Rock Island District / Media / News Stories

  • September

    Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) Jo Ellen Darcy talks with District employees Anthony Heddlesten, Jim Bartek, Roger Less and District Commander Col. Mark Deschenes about the Red Rock Hydroelectric Project.

    Red Rock Hydroelectric Project Gets Underway

    The second-largest hydroelectric plant in Iowa is officially under construction after a ceremonial groundbreaking Aug. 13 at Red Rock Dam near Pella, Iowa. Representatives from the Missouri River Energy Services (MRES) hosted the event to showcase plans for the new facility which is scheduled to be completed in spring 2018.

  • August

    Change of Command for Mississippi Valley Division

    VICKSBURG, Miss., August 20, 2014 – In a formal change of command ceremony, Brigadier General Peter A. “Duke” DeLuca will transfer command of the Mississippi Valley Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to Brigadier General Michael C. Wehr, Friday, August 29. The ceremony will be officiated by the Corps' Chief of Engineers, Lieutenant General Thomas Bostick, and will take place at 10:00 a.m. in the Vicksburg Convention Center.

  • Andrew Leichty Named U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2014 Project Manager of the Year

    A member of the Rock Island District has been recognized as one of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers top performers. Andrew Leichty, from the Program Management Branch, was awarded USACE Project Manager of the Year by the Corps’ Program and Project Management Community of Practice.

  • Crews Clean Up Mess on the Mighty Mississippi

    The Mississippi and its tributaries, like the Des Moines and Iowa Rivers, are just starting to recover from high water. During flooding events, large amounts of debris will be fl ushed out of the river system and can be seen floating downstream from almost anywhere along the banks. When people talk about cleaning up after a Mississippi River flood, they usually talk of lots of mud, some piles of sand and a few stray logs here and there but employees from locks on the lower half of the District have a different idea of river clean up after a flood.
  • Structures Specialist Josh Cackley, has advanced level trainging in how to prepare for rescue engineering during a disaster.

    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Urban Search and Rescue Program Supports Rescue Engineering

    Two engineers from the Rock Island District belong to a unique team of engineers who stand ready to

  • March

    Can raising the gates of navigation dams lower the Mississippi River and prevent flooding?

    Over the years, the operation of the Corps' navigation dams has been questioned prior to or during a flood on the Mississippi River. Many times we are asked, "Why doesn't the Corps of Engineers raise the gates on the Mississippi River dams to reduce the pool levels (lower the river) now before the snow melt and spring rains to reduce the amount of flooding?"

  • January

    Randy Braley shakes hands with Col. Mark Deschenes, Rock Island District Commander, after being awarded the Order of the de Fleury Medal Dec. 9 for his service and support as the Kabul Area office, Afghanistan resident engineer and for his 32-years as a Corps of Engineers employee.

    Randy Braley receives Bronze Order of the de Fleury Medal

    Randy Braley, civil engineer, Construction Branch, Engineering and Construction Division, was awarded the Bronze Order of the de Fleury Medal by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rock Island District Commander, Col. Mark Deschenes, during an awards ceremony Dec. 9 at the Naval Reserve Center on Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, Ill.
  • Hoses and other necessary equipment were lugged up and down escalators to aide in the unwatering mission.

    USACE PDT of the Year for Honor – Joint Task Force - Unwatering

    After a whirlwind emergency response effort following Hurricane Sandy, the Joint Task Force - Unwatering Project Delivery Team was chosen as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) 2013 Project Delivery Team of the Year for Honor.

  • December-January Tower Times

    The December-January Tower Times.

  • November

    October-November Tower Times

    The October-November Tower Times is now available.

  • October

    August-September Tower Times

    August-September Tower Times

  • July

    Special Flood Edition Tower Times

    Top headlines in this Special Edition issue:    A tale of two extremes - Col. Mark Deschenes,

  • Record-setting flood on Illinois Waterway

    Record-setting levels on the Illinois River and tributaries damaged not only private property but a lot of government property too.

  • Impacts to locks on the Illinois River

    The locks and dams on the Illinois River are a bit different than those on the Mississippi – with one big difference being the two that have Wicket dams - Peoria and LaGrange. But there are others too.

  • Recognizing a volunteer and partnership

    In 1993, Saylorville Lake entered a Cooperative Agreement Partnership with the Iowa Academy of Science to have a gift shop located in the Saylorville Lake Visitor Center.

  • April

    Flood 2013 Graphic

    Why doesn’t the Corps of Engineers raise the gates on the Mississippi River dams to reduce the pool levels (lower the river) now before the snow melt and spring rains to reduce the amount of flooding?

    ANSWER: There are many reasons why this idea is not practical. The first, and foremost reason is that although they appear to be large flood control structures like a reservoir, locks and dams do not store water; they cannot prevent or cause flooding and they have no flood control capabilities. If the Mississippi River dams could control flooding, that is, hold back or store water, the pool created behind the dam would be so enormous that it would flood many communities.

  • February

    Kevin Ewbank, Rock Island District park ranger, looks at an ornament made by students from a local school in Staten Island near Midland Beach before placing it back on the “Tree of Hope,” Dec. 23. Ewbank is part of the Corps’ Critical Incident Stress Management team trained to respond to a crisis and provide support to volunteers, family and friends.

    Corps of Engineers team takes care of its own during Hurricane Sandy recovery

    Months after Hurricane Sandy slammed the greater New York area and caused billions of dollars in damage, Corps of Engineers employees continue supporting the city and state as they recover from the Oct. 29 disaster.
  • Hoses and other necessary equipment were lugged up and down escalators to aide in the unwatering mission.

    District’s reputation for unwatering grows

    As the forecast for Hurricane Sandy started to show potential for a 13-foot storm surge into the New York harbor a call was placed to the Rock Island District to tap into unwatering expertise. "Rock Island has an unwatering reputation," said Roger Less, chief, Design Branch. "Any time there is flooding or a need for pumping, our name seems to come up." Hurricane Sandy made landfall during the evening hours of Monday, Oct. 29 – that morning Rock Island District was already assembling a team of experts at the request of the New York District.

  • Never too early to start planning

    The Corps’ Dam Safety Program takes a risk-informed approach to managing its dams – with public safety being the number one priority. The Rock Island District is taking a proactive approach completing six tabletop exercises in the last four years at Lockport Pool, the Farm Creek Reservoirs, Saylorville Lake, Lake Red Rock, Lock and Dam 19 and Coralville Lake.
  • Stacy Langsdale, public involvement specialist, Institute of Water Resources, facilitates a discussion at the final Indian Creek Pilot Study workshop on how the stakeholder group plans to continue developing and implementing a watershed plan for Indian Creek.

    Iowa-Cedar Integrated Watershed Study

    A historic flood is a great motivator to get people thinking about water. In 2008, areas along the Iowa and Cedar rivers and their tributaries saw unprecedented flooding. This called together many forums of discussion for watershed improvements and changes to mitigate the risk of flooding.