Home / Media / News

Pacific Ocean Division News

Results:
Category: People
Clear

  • August

    Command Sgt. Maj. Zachary Plummer of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Pacific Ocean Division assists the street team of the City and Borough of Juneau to repair a temporary flood protection barrier along the Mendenhall River

    Temporary flood barriers prove effective during flood event in Juneau

    During the week of August 11, the Mendenhall Glacier released its yearly glacier lake outburst flood, also known as a jökulhlaup (Yah-cuh-laup). In preparation for the potential threat to infrastructure and public safety, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provided temporary flood mitigation barriers to the City and Borough of Juneau last winter. While USACE continues to prepare a technical study that will help to define the parameters of an enduring flood risk mitigation solution, these barriers provided vital short-term protection to the community along the river this week by holding back the glacial water released from Suicide Basin and performing well during the peak of the floodwaters.
  • Senior leaders from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Alaska District attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Barrow Coastal Erosion Project in the community of Utqiagvik on Aug. 11. The project will reduce the risk of storm damage to about five miles of coastline by construction of a rock revetment at the bluff area, building a protective berm and raising Stevenson Street.

    USACE breaks ground at coastal erosion project in Alaskan community of Utqiagvik

    Representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Alaska District participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Barrow Coastal Erosion Project in the community of Utqiagvik on Aug. 11. They joined representatives of the North Slope Borough and the contractor to celebrate the construction of the critical shoreline protection, which began in July after the first batch of armor rock arrived from Nome on the 28th.

  • April

    a Soldier is seen repelling down a cliff.

    What is a Sapper? 250 Years of “Badass” Engineers

    In the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the term sapper carries weight. For 250 years, sappers have served as elite combat engineers, supporting frontline infantry in every war throughout American history.
  • United States and Bangladesh officials celebrated the handover of the Khonjonighona Government Primary School and Multipurpose Disaster Shelter in eastern Bangladesh in October 2024. The school is constructed with the classrooms on the second and third floors to provide a safe area for the community during a flooding emergency.

    14-year multipurpose disaster shelter program reaches completion in Bangladesh

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District recently completed a robust construction effort aimed at reducing the threat of coastal storms to communities in eastern Bangladesh. Multipurpose Disaster Shelters, or MPDSs, are tailor-made for the volatile conditions of cyclone season. During periods of normal weather, these structures serve functions such as schools and clinics. When the annual storms bring severe flooding, the shelters are built to stand above the flooding and provide secure, elevated spaces for the community.

  • February

    USACE FED employee with child

    Bring Your Kid to Work Day: The Next Gen of Scientists and Engineers

    As a kickoff to Engineers Week, the U.S. Corps of Engineers – Far East District hosted its first “Bring Your Kid to Work Day” event Feb. 14, 2025, at Camp Humphreys, South Korea.

  • September

    Attendees pose for a photo on the front steps of the new school after the ceremony. Special design considerations include heated floors, triple-pane windows, extensive natural lighting, backup solar power and an elevated ground floor to prevent the thawing of permafrost below the building. (Courtesy photo)

    USACE completes handover of newly constructed kindergarten building in Mongolia

    While Alaska and Mongolia are separated by an ocean, the two regions share some key characteristics. Frigid climates, rugged mountains and austere regions can make for challenging construction, but staff at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District are experts at delivering high-quality infrastructure in arctic conditions. The team recently celebrated the handover of a newly constructed kindergarten building in the remote community of Tosontsengel. For this critical project, their experience in Alaska guided them to an effective construction solution while thousands of miles from home.

  • January

    A man in a red shirt sitting at a computer.

    A Christmas Story – kind of…

    MAUI, Hawaii – When a fire burns hot enough to melt engine blocks and granite countertops, it is at least 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. Everything it touches at that point is compromised. So, when it’s time to clean up a destroyed house or structure, everything must be removed since the debris can contain lead, asbestos and other toxic particles. That can be a challenging reality for wildfire survivors when they must decide what to do about their property.

  • August

    A recently hatched common goldeneye duck rests in a researcher’s hand in North Pole, Alaska. Nest boxes installed at the Chena River Lakes Flood Control Project are a key component of a scientific study of these birds conducted through a cooperative program between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Region. For 25 years, field researchers have monitored the ducks’ use of the boxes, creating a long-term dataset for scientists. (Courtesy photo provided by Riley Porter)

    Army engineers partner for 25 years with federal biologists to study duck nesting ecology in Alaska

    The whistling sound of beating wings moves through the forest as a common goldeneye duck lands in a nest box mounted to the side of a tree near the Moose Creek Dam in North Pole, Alaska. Focused on laying its eggs within the cozy confines of this manmade wooden structure, the bird is unaware of its vital role in a unique scientific study.

  • March

    Mr. Pinkham with the Nome Eskimo Community

    Army’s deputy for civil works tours newly funded projects, emphasizes tribal partnerships in Alaska

    Members of the traveling party with Jaime Pinkham, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, witnessed this polar bear encounter near the community of Utqiagvik, formerly known as Barrow, while touring the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District’s Barrow Coastal Erosion Project. During the week of Feb. 21, the dignitary visited several civil works projects in the state that were recently funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. In total, this congressionally authorized funding will provide nearly $1 billion for civil works construction in Alaska.
  • Nathan Epps, acting deputy chief for the Engineering, Construction and Operations Division, stresses the importance of triangles while testing the load capacity of a student’s bridge design with a toy car on Feb. 22 at Clark Middle School in Anchorage.

    Army engineers promote STEM education, careers during Engineers Week in Alaska

    Armed with toothpicks and marshmallows, members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District conducted outreach events at four Anchorage schools to mark National Engineers Week from Feb. 20 to 26. The annual observance is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in science, technology, engineering and math careers.

ArticleCS - Article View