Lessons Learned from Usace Seepage Barrier Wall Construction: Wolf Creek To Present

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgette Hlepas ◽  
Vanessa Bateman
Keyword(s):  
Data Management ◽  
Continuous Improvement ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Army Corps ◽  
Army Corps Of Engineers ◽  
Management Processes ◽  
Verification Methods ◽  
Efficiency And Effectiveness ◽  
Wall Construction ◽  
Barrier Wall

Abstract The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) maintains a lessons-learned goal for all major projects to capture knowledge gained. The focus of the formal lessons-learned process is to share knowledge and experience nationwide improving USACE contracting methodologies, reducing overall costs, and improving designs. This continuous improvement can be seen in the evolution of USACE barrier wall construction designs and contracting methods. From the first Wolf Creek Dam barrier wall installed in the 1970s to the more recent Bolivar and East Branch Dam barrier wall projects, documentation and sharing of lessons learned in areas such as grouting, data management, and quality assurance procedures have increased the efficiency and effectiveness of barrier wall designs, monitoring, and contract specifications. Contractual philosophy, use of pre-grouting treatment, verification methods, and data management processes have all changed due to lessons learned and have enabled the USACE to improve the overall end product of barrier wall projects.

North Carolina's Ecosystem Enhancement Program

2005 ◽  
Vol 1941 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet D'Ignazio ◽  
Kathryn McDermott ◽  
Bill Gilmore ◽  
Chris Russo
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Army Corps ◽  
Cumulative Impacts ◽  
Army Corps Of Engineers ◽  
Compensatory Mitigation ◽  
Implementation Processes ◽  
North Carolina Department ◽  
The North

Even before FHWA's focus on ecosystem conservation as part of its vital goals, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) had begun to examine how and where compensatory mitigation was being implemented in the state. Over the past 4 years, NCDOT, the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers–Wilmington District have partnered to redesign the mitigation process with one goal in mind: to create a compensatory mitigation program that delivers guaranteed environmental benefits. The result of these efforts is the Ecosystem Enhancement Program (EEP). Instead of focusing on individual highway project impacts, the EEP concept revolves around watershed plans and considers cumulative impacts associated with a given watershed. Accordingly, EEP provides cumulative mitigation for cumulative impacts. It was clear from the start that EEP was going to change fundamentally the goals, approach, and structure of providing mitigation in North Carolina. Although the mitigation experts knew how the mitigation process needed to change, they lacked expertise in how to manage that change. Not surprisingly, this has presented several hurdles that the sponsoring agencies are still trying to scale today. As implementation moves forward, many valuable lessons are being learned, which are laying the groundwork for successful change. This paper describes the origins of the EEP concept, outlines the implementation processes, discusses “change barriers” experienced and lessons learned, and provides an EEP progress report 2 years into the program's implementation.

scholarly journals Alternative Mitigation to Counter Resource Losses from the Lake Cumberland Drawdown, Kentucky

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 299-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie J. McCormack ◽  
Kary Stackelbeck
Keyword(s):  
Historic Preservation ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Educational Outreach ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Dam Failure ◽  
Army Corps ◽  
Cultural Resources ◽  
Army Corps Of Engineers ◽  
National Historic Preservation Act

ABSTRACTThis article presents a case study of the process of developing and implementing mitigation as the result of adverse effects to cultural resources from the drawdown of Lake Cumberland, Kentucky. Signs of a dam failure in early 2007 triggered the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to implement the emergency drawdown. While the drawdown prevented a life safety catastrophe, it created a new erosion zone and exposed archaeological sites to looters. When it became clear that conventional Section 106 procedures to identify and evaluate these endangered archaeological resources were not an option, alternative and creative mitigation became a necessary approach for the Corps to meet its obligations under the National Historic Preservation Act. This article discusses the creative brainstorming among the Corps, Kentucky state historic preservation officer, and tribes that led to three alternative mitigation measures aimed at educational outreach, raising public awareness, and staff training. Furthermore, the article identifies challenges encountered during the implementation of the mitigation measures. Through the presentation of our mitigation journey, we share some of our lessons learned to improve awareness of the challenges and successes one may encounter during the execution of such alternative measures.

Water level management for enhanced fish and wildlife habitat production in Upper Mississippi River navigation pools : an Engineering with Nature® review of practice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Theiling ◽  
Benjamin McGuire ◽  
Gretchen Benjamin ◽  
Dave Busse ◽  
Jon Hendrickson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wildlife Management ◽  
Mississippi River ◽  
Habitat Management ◽  
River System ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Wildlife Habitat ◽  
Army Corps ◽  
Upper Mississippi River ◽  
Army Corps Of Engineers ◽  
Us Army

There is a long history of fish and wildlife management associated with Upper Mississippi River navigation dams owned and operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Many operational changes have been made to improve aquatic habitat, with recent emphasis on pool-scale drawdowns to enhance wetland benefits without affecting navigation or other uses. This special report describes projects successfully incorporating Engineering With Nature® principles in a review of the physical setting and historical fish and wildlife habitat management efforts using Upper Mississippi River System navigation dams. We reviewed 80 years of adaptation and lessons learned about how to integrate navigation operations and wildlife management. Several experiments have revealed the capacity to produce thousands of hectares of emergent and submersed aquatic plants, restoring much-needed riparian habitat for a variety of aquatic, wetland, and avian species.

scholarly journals Lock operation improvements

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart Foltz ◽  
Daniel Hooks
Keyword(s):  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Army Corps ◽  
Equipment Maintenance ◽  
Optimal Solutions ◽  
Army Corps Of Engineers ◽  
Reliable Operation ◽  
Design Life ◽  
Equipment Failures ◽  
Lighting Systems ◽  
Share Information

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) owns or operates 236 locks at 191 sites (HQUSACE 2016). Although the locks at these sites generally perform reliably, more than half of these structures have surpassed their 50-year economic design life and as such, there are increasing concerns about their continued safe, reliable operation. This work was undertaken to review lock operating equipment, maintenance practices, records pertaining to accidents and equipment failures, and lighting systems; to identify alternative improvements to equipment and equipment maintenance practices; and to analyze and compare those alternatives to determine and recommend optimal solutions. This report documents some lessons learned, primarily to share information that others might find useful. Note that the recommendations in this report should not be viewed as policy, although some might be considered by those creating policy.

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