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  • May

    Quana Higgins, a lead planner in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District, received the first Kevin Inada Employee of the Quarter award during a ceremony held at the District headquarters May 4.

    Inaugural award presented to District employee

    A lead planner in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s Arizona-Nevada Area Office received the first Kevin Inada Employee of the Quarter award during a ceremony held at the District headquarters May 4.
  • In all 4,000 volunteers spread out over 15 community sites to remove tons of debris from the river’s channel during the Friends of the LA River’s 23rd Annual La Gran Limpieza: The Great Los Angeles River CleanUp on April 28.

    Los Angeles River: location, location, location

    The area adjacent to Rio de Los Angeles State Park was one of three sites featured for informational talks given by key stakeholders during the Friends of the LA River’s 23rd Annual La Gran Limpieza: The Great Los Angeles River CleanUp on April 28. In all, 4,000 volunteers spread out over 15 community sites to remove tons of debris from the river’s channel.
  • A clamshell dredge begins a five-month project May 2 to remove up to 350,000 cubic yards of material from the federal channel in Newport Harbor, Calif. The Port of Long Beach will use about one-third of the dredged material for its middle harbor redevelopment project.

    Maintenance dredging project will restore federal channels in lower Newport Harbor

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began a five-month, $6.5 million maintenance dredging project May 2 when a clamshell dredge started removing up to 350,000 cubic yards of material in an effort to restore safe navigation to federal channels in lower Newport Harbor.
  • Kevin Wohlmut (left), a planner in the Coastal Studies Group for the Corps' Los Angeles District, discusses Tijuana River watershed issues with district commander Col. Mark Toy during a break at a meeting hosted April 19 by the International Boundary and Water Commission at the Tijuana River Estuary Visitors Center in Imperial Beach, Calif.

    International Commission Takes a Look at the Tijuana River

    “It’s not the fences that matter, it’s the gates,” Dave Gibson told attendees at the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission collaborative meeting held April 19 at the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve in Imperial Beach, Calif.
  • An environmental restoration project will remove 50,000 cubic yards of material from a marsh at the mouth of the Santa Ana River, improving degraded habitat that has adversely affected endangered species that use it as a nesting gound.

    Public takes a look at Santa Ana River Marsh study

    A proposed project to remove 50,000 cubic yards of material from a tidal marsh took an important step April 30 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers presented and sought public input on the project’s environmental assessment during a meeting held at Newport Beach, Calif.
  • David Rodriguez (left) speaks with Louis "Dutch" Bonnet and Col. Mike Wehr, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers South Pacific Division commander (who has since been promoted to Brig. Gen. since the time this image was taken) during Wehr's visit in November 2011 to the Tres Rios Ecosystem Restoration Project in Phoenix. Rodriguez recently received a commission as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy Reserves.

    District employee dons Navy blue and gold

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District now has a new Navy Reserve officer in its ranks of civilian employees. David Rodriguez, a field engineer with the District’s Arizona-Nevada Area Office, recently received his commission in the Reserves.

  • April

    Dr. Swaminathan Krishman and his colleagues at the California Institute of Technology are trying to answer a critical question. What is going to happen to modern, tall buildings when an event like a 7.9 magnitude quake happens? Krishman spoke during a "brown bag" luncheon held for professional development and, on occasions like this, to inform employees so they are better prepared for the “big one.”

    Earthquakes should have a season

    Maybe the experts are saying: it’s always earthquake season. What is going to happen to modern, tall buildings when an event like a 7.9 magnitude quake happens?
  • To raise public awareness about the danger of un-exploded ordnance, a team of Corps employees and contract partners have set up shop at numerous special events in what was once the California-Arizona Maneuver Area.The Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series event at the Lake Elsinore Motorsports Complex gave them access to roughly 12 thousand fans and avid off-roaders. The lake is in proximity to the C-AMA and during World War II it was used by amphibious airplanes as a training ground.

    Patton’s desert training area everyone’s playground now

    The Formerly Used Defense Sites program wants you and your family to get acquainted with the 3Rs; recognize, retreat and report.
  • More than 50 million gallons of water a day flows through this and other "waterfalls" in the Tres Rios Flow Regulating Wetlands and into the Salt River from the 91st Ave. Wastewater Treatment Facility. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers partnered with the City of Phoenix to build the riparian habitat in Phoenix's West Valley.

    Building Green

    As the Nation’s Environmental Engineer, we manage one of the largest federal environmental missions in the United States, touching the lives of nearly every American. The challenges facing the Corps are enormous, everything from sustainable design and energy security to ecosystem restoration.
  • Jonathan Guerrero, a Corps study manager, answers students' questions during "If the Shoe Fits," an annual career day held March 30, at Patrick Henry High School in San Diego.

    Corps participates in Career Day

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District continued its support to area secondary schools March 30, by participating in a career day at San Diego’s Patrick Henry High School.
  • Members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District team and their families recite the Pledge of Allegiance before the 2012 Engineer Day Celebration held in Phoenix at the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park April 6. The Arizona-Nevada Area Office holds the celebration earlier than the official June timeframe in order to allow for more participation before the Arizona summer sets in.

    Arizona-Nevada team members enjoy Engineer Day

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District Arizona-Nevada Area Office held its annual Engineer Day Celebration April 6 at the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Phoenix.
  • A Whitehall Spirit Rowing Club member rows past the dredge Paula Lee April 8 at Marina del Rey Harbor. The dredge is removing sediment from the navigation channel to enhance safety for government, commercial and recreational boaters.

    Marina del Rey dredging benefits boater safety and port redevelopment

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began a $13 million dredging project April 5 that will remove up to one million cubic yards of accumulated sand from the entrance channel to Marina del Rey Harbor, improving navigational safety and providing material for use at several other locations.

  • March

    Dignitaries and armed forces representatives cut a ceremonial ribbon during the grand opening of L.A. Career Center March 28 in downtown Los Angeles, Calif. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District will manage the lease of the 50,000 square-foot recruitment center for future Soldiers, Airmen and Marines.

    Military recruiting now shares prime L.A. real estate

    LOS ANGELES --New recruits, family, friends and ceremonial dignitaries celebrated the grand opening of the L.A. Central Career Center near downtown’s Nokia L.A. Live Theatre and the Staples Center March 28.
  • WELLTON, Ariz. -- Team members from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Border Patrol Station in Wellton, Ariz., Mar. 22. The station will serve more than 300 agents and support staff with more than 50,000 square feet or workspace, offices and space for meetings, training and detention.

    Wellton Border Patrol Station open for business

    WELLTON, Ariz. – The Customs and Border Protection Agency cut the ribbon to officially open the new border patrol station here during a ceremony Mar. 22.
  • The Los Angeles District launched a refreshed public website on a new, cloud-based system. The system provides the Corps with a consistent website look and feel, streamlines content management making it easier to keep Web pages current, and delivers a richer end-user experience that makes use of audio, video and other Web elements.

    District website migrates

    LOS ANGELES--The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers launched a refreshed public website on a new, cloud-based system in December 2011.
  • Officials (with scissors), including Los Alamitos Mayor Troy Edgar, Rep. Grace Napolitano, Corps Project Engineer Maj. Phillip Oster and Los Angeles District Commander Col. Mark Toy, cut the ribbon officially opening the Sunburst Youth Academy facilities at Los Alamitos March 16, 2012 as Corps Resident Engineer Mike Siu, Corps Quality Assurance Representative Jim Miller, Executive Officer Maj. Kenneth Shubert, Corps Project Manager Shawn Basu and Corps Project Engineer Greg Ripperger look on.

    Corps, CalGuard open youth facility

    The Corps managed the $1.6 million renovation project constructed by contractor Alpine Diversified, Inc., of Palmdale, Calif. Alpine performed the work within budget and nearly three months ahead of schedule. The contractor renovated nine classrooms and several offices, turning dilapidated buildings into world-class teaching facilities.
  • Vic Bartkus, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District team member, speaks with a family Mar. 10 about the District's involvement in ecosystem restoration at the annual Tres Rios Nature and Earth Festival held in Goodyear, Ariz. The festival draws in government agencies and organizations from across Arizona interested in promoting awareness of the history and habitat in the Phoenix area.

    USACE team members get back to nature in Arizona

    PHOENIX -- Members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District spent two sunny days participating in the annual Tres Rios Nature & Earth Festival held in Goodyear, Ariz. March 10 and 11.
  • Officials toured the new indoor range facility at March Air Reserve Base. The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District completed construction of the new indoor small-arms firing range. Rep. Ken Calvert, along with Corps, base and local community officials, celebrated the milestone during a ribbon cutting ceremony here March 10.

    Corps completes MARB firing range project

    MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif.--The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District completed construction of a new indoor small-arms firing range. Rep. Ken Calvert, along with Corps, base and local community officials, celebrated the milestone during a ribbon cutting ceremony here March 10.
  • Eighth-grade science student Martin explains how he resolved a math word problem presented by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers guest speaker Chadi Wahby during a Viva Technology program at Belvedere Middle School Feb. 9. Viva programs are one-day workshops designed to introduce engineering and science challenges that correlate with the students' studies.

    Corps plants more STEM seeds

    Ninety students participated in the full-day Viva program that included hands-on competitive and educational exercises like the Dream Invention, Rocket Science and the Catapult Launcher, designed to help them understand the connections between their math and science studies and rewarding STEM careers.

  • February

    A Barstow city bus loaded with contractors drive past one of the existing water points at Fort Irwin. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Barstow Chamber of Commerce held an Industry Day at the Barstow Community College in efforts to attract potential local contractors for a $100 million water plant for Fort Irwin and National Training Center Feb. 22. After the morning briefings, transportation to Fort Irwin was provided by the City of Barstow Chamber of Commerce.

    Corps to build $100 million water treatment plant

    BARSTOW, CALIF.--The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Barstow Chamber of Commerce held an Industry Day at the Barstow Community College in efforts to attract potential local contractors for a $100-$120 million water plant for Fort Irwin and National Training Center Feb. 22.