• May

    A Walk Through Time - 2012 Wappapello Lake Periodic Inspection

    ince I was young, I have gazed in wonder at the Wappapello gatehouse. I have seen larger structures, but this one was built near my childhood home during the Depression era by locals. I never thought that one day I, too, would step back into time and experience what these men saw during the genesis of this project.
  • Today’s Life Jacket: Style, Variety and Comfort

    Most boaters know they’re required to have a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket on board for every passenger on their boat. Boating safety advocates recommend that all boaters and passengers not only have a life jacket, but ‘Wear It!’ at all times while boating.
  • April

    Engineers build on experiences overseas

    Employees of the St. Louis District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have deployed around the nation in support of natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina, the 2011 Mississippi River flood and Hurricane Sandy in New York and New Jersey. But often the need for the nation’s engineers takes them overseas for a new experience.
  • Dinosaur loans and crowd-sourcing archaeology: How Army archaeology supports historic preservation and modern education

    In an unassuming office in St. Louis, Dr. Michael “Sonny” Trimble and his team are working to get a 66-million-year-old, seven ton tyrannosaurus safely packed and moved cross country. This effort is just one part of a greater undertaking to preserve and share America’s cultural and natural history.
  • March

    Federal partners ask for public comments on wildlife refuge habitat restoration plan

    Huddled around a small conference table at the Clarence Cannon National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters in Annada, Mo., March 4, members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Louis District, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the public discussed a draft plan to improve the wetland ecosystem of the entire 3,750-acre refuge.
  • February

    Kaskaskia Eagle Fest a success

    Nearly 300 people braved the cold and ice Feb. 1 for the 4th Annual Kaskaskia Eagle Fest at the Kaskaskia Lock & Dam in Modoc, Ill.
  • January

    Scouting for Eagles at the Melvin Price Locks and Dam

    More than 200 Scouts from the St. Louis Metro region grabbed their binoculars and gathered Saturday at the National Great Rivers Museum in Alton, Ill., for the annual “Scouting for Eagles” event. Hot chocolate and roasted marshmallows were a must as Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts rotated through five stations where they learned about the behavior, nesting habits, migration paths and adaptations that help our national symbol, the bald eagle survive the wild.
  • December

    Rend Lake's 2013 Accessible Deer Hunt, a success

    Cold rain fell on November 22 in the Dale Miller campsites of Rend Lake, Ill. It was the first day of firearm deer hunting in Illinois and supposed to be a weekend of hunting made more accessible for disabled hunters.
  • November

    Planning, Partners, Passion result in National honors to US Army Corps civilian planner upon retirement

    Jim Hill, Operations Manager on the Kaskaskia River Project in Southern Illinois, and nationally recognized master planning expert within the Corps of Engineers, has retired after 32 years of federal public service. Hill was presented the prestigious de Fleury Bronze Medal at retirement ceremonies in St. Louis.
  • October

    Veteran’s research shows new value for old maps

    The tables of the Veterans Curation Program lab in St. Louis are usually covered in artifacts and documents from the vast archaeological collections of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps has a responsibility to preserve cultural resources of the nation, and the three Veterans Curation Program labs have employed and trained more than 120 veterans in archiving and digitizing the Corps’ huge collection of materials since 2009.
  • August

    USACE volunteer professionals provide TAA surge

    There are few organizations with the means and resources to supply highly trained, skilled and enthusiastic professionals to a remote location on a short notice when a need is identified. Fortunately for Transatlantic Afghanistan District, USACE is an organization with a deep pool of talent from which to draw while working to deliver critical infrastructure for the Afghan people. Mark Jones, TAA Engineering and Construction Division Chief, explained the need at TAA and the solution.
  • Flood recovery for levees underway in St. Louis District

    As the St. Louis region marks the 20th Anniversary of the 1993 Flood, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is preparing communities for the next flood season.
  • The Flood of 1993, 20 years later

    Twenty years ago today the Mississippi River reached its highest point in recorded history on the St. Louis gage. The river was only a few feet from the top of the St. Louis flood wall, and had already overwhelmed many smaller levees throughout the region. The Flood of 1993 claimed dozens of lives, incurred billions of dollars in damages, and forever changed many communities along the river.
  • July

    St. Louis District ranger receives lifetime achievement award

    Lifetime achievement usually refers to the recipient, but in the case of Rachel Garren, her achievements affect the lifetimes of thousands of others. Rachel Garren retired June 28, 2013 as the Interpretative Services and Outreach lead for the St. Louis District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Her career with the District began as a student intern at Lake Shelbyville, Ill., and over thirty-one years grew to bring national attention to her skills and educational efforts.
  • November

    Chief of Engineers thanks St. Louis District personnel for quick actions following Hurricane Sandy

    Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, U.S. Army Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, visited personnel deployed in response to Hurricane Sandy Nov 3 at the North Atlantic Division Headquarters to express his appreciation for their dedication and quick actions following the storm that devastated the northeast.
  • Lasting partnerships coming together at the confluence of America’s great rivers

    For some visitors, it may appear the concrete and steel chambers jetting into the waters of the Mississippi River at the Melvin Price Locks and Dam seem to divide the river, cutting into the water, separating the channel and creating a barrier for wildlife.