Driven to Deliver - Army.mil
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Serving the St. Paul District Since 1977 Spring 2020 | Vol. 46, No. 1 Driven to Deliver -District leadership gathers in Red Wing for strategic planning Page 4 -St. Paul District emergency response activation includes new gadgets Page 7 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District
CROSSCURRENTS
Spring 2020 | Volume 46, Issue 1 |2
Contents
(Cover) Megan McGuire, plan-
ning, facilitates the St. Paul Comments From The Top: A message from Col. Karl Jansen 3
District Strategic Governance
Meeting. The meeting with district District leadership gathers in Red Wing for strategic planning 4
leaders was held in Red Wing,
Minnesota, Jan. 7-9. Emergency response activation includes new gadgets 7
USACE photo by Shannon Bauer High water flows continue to affect rivers with ice jams 8
Snow surveys get an upgrade 9
Crosscurrents is an unofficial publication authorized under the provisions of Silver Jackets help communities with emergency planning 10
AR 360-1. It is published quarterly for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St.
Paul District. Views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the
Department of the Army or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Lock and Dam tow rail systems get upgrades 11
Articles and photography submissions are welcome. Submissions may Non-standard estate opens doors for dredged material placement sites 12
be mailed or emailed. Submissions should be in Microsoft Word format.
Photos should be at least 5 in. x 7 in. at 300 dpi. Arcadia flood risk management project study progresses 13
The mission of Crosscurrents is to support the commander’s internal National Engineers Week 14
information program for the St. Paul District and its stakeholders.
Crosscurrents also serves as the commander’s primary communication 2019 Upper Mississippi River navigation statistics 15
tool for accurately transmitting policies and command philosophy to the St.
Paul District community and its customers.
News and Notes 16
District Commander | Col. Karl Jansen
Public Affairs Chief | Shannon Bauer
Crosscurrents editor
Contributing authors
|
|
Melanie Peterson
George Stringham
Catch up on all of the past
|
|
Patrick Moes
Nayelli Guerrero
Crosscurrents issues online at:
https://www.mvp.usace.army.mil/Media/Crosscurrents/
Address all inquiries to:
Editor, Crosscurrents
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
180 Fifth Street East; Suite 700
St. Paul, MN 55101-1678
(651) 290-5679 | cemvp-pa@usace.army.mil
Instagram Flickr YouTube Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
CROSSCURRENTS
Spring 2020 | Volume 46, Issue 1 |3
Comments From The Top: A message from Col. Karl Jansen
MVP Teammates,
Happy New Year! We began the Our program will continue to revolve Value and People) that mirror our
year with “2020” vision to posture around our core mission areas and district acronym, M-V-P. We also
ourselves for a successful decade business lines, and we will always identified the 12 most important
ahead and beyond. About 30 dis- be expected to accomplish these individual and organizational behav-
trict leaders gathered in Red Wing, and our foundational responsibili- iors that align with these principles
Minnesota, for a Strategic Gover- ties with excellence. However, we (see Page 6 for the complete list). If
nance Meeting, or SGM, Jan. 5-7 to can raise the bar in several areas we consistently demonstrate these
form a unifying theme for our diverse to become even better. These ar- behaviors, we will know that we are
district (our vision statement), estab- eas include implementing resilient taking care of our people. If we take
lish long-term organizational goals navigation measures; leveraging good care of our people, all else
and to identify guiding principles that technical and Public-Private Partner- will follow. I will apply my personal
enable everything we do. ship, or P3, expertise in support of leadership in the next two-and-a-half
others; building upon our recognized years to promote these behaviors
Our vision is that we are “Driven to planning expertise in the region and with an aim to cement them into our
be a world-class District that De- beyond; and continuously investing overall culture and I hope you will
livers, for our workforce, partners, to build and retain a world-class too.
region, enterprise, and Nation by workforce.
BUILDING STRONG and Taking Undoubtedly spring is just around
Care of People!” This vision state- We have a lot of work to do upfront the corner! We look forward to
ment reflects our noble purpose of in order to better articulate what spe- welcoming back our terrific seasonal
faithfully serving the public to make cific types of actions these areas will staff from all of our operating proj- some very busy and exciting months
people’s lives better, and it also involve, how we will sequence these ects and recreational sites, so they ahead!
reflects our core responsibility to activities in the coming years and can pick up right where they left off.
develop an engaged team of people how this direction will be meaningful High water that persisted through As we step-up to these challenges,
who fulfill our commitments on time, for our teammates, both individually the fall and winter sets the stage for remember to always ACT in every-
on budget and with great quality. and collectively. We will use the next challenging channel maintenance thing we do by Accepting personal
six months to follow through with this and increased flood risk this spring, responsibility, Committing to safety
Looking toward 2030, we must initial effort. so we have a close eye on flood and Taking personal initiative …
predict changes in our district’s forecasts and are gearing up in case This is how we anchor ourselves in
operating environment and contin- Perhaps the thing I’m most proud of the need arises for disaster re- safety.
ue evolving, so we are postured to from the SGM was the development sponse. Paired with a ramp-up in our
maximize the value of public service. of our guiding principles (Mission, construction activities, we have Thanks for all you do!
CROSSCURRENTS
Spring 2020 | Volume 46, Issue 1 |4
District leadership gathers in Red Wing for strategic planning
Story by Shannon Bauer
Thirty-five district and emerging thinking about where the district
leaders participated in a Strategic needs to be in 10 years. One way
Governance Meeting in to do this is to go off-site and not
Red Wing, Minnesota, Jan. 7-9. be distracted by all the fires you
are typically putting out on a day-
The purpose of the three-day to-day basis,” said Terry Birken-
meeting included determining stock, chief of regional planning
the long-term strategic direction north. “It allowed us to focus
of the district and identifying key on strategy, where we think the
first steps to posture the district Corps of Engineers is headed,
for success. The group drafted where we think Congress wants
a vision statement and guiding us to focus, how we can go about
principles, as well as scoped out continually improving.”
four lines of effort leadership will
take in an attempt to position the Megan McGuire, biologist, and
District leaders from engineering and construction discuss the future of the St.
district for future success. The Sierra Keenan, planner, served
Paul District during the Strategic Governance Meeting in Red Wing,
days included a number of pre- as facilitators at the off-site. Minnesota, Jan. 7-9. USACE photo by Shannon Bauer
sentations, small breakout ses- McGuire said it was interesting
sions and team building activities. to get to facilitate, as it involved The vision statement the group Mission
There were many discussions on trying to provide structure during came up with incorporated the Value
the service the district provides, a very fluid discussion. vision of the Corps of Engineers People.”
why it provides these services Headquarters and the Mississippi
and how the district should go “I wish all of the district employ- Valley Division: The guiding principles developed
about providing these services. ees could be there to witness focus on the Mission (we are
the discussion,” she said. “It “Driven to be a world-class committed to delivering our
“Holding an off-site is important to was awesome to see our senior District that delivers for our program), Value (we are passion-
do from time-to-time, because leaders interacting in a way that workforce, partners, region, ate about using our expertise to
senior leadership doesn’t take shows how much they care about enterprise and Nation by serve others), and People (we
time during regular business the people and the mission here.” BUILDING STRONG and
hours to do a lot of strategic Taking Care of People! Story continued on Page 5
CROSSCURRENTS
Spring 2020 | Volume 46, Issue 1 |5
allowing lockages when the river nership Program and the Con-
is wide open. tinuing Authorities Program.
The second line of effort includes “We have a lot of customers inter-
working on making the district’s ested in our technical capabilities,
technical capabilities ‘agile and and we need to be able to reach
innovative.’ Kevin Wilson, dep- the customers that are interest-
uty district engineer, said this ed.” said Wilson.
includes leveraging some of
our strengths in hydraulics and The final line of effort includes de-
hydrology, private-public-part- veloping and maintaining a world-
nerships or P3 and geotechnical class workforce. This will involve
engineering and expanding our looking at hiring authorities, the
partnerships and getting our tech- work environment, professional
nical expertise recognized. development and more.
The third line of effort will include
Kevin Wilson, deputy district engineer, and project management leaders develop becoming a watershed planning
guiding principles for the St. Paul District at the strategic governance meeting in center of expertise, as well as
Red Wing, Minnesota, Jan. 7-9. USACE photo by Shannon Bauer leveraging Planning Assis-
Story continued from Page 4 teammates, when we bring them tance to States, the Tribal Part-
on board. “ See Page 6 for the
are dedicated to care for and complete list of guiding principles.
develop an inspired professional
workforce of trusted and reliable As for the future, the participants
teammates). came up with four lines of effort
to focus on to ensure the district
“Guiding principles are behaviors continues to add value. The first
we permit, practice and promote,” includes looking at ways for ‘resil-
explained Col. Karl Jansen, ient navigation.’ This will involve
district commander. “In essence, not only finding ways to maintain
they describe our culture or the navigation infrastructure but also
way we do things. They are be- ways to better use dredged Click on the photo to watch the Strategic Governance Meeting video
haviors we try and teach our new material and the possibility of on our YouTube channel or visit https://youtu.be/as4KJ6Ggcuw.
CROSSCURRENTS
Spring 2020 | Volume 46, Issue 1 |6
ST. PAUL DISTRICT GUIDING PRINCIPLES
1. We hold ourselves accountable to high standards and professional ethics. “Guiding principles are
2. We understand and follow our processes. behaviors we permit,
practice and promote”
3. We resource and empower our multidisciplinary teams to
succeed. -Col. Karl Jansen
District Commander
4. We demonstrate positive teamwork, communication,
collaboration and cooperation.
5. We step-up to serve our fellow citizens and nation in times of
disaster or conflict.
6. We embrace constructive conflict to
yield better results.
7. We are forward-looking and use
ingenuity to seize opportunities and
address challenges.
8. We play to our strengths, embrace
change and continuously improve.
9. We take care of one another and seek
a healthy work-life balance for all.
10. We demonstrate inclusiveness and
value clear, candid and transparent two-
way communication.
11. We build optimistic engaged leaders
who maintain a healthy work environment.
12. We invest to recruit, develop, employ and retain talented teammates.
CROSSCURRENTS
Spring 2020 | Volume 46, Issue 1 |7
Emergency response activation includes new gadgets
Story by Patrick Moes
The St. Paul District is leaning indicates at least a 50 percent That assistance can come in two provide those key assets, such
forward in preparation for poten- chance of reaching major flood forms – technical assistance and as temporary levee construction,
tial spring flooding throughout the stage in the Red River of the direct assistance. White ex- that a local leader needs to re-
Upper Midwest this spring. The North and the Minnesota and plained that technical assistance duce the flood risk.”
district declared a disaster Thurs- Mississippi rivers. With the involves the district’s flood engi-
day, Feb. 20, said Phil White, St. potential for flooding becoming neers working with communities New Gadgets
Paul District emergency more likely, White said, it’s im- to identify vulnerabilities and de-
management chief. portant to get our flood teams velop plans to reduce flood risks. This year’s flood threat will be
activated and out in the communi- Direct assistance can include managed a little different than
According to White, the Nation- ties to assist local leaders prepar- providing flood fight materials previous events. Following the
al Weather Service forecast ing for the spring melt. such as sandbags, pumps and 2019 flood threat, White said he
plastic to Corps contractors and became frustrated by the lag in
building temporary emergency real-time information. He said he
levees to protect critical public was looking for a solution that
infrastructure. “We really look at it provided the district the opportu-
as being the last line of defense,” nity to view information, such as
said White. “Once requested by
a governor, we can come in and Story continued on Page 8
“We integrated technology into our
management decision-making process that
allows district leaders to get real-time
information from the field, resulting in much
quicker and more informed decisions.”
-Phil White
Phil White, emergency management chief, discusses the capabilities and benefits of emergency management chief
the new dashboard system recently installed. USACE photo by Patrick Moes
CROSSCURRENTS
Spring 2020 | Volume 46, Issue 1 |8
Story continued from Page 7 cy operations center in St. Paul,
Minnesota, with minimal delay.
High water flows continue to affect
flood forecasts, river flows, eleva- Under the previous information rivers with ice jams
tions and field reports from Corps management system, it could Story by Melanie Peterson
personnel in real-time. “The St. take up to 12 hours to see that
Paul District integrated technol- information. White added that the This year has seen an unusual tinue to affect rivers with ice jams.
ogy into our management deci- new system also allows district amount of ice jams on the riv-
sion-making process that allowed leaders the ability to identity ers. According to Dan Fasching, According to Fasching, ice jams
the district’s leaders to efficiently where personnel are and then Mississippi River regulator, the are caused by temperature fluctu-
and effectively get real-time infor- task them, based on location, St. Paul District received the most ations above and below freezing
mation from the field, resulting in to rapidly respond to a potential volume of water on record in combined with high flows. Tem-
the district making much quicker crisis. 2019. perature fluctuations above and
and more informed decisions,” below freezing cause ice to form,
said White. High flows affected the navigation break free and then re-form into
season, says Fasching, and con- ice jams. The problem is exacer-
Seeing this idea through to com- bated by the high volume of water
pletion was a task for the geo- - more water means more ice.
graphic information system, or
GIS, section. Kevin Hanson, St. “The extent is surprising, it’s not
Paul District geographer, de- really something we’ve experi-
veloped the dashboard to meet enced before on the river,” said
White’s intent of being able to Kari Hauck, chief of hydraulics.
quickly identify areas of concern
and then being able to develop Hauck says, in lieu of blowing up
solutions based on current, ac- the ice jams, which poses a safe-
curate information. Hanson and ty hazard, the Corps monitors and
the rest of the GIS staff leveraged observes the ice jams and lets
technology to allow Corps person- nature take its course to resolve
nel the ability to quickly upload the issue.
information and photos from the
field via a mobile application.
Further, this information can be
seen from the district’s emergen- Ice jams form on the Upper Mississippi River near Lock and Dam 6, Trempealeau,
Wisconsin, Jan 27. USACE courtesy photo
CROSSCURRENTS
Spring 2020 | Volume 46, Issue 1 |9
Snow surveys get an upgrade
Story by Melanie Peterson
The St. Paul District began con- timated snowcover, snow depth
ducting its annual snow surveys and weight, snow water equiv-
in February, but with a twist. We alent, a description of the snow
now have an app for that. Jesse and snow moisture. Odell said
Scott, hydrologic technician, has the snow water equivalent is the
been working to digitize snow amount of water in the snowpack
survey data collection through a or the amount of water that will be
mobile application called Collec- released when the snow melts.
tor for GIS. The information is shared with
partner agencies like the National
Scott said the mobile application Weather Service to aid in their
contains the same information as flood forecasts.
the old paper forms, but now the
data can be sent to the district’s “It gives us an idea of what’s on
water management team and the ground out there. There are
river regulators real-time. Scott, other methods that the National
along with Bill Odell, hydrologic Weather Service uses to give an Jesse Scott, hydrologic technician, shows Collector for GIS on his phone, a mobile
technician, are testing out the estimate of what the snowpack or application that will allow the district water management team and river regulators to
application this year. the snow depth or the snow water see data from snow surveys real-time. USACE photo by Melanie Peterson
equivalent is, but we’ve given that
The process is to return to the Once surveyors return to the ap-
“This new system allows for more boots on the ground verification,”
same location as previous years. proximate survey location, they
collaboration with our feder- said Odell.
The mobile application can help take five samples using a 0-30 in.
al partners and state partners,
surveyors get closer to the prior snow tube. Odell said they have
allowing for much more efficient Odell and Scott cover about 100
reference location with a com- an extension that will go another
use of the data for weather fore- snow survey locations. Other
pass and latitude/longitude coor- 30 inches, but it’s rare they would
casting,” said Scott. project offices, such as Baldhill
dinates. Geo-referenced photos need to use that. The samples
Dam and Lake Traverse, will cov-
can also be uploaded through the are then emptied into plastic bags
The information entered on both er approximately 200 additional
application. and weighed to calculate the
the paper forms and this new snow survey locations around the
snow water equivalent.
mobile application includes es- district.
CROSSCURRENTS
Spring 2020 | Volume 46, Issue 1 | 10
Silver Jackets help communities with emergency planning
Story by Nayelli Guerrero
In 2008, Terry Zien, St. Paul Dis- southeastern Minnesota. The St. Paul District Corps of En- difficult part of emergency plan-
trict program manager and Silver gineers participates in Silver ning is getting started,” said Zien.
Jackets team coordinator, collab- The Silver Jackets program helps Jackets by holding emergency “During workshops, we help com-
orated with the Minnesota State federal and state agencies build management action plan work- munity representatives
Hazard Mitigation Officer to form relationships with each other, shops throughout the year to help understand how to plan and act
a Silver Jackets team in Minneso- while providing enhanced communities identify local, state so they can effectively respond to
ta and formally coordinate emergency planning, mitigation and federal resources and plan emergencies and obtain county,
existing interagency disaster and response activities to coun- emergency response efforts. state and federal assistance.”
planning and recovery efforts ties, municipalities and tribes for
from the August 2007 flood in natural and man-made disasters. “For many communities, the most The Silver Jackets not only fund
projects like workshops, they
also help coordinate interagency
response to emergencies. Ac-
cording to Zien, the threats most
communities ask for help with
are floods and high-speed wind
events like thunderstorms and
tornadoes.
Recent Silver Jackets projects
include coordinating responses to
the spring 2019 floods state-wide
and the 2018-19 wave events
that destroyed the harbor in
Duluth, Minnesota.
Terry Zien, program manager and Silver Jackets team coordinator, and Bonnie Greenleaf, senior project manager, lead
an emergency action plan workshop on Sept. 19, 2019 in Virginia City, Nevada. USACE courtesy photo.CROSSCURRENTS
Spring 2020 | Volume 46, Issue 1 | 11
Lock and dam tow rail systems get upgrades
Story by Geroge Stringham
The St. Paul District is investing and safety issues. Interim repairs Lock and Dam 6 was designed new traveling mooring bitt design
more than $18 million in tow rail at that lock were completed in in-house and awarded for con- prior to the additional sites design
systems, vital pieces of equip- 2014, however, the current proj- struction in 2018. Locks and work.
ment which assist tows locking ect aims to repair each lock’s tow Dams 4, 5, 5A, 7, 8 and 9 are a
through locks and dams when rail system with a design life-ex- design-build contract where the Work at Locks and Dams 5 and
traveling upriver. pectancy of 50 years. Repairing contractor completes the plans 5A are planned for the 2020-2021
the system will be completed and specifications and constructs non-navigation season and Locks
Locks and Dams 6, 8 and 9 are during the non-navigation sea- the project. It was decided to and Dams 4 and 7 are planned
the first locks benefiting from this sons from 2019 to 2022. do the Lock and Dam 6 design for the 2021-2022 non-navigation
upgrade, which have been com- in-house to prove the new contin- season.
pleted in time for the 2020 navi- The repair work includes remov- uous rail concept, as well as the
gation season. Locks and Dams ing the existing tow rail system
4, 5, 5A and 7 will be receiving and making necessary repairs
similar upgrades in upcoming to the concrete before installing
winters. a new system. Replacing the
concrete is necessary to provide
“Overall, these much needed up- sound material to anchor the new
grades will make the locks more tow rail.
efficient for tows which are lock-
ing upriver and improve safety for Working in the elements provides
the navigation industry as well as its own set of challenges, as
our lock and dam staff,” said Kim mechanical engineer Wade Carr
Warshaw, project manager. explained. “Precision alignment
of the new tow rail on the guide-
Tow rail systems at Locks and walls during the winter months,
Dams 2 through 10 have been combined with a condensed
deteriorating over the past sever- construction period, posed one of
al years. Two failures at Lock and the greatest challenges the team
(Left to right) Project manager Kim Warshaw and engineers Jake Fall and Wade
Dam 7 identified the need for a faced,” Carr said. Carr, use a remote camera to inspect a void in the upstream guidewall at Lock
project to address serviceability and Dam 8 near Genoa, Wisconsin, Jan. 8.CROSSCURRENTS
Spring 2020 | Volume 46, Issue 1 | 12
Non-standard estate opens doors for dredged material placement sites
Story by Patrick Moes
The St. Paul District Real Estate to the Corps’ long-standing real area of responsibility on the Missis- Site’s non-standard estate at other
Division recently received some wel- estate regulations, whenever land is sippi River. locations along the Mississippi River,
come news from the Corps’ Head- needed for a dredged material dis- Sommerland said he believes the
quarters Directorate of Real Estate. posal site, the standard real estate “This is a game-changer for our door has been opened for additional
Kevin Sommerland, real estate chief, interest to acquire from a landowner planning process,” said Nate Waller- approvals in the future, especially at
was granted approval to pursue the is the fee simple estate. The law rec- stedt, project management branch locations that are owned by an-
acquisition of a non-standard estate, ognizes fee simple ownership as the chief. “This affords the district with other government entity. “We have
or NSE, at one of the district’s long- highest form of ownership in real es- an opportunity to seek more win-win numerous sites along the river that
term dredged material placement tate. It entitles the property owner to solutions that are good for taxpayers are conducive to a less-than-fee
sites for Pool 2 in the Mississippi full enjoyment of the property, includ- and landowners, while being able to acquisition,” Sommerland said. “As
River, Feb. 25. The site is known as ing the land and any structures on maintain a positive public-relations long as we can clearly demonstrate
the Southport Placement Site and is that land. The directorate’s approval image for the agency.” the benefits that are to be gained by
owned and operated as a St. Paul, of a less-than-fee estate, otherwise collaborating with landowners, we
Minnesota, river terminal by the St. known as an easement, marks the Clayton Tallman, project manager should be able to secure additional
Paul Port Authority. beginning of a potential new way of overseeing the development and non-standard estate approvals more
doing business with some landown- release of the Dredged Material readily, because of this specific land-
According to Sommerland, pursuant ers located throughout the district’s Management Plan for Pool 2, said mark approval.”
the approval is something his team
has been pursuing for a long time. Real estate staff will now begin the
“We are currently finalizing the Pool negotiation process with the St.
2 DMMP, and the Southport Place- Paul Port Authority. As soon as an
ment Site is a key component to easement is in place, said Zach
being able to effectively manage and Kimmel, district channel mainte-
maintain the navigation channel for nance coordinator, the district stands
the next 40 years. Having the au- ready to place material at the site.
thority to negotiate a less-than-fee Approximately 45,000 cubic yards
acquisition will result in a much more of dredged material will be unloaded
stable relationship between the St. annually at the Southport Placement
Paul Port Authority and the district.” Site. This material will later be re-
moved from the site by the St. Paul
The approval to use a non-standard Port Authority and other users, at no
Real estate specialists Stephanie Dupey (left) and Penny Caldwell (right),
talk to a member of the public at the Pool 2 dredged material management estate is specific to each acquisition. expense to the Corps, restoring ca-
plan public meeting in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, on Dec. 9. USACE photo Although the district will not be able pacity for the next dredging season.
by Patrick Moes to use the Southport PlacementCROSSCURRENTS
Spring 2020 | Volume 46, Issue 1 | 13
Arcadia flood risk management project study progresses
Story by George Stringham
The Corps of Engineers released project like this one. The draft to flood damage reduction mea- to Mississippi Valley Division for
a draft flood risk management plan also proposes commercial sures, action plans and post- approval.
study plan and held a public and residential buyouts in order disaster assistance.
meeting for the city of Arcadia, to achieve flood risk reduction for The city of Arcadia also has to
Wisconsin, earlier this winter, the community. With the public and agency endorse the tentatively-selected
bringing the aforementioned city reviews of the draft report com- plan. The report could be sub-
one step closer to better protec- This most recent study came on plete, the next challenge for the mitted to division as early as July
tion for the community, which is the heels of the 2010 flood, after study team will be completing with approval occurring
bordered by three water bodies. which city officials approached remaining surveys, finalizing the October 2020.
the Corps in 2013 about finding report and submitting the report
Arcadia is vulnerable to flood- a way to reduce flood risk to their
ing from the Trempealeau River community. Similar studies had
and two small tributaries, Turton been conducted in the 1950s and
Creek and Myers Valley Creek. again in the 1980s, without pro-
The small, relatively steep wa- gressing beyond the study phase.
tersheds of Turton Creek and
Myers Valley Creek are flashy The primary goal of a flood risk
and highly responsive to intense management project is to reduce
precipitation events. Significant the risk of flood damage, injury
flood events in the basin occurred and death from flooding for a pe-
as recently as 2010 and 2017. riod of at least 50 years from the
date of project implementation.
The draft plan for the proposed
Continuing Authorities Program The objectives for this study were
project is estimated at approxi- to reduce the risk to property
mately $37 million and calls for and critical infrastructure due to
a combination of levees, flood- flooding, increase community
walls, railroad closures and other resilience and ability to fight and
elements commonly associated recover from flood events and re- Project manager Nan Bischoff and lead Planner Katie Opsahl review features of the
Arcadia flood risk management study. USACE photo by George Stringham
with a flood risk management duce public expenditures relatedCROSSCURRENTS
Spring 2020 | Volume 46, Issue 1 | 14
National Engineers Week
Story by Melanie Peterson
The St. Paul District celebrated individual challenge, which test-
National Engineers Week, Feb. ed participants’ creativity and
17-21. The week’s activities in- ingenuity.
cluded presentations on current
engineering projects around the A social media campaign
district such as the Fargo Moor- through headquarters highlight-
head diversion. ed the diversity of engineers
across the Corps. Six St. Paul
The week also included interac- District engineers were high-
tive engineering challenges: the lighted on the Corps headquar-
Build a Dam group challenge ters’ Facebook page. A hydraulics team creates their dam for the Mike Knoff, hydraulics and hydrology
and the Gumdrop Structure Build a Dam challenge during National En- branch chief, creates a structure of gum-
gineers Week, Feb. 17-21. USACE photo by drops and toothpicks. USACE photo by
Melanie Peterson Melanie Peterson
(Left to right), Robert Altmann (security), Barry Simmonds (safety), Jeff Becker (security)
For National Engineers Week, St. Paul District highlighted the diversity of our and Ted Hecht (security) took first place in the Build a Dam group challenge on Feb. 20 for
engineers on social media. USACE graphic by Melanie Peterson National Engineers Week. USACE photo by Melanie PetersonTONNAGE
First Last
Tow Tow
April 24 - November 28 -
Motor Vessel Motor Vessel
Aaron F. Barrett Kelly Rae Erickson
ton ton ton
Total commodities shipped
81,158,220
tons
Annual lockages and tonnage
were down due to record
breaking water volumes
and the resulting
lock and dam closures
Commercial lockages Recreational lockages & vessels
2,827 lockages
Total
lockages
12,050
Total lockages
below the Total Vessels
15,593
10-year average 26,336CROSSCURRENTS
Spring 2020 | Volume 46, Issue 1 | 16
(Left to right) Theresa Gant-Gaines, Kacie Opat and Bill Schmidt, Eau Galle Dam and Recreation Area, at New employees meet in the district office for
Cora Nunez-Orta (engineering and construction) plan the Government on Display Expo at the Mall of America orientation on Feb. 11. USACE photo by Melanie
activities for National Engineers Week. USACE photo Jan. 25. USACE photo by Patrick Moes Peterson
by Melanie Peterson
Around the District
Cross Lake Dam staff at Winterfest in Crosslake, Scott Baker, resident engineer, and Rojean Heyer, lock- Eric Hanson, biologist, visited with students in
Minnesota, Feb. 1. USACE courtesy photo master, meet with congressional staffers at Lock and Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jan. 28 as part of the
Dam 6 near Trempealeau, Wisconsin, Feb. 20. USACE school’s “USA Day.” USACE photo by
photo by Patrick Moes Shannon BauerCROSSCURRENTS
Spring
Spring2020
2020||Volume
Volume46,
46,Issue
Issue11 | 17
| 17
Recognizing our Employees of the Month: The MVPs of MVP
December January
Dan Cottrell, channels and harbors Toni Wasgatt, contractingCROSSCURRENTS
Spring 2020 | Volume 46, Issue 1 | 18
News Hires and Seasonal Employess Promotions
Christian Bowen, supervisory civil engineer, engineering and Andy Meier, lead natural resource specialist, recreation and natural re-
construction, St. Paul, Minnesota sources, La Crescent, Minnesota
Samantha Coungeris, biologist, regulatory, St. Paul, Minnesota
Gwendolyn Davis, supervisory contracting specialist, contracting, Retirements
St. Paul, Minnesota
Maria DeLaundreau, biologist, regulatory, St. Paul, Minnesota Tony Fares, civil engineer, engineering and construction, St. Paul,
Charlotte DuBois, secretary, regional planning and environmental Minnesota, retired Jan. 12, 2020
division north, St. Paul, Minnesota Mark Koenig, construction branch chief, engineering and construction, St.
Jeffrey Grow, supervisory realty specialist, real estate, St. Paul, Paul, Minnesota, retired Feb. 26, 2020
Minnesota Tom Novak, project manager, programs and project management, St. Paul,
Gregory Hammons, student trainee, engineering and construction, Minnesota, retired Feb. 27, 2020
Fargo, North Dakota
Ted Hecht, security assistant, security and law enforcement, St. Paul, Taps
Minnesota
Adam Loven, engineer, operations, Fountain City, Wisconsin
Marvin “Marv” Levi Pedretti passed away April 3, 2019. He
Dustin Strand, lock and dam equipment mechanic, Lower St. Anthony
began working for the Corps in 1957 at Lock and Dam 8 as a
Falls, Minneapolis, Minnesota
laborer. He retired as lockmaster at Lock and Dam 10 in April
Congratulations 1995 with more than 41 of service.
Burton “Burt” Huneke passed away Dec. 13, 2019. He
worked at Lock and Dam 3.
Wallace Viestenz passed away Jan. 10, 2020. He worked
at Lock and Dam 7 and 5A during his 36 year career with the
Corps.
John “JR” Berger passed away Jan. 19, 2020. He began
Megan McGuire, planning, and her Meghan Brown, regulatory, and her
working at the Corps in 1972, working first on the Dredge
husband Jeff Bussee, welcomed husband Nathan Brown welcomed
Thompson and later at Lock and Dam 4 on the Mississippi
Ardea Mae McGuire Busse, Oct. 7. Calie Anne Brown, Oct. 22. She
River. He retired in 2008 as head lock and dam operator.
She arrived at 7 lbs, 12 oz. arrived at 6 lbs, 8 oz and 19.5 inches.You can also read
