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Author: Hannah Mitchell
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  • March

    Serving the Northwest from afar

    Every day, Gabrielle Marucci sits down at her desk and logs into her computer, checking her email and meeting schedule. Her desk sits next to a window and, outside, one might expect to see scenery indicative of the Pacific Northwest. Marucci, after all, works for the Walla Walla District, located in the state of Washington.
  • What a leader looks like

    “What does being a leader mean to you?” This was a question posed by Lt. Col. ShaiLin KingSlack, Commander of the Walla Walla District, when she spoke to tribal students at schools in Pendleton, Oregon.
  • August

    The end of a long journey: a history of Lower Granite Lock and Dam

    It was early in the morning and a steam-powered paddleboat made its way up the lower Snake River, trimmed with colored flags. The date was June 19, 1975, and the mood was festive. The vessel was heading for Lower Granite Lock and Dam, whose pool had been raised just four months prior.
  • July

    Larger than life: A history of Dworshak Dam

    In May 1948, floodwaters on the Columbia River overtopped the cofferdam where construction was underway on McNary Lock and Dam. This flood, one of the largest on record, was one of many documented in the region since the mid-1880s. The propensity for flooding in the Northwest sparked much discussion about regional flood control.
  • June

    Waiting in the wings: A history of Little Goose Lock and Dam

    By 1962, Ice Harbor Lock and Dam had been built and construction of the second lower Snake River dam, Lower Monumental, was being passed to the US Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District. The third dam in the queue was right on the heels of Lower Monumental, but construction could not begin until the details of its downstream neighbor were determined.
  • May

    'We’ll cross that bridge…': A history of Lower Monumental Lock and Dam

    Lower Monumental Lock and Dam sits on a remote stretch of the Snake River, in a landscape of wheat fields and rolling hills. The only town within a 20-minute drive is Kahlotus, Washington, six miles north, with a population of less than 200. The only major road is State Highway 261, which crosses the river at Lyons Ferry, 18 miles upriver.
  • April

    First Bipartisan Infrastructure Law project is a story of success for the Walla Walla District

    The Walla Walla District recently completed dredging work at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers near Lewiston, Idaho and downstream of Ice Harbor Dam. This is the first project the district has completed using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds.
  • From water to watts: A history of Ice Harbor Lock and Dam

    Ice Harbor Lock and Dam boasts some of the most cutting-edge hydropower technology in the world. Two advanced technology turbines currently sit in the powerhouse, with a third one on the way. These new turbines were designed to improve fish passage and generate electricity more efficiently.
  • March

    A step towards navigable waters: A history of McNary Lock and Dam

    As people moved into the Pacific Northwest, communities grew around the rivers, especially the Columbia and Snake. Back then, the rivers were temperamental and hard to navigate. However, there was a vision to create a river highway, one that would allow barges to carry cargo from the Pacific Ocean to the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers, 465 miles inland.
  • February

    Guarding the Treasure Valley: A history of Lucky Peak Dam

    Every year, snowmelt from the surrounding mountains flows into creeks and streams that join the Boise River. When flows reach 7,000 cubic feet per second or higher, the river is considered at flood stage.
  • January

    Through fair or foul weather: A history of the Mill Creek Project

    In 1931, a torrent of brown water roared down Mill Creek, with water levels rising at a rate of one foot per hour. The water escaped the confines of the riverbanks and rushed through the City of Walla Walla, destroying homes, roads and bridges. Born in the wake of this disastrous event, the Mill Creek Project now stands to protect the city from floods like this.
  • November

    Keeping the lights on: Walla Walla Temporary Power Team installs generators in the wake of Hurricane Fiona

    On September 19, the day after Hurricane Fiona made landfall near Punta Tocón, members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District Planning and Response Team (PRT) boarded a plane in Atlanta and flew to Puerto Rico. The team landed in San Juan at 8 p.m., on a mission to install generators and provide temporary emergency power to the island.
  • September

    New fish ladder planned for the Mill Creek Diversion Dam

    The Mill Creek Channel is getting an update.
  • August

    Uncovering the past: Mastodon jaw found on Corps land

    It was windy, and the little boat bounced on whitecaps as it crossed the Columbia River. On May 9, Walla Walla District archeologists and natural resource management staff were heading out to meet with tribal and community members to discuss an important discovery on Corps land.
  • April

    Docks along the shoreline: The intersection of public and private property

    For those who live along the river, the idea of having a boat dock can be attractive. However, specific laws, rules and procedures go into installing a boat dock, and it’s important to be aware of the process, especially for those living adjacent to federally managed shorelines.
  • 4 million mouths to feed

    Just below Dworshak Dam, on the shore of the Clearwater River, lies the Dworshak National Fish Hatchery (DNFH). The DNFH raises millions of salmon and steelhead smolts every year to be released into the river and make their way down to the ocean.
  • Modernizing hydropower on the Snake River

    Hydropower, a clean, renewable and reliable energy source, just became safer for fish and more efficient at generating electricity, thanks to the new turbines at Ice Harbor Lock and Dam on the Snake River in southeast Washington.
  • February

    There and Back Again: A Salmon’s Tale in the Pacific Northwest

    Some fish live in freshwater streams and lakes. Other fish live in the ocean, in saltwater. Then there are salmon who do both. Salmon are anadromous, meaning they live part of their lives in freshwater and part in saltwater.
  • January

    Walla Walla County and Corps partner to increase Mill Creek Channel’s safety

    In October 2018, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, in partnership with the non-federal sponsor, Walla Walla County, began a General Investigation (GI) study on the Mill Creek Flood Control Project.
  • June

    Essential to the Mission

    Volunteers are an invaluable part of the Corps of Engineers team. The Walla Walla District Corps of Engineers is responsible for thousands of acres of land in Washington, Idaho and Oregon. Proper management of those lands would not be possible without the volunteers who lend their time and abilities to the mission.