River System in a responsible way in accordance with the Congressional authorized purposes of the projects. The new agreement on managing and operating the river system reflects the federal agencies’ shared commitment to collaborating with our Tribal partners, the Northwest states, and others on solutions that achieve the economic and social benefits the Columbia River System while providing for the environmental needs of aquatic resources and wildlife. For more, visit: https://lnkd.in/ghdgGHjM. 📷 by Amber Tilton

Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and their group travelled more than 8,000 miles during their journey from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean. If it takes roughly 2,100 steps to cover a mile (depending on stride distance), they could have taken 16.8 million steps (this number is likely much lower considering they used other means to travel like boats). Either way, they walked a LOT! The American Heart Association established National Walking Day in 2007, which it celebrates on the first Wednesday in April. National Walking Day encourages people to move more throughout their day. So, be like Lewis and Clark – walk, adventure and move! Why are you seeing this here? We’re glad you asked! Northwestern Division is one of nine US Army Corps of Engineers divisions. Where once this frontier fired the imagination of Thomas Jefferson and tested the resourcefulness of Lewis and Clark, its 21st century challenges are answered today by nearly 5,000 hardy spirits. Two of the country’s longest rivers – the Missouri and Columbia – drain nearly one million square miles within its boundaries that stretch from Seattle, Wash., to St. Louis, Mo. (basically the entire route that Lewis and Clark took). For more about NWD: https://lnkd.in/g3Z3jUTW. Some information in this post is derived from the National Park Service’s Lewis and Clark Expedition website.

Northwestern Division's public affairs Director received recognition from his peers at a recent workshop with this awesome award! The Chief of Army Public Affairs officially designated Saint Gabriel as the patron saint of Army Public Affairs in 2014. The Army Public Affairs Association, in collaboration with OCPA, designed, approved and developed the Military Order of Saint Gabriel program to recognize those individuals who have made significant contributions to the U.S. Army Public Affairs community and practice. Congratulations!

In an effort to continually improve navigation on the Columbia and Missouri rivers, Northwestern Division is initiating an innovative solution to reduce the amount of dredging of federally-authorized channels. This includes investing in new infrastructure named the Floating Assisted Regionalized Conveyer Entity (F.A.R.C.E.). To learn more about how USACE maintains navigation in these waterways, visit: https://lnkd.in/gwvFYwnq. *Image is an artist’s (AI) rendition of what the F.A.R.C.E. could look like.

We hop(e) you have a dam... fine Easter holiday (if you observe this holiday). Also, if you happen to celebrate Easter by hiding eggs near any of our dams, please leave no trace (find all your eggs and pick up your trash, etc.). Also, if you’re on or near water, wear your life jacket, just like this cute AI-generated bunny. For more on how to protect various resources at our sites, visit: https://lnkd.in/gTyk7AYw.

Gabrielle Skovira Marucci, PMP, Walla-Walla District project controls specialist, works as a remote employee, serving the Pacific Northwest from the Southeast corner of the country. “My husband is an Army Engineer and I heard good things about the [US Army Corps of Engineers] mission and culture from some of his colleagues. The position description, plus the fact that it was remote was what led me to apply,” Marucci said. She and her husband are currently stationed in U.S. Southern Command in Florida after moving from his previous station in Germany. Marucci is not the only Walla Walla District employee to work remotely. The district has about 40 remote positions. In fact, according to the results of the 2023 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, about 14% of U.S. federal employees have remote work agreements. Remote work is just one way that the federal workforce is evolving to meet the challenges of the future. The Walla Walla District will continue to find innovative ways to deliver its mission to serve the Snake River Basin and the nation. Full story by Hannah Mitchell: https://lnkd.in/gbThfeCy.