U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Northwestern Division

Yesterday, Portland District held its annual Engineering Day event, which started with a jam-packed room of more than 100 local high school students. Portland engineers enjoy this event as it gives them a chance to hang out with the next generation of engineers (unless none of these students decide to be engineers ?? ).

This week, Brig. Gen. Bill Hannan, NWD commander, met with Seattle District’s Leadership Development Program participants. During their interaction, Hannan discussed agency priorities, leadership, regional governance, among other topics with the group. District leadership development programs are designed to develop and enhance an employee’s leadership skills and broaden their perspectives to look beyond their day-to-day tasks so they better meet the changing needs of USACE, and to improve execution of our missions.

As directed by the Department of Defense (DoD) Instruction 5400.17 and other Executive Orders from the President of the United States, Northwestern Division is removing or modifying certain posts, is in the process of removing or modifying posts to ensure compliance with these directives. We are archiving this information in accordance with Department of the Army Pamphlet 25–403.?We strive for maximum transparency regarding government communications, which is why NWD is posting this notice. It is also important to note that the DoD does not own this social media platform, so all official information should be verified at https://lnkd.in/gC7Rw3ND. The owner of this platform could ban, delete, modify, or manipulate media on the site at any time.

This was Sunday, as flows came into one of Portland District's reservoirs—the result of back-to-back atmospheric rivers that pounded our region with heavy rain. ? This once-raging water is now sitting behind Blue River Dam, one of their13 dams in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, located in the McKenzie River Basin about 40 miles from the city of Eugene. ? If torrents like this traveled far enough downstream, they would eventually reach our communities, where they could cause serious—in some cases devastating—flooding. ? This is the primary reason why Portland District built the Willamette Valley system of dams (between 1940 and 1969): to protect communities from flood risk. ? It's why you’ll see the water in their reservoirs all across the valley looking their lowest in the late fall and early winter. They keep the reservoirs at their minimum levels, so we have space to store rainfall when a storm—like the one that battered the Pacific Northwest over the weekend—comes their way. ? This has remained the primary purpose of the Willamette Valley dams and reservoirs. Today, the system saves the state of Oregon and taxpayers an estimated $1 billion in averted flood damages every year.

This week is Invasive Species Awareness Week, which helps raise awareness about invasive species, the threat that they pose, and what can be done to prevent their spread. We’ve recently seen quagga mussels show up in the Mid-Snake River in Idaho and the state has been working to rid the river of them. According to a state website, “this invasive species can quickly spread and clog pipes (as shown) that deliver water for drinking, energy, agriculture, recreation, and a variety of other uses. These mussels can negatively affect fish populations and wildlife habitat. The mussels are highly competitive, persistent, and can create monocultures that will eliminate Idaho's diverse biological landscape. If left untreated, a quagga mussel infestation has the potential to cost Idaho hundreds of millions of dollars in actual and indirect costs. This would affect every irrigator, power user, and recreator.?? Quagga mussels are primarily spread through human activities and have been done so unintentionally. Increased, travel, trade and tourism have contributed to the movement of quagga mussels across oceans and inter-state waterbodies; some species find their way accidentally by hitching a ride in, ballast tanks, inflatable watercrafts, cargo, or any items that come into contact with infested water.” Learn more about them, here: https://lnkd.in/gfmAzHvP and learn how USACE addresses invasive species, here: https://lnkd.in/gGWgfQYF.

National Engineers Week (February 16-22) promotes educational and career opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and celebrates how engineers make a difference in the world. The Army marks the event by highlighting engineers’ achievements, engaging with educational and community groups and participating in various STEM outreach programs and events.

Our division and districts are part of an organization that is delivering a $95 billion portfolio of programs and projects, including civil works in communities nationwide and military construction on installations around the world. Meet Heather Johnson, a Seattle District resident engineer. ??

#DYK: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is one of the largest employers of STEM disciplines in the Federal Government. We employ more than 11,000 engineers, 500 architects, 400 geologists, 180 archeologists and 110 chemists.

In recognition of President’s Day, we asked AI to reimagine George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River while wearing a life jacket. Why did we do this you ask? Because we take water safety seriously! * Image is not real and generated by AI.

Happy Valentine’s Day. Will you be ours since we made this sweet joke! Are you a math book? Because you have all the right problems!