Keeping the district, rivers, flowing

Headwaters UpdateUS Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District, Vol. 5, Issue 2, Spring 2014

Duane Shirley and Pat Kinneman load equipment for upcoming work at Elizabeth Lock and Dam.

Col. Steven J. Roem-hildt assumed command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Great Lakes and Ohio River Division from outgoing commander Brig. Gen. Margaret W. Burcham during a ceremony in Cincinnati, Ohio, May 28.

USACE Deputy Chief of Engineers Maj. Gen. Todd T. Semonite presided over the transfer of leadership while the USACE Com-mand Sgt. Maj. Karl J. Groninger oversaw the exchange of colors.

Maj. Gen. Semonite welcomed Roemhildt to the team noting, “He is just the right person to tackle

the challenges that LRD brings.”

Roemhildt, a native of Minnesota, graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and was com-missioned as an engineer officer in 1987. He earned a Master of Science degree

in Engineering Management from the University of Alaska – Anchorage and is a licensed professional engi-neer in the State of Alaska. He is also a graduate of the Engineer Officer Basic Course, the Infantry Officer Advanced Course and the U.S. Army Command and Staff College.

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US Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District

Col. Bernard R. LindstromDistrict Commander

Public Affairs Chief

Jeff Hawk

EditorCarol Davis

Layout & DesignDan Jones

Public Affairs Office412-395-7500

www.lrp.usace.army.mil

Headwaters Update is a quarterly pub-lication of the U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers, Pitts-burgh District. It is produced for electronic distribution by the Public Affairs Office. Views and opinions expressed in the Head-waters Update are not necessar-ily those of the Department of the Army or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Submissions may be sent to CELRP-PA@usace.army.mil for consideration in upcom-ing editions. Stories submitted should be in a Word document format. All photographs should include a caption and be high resolution (at least 4x6 inches and 300 dpi).

In this IssuePage 6 - Corps partners for gill net survey at Allegheny ReservoirPage 7 - River Watchers build new access road at Shenango LakePage 8 - PEWARS workers keep district, rivers flowingPage 13 - District helps small businesses build big

On the CoverWorkers at PEWARS load equipment for upcoming work at Elizabeth Locks and Dam

(Photo by Dan Jones, PAO)

Jeff Hawk, PAO

LRD welcomes new commander

EMAP Certification The Pittsburgh District received its certification from the Emergency Management Accreditation Program. EMAP recognizes an emergency management program’s ability to bring together personnel, resources and communications from a variety of agencies in preparation for and in response to emergencies. From left to right, Dan Jones, Carol Davis, C.J. Infantino, Mike Bodnar, Col. Bernard LIndstrom, T.J. Fichera, Dave Andreko, Jim Christ and Ryan Fisher.

also

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By Arthur Myers, East Branch Lake

Fifth graders from Fox Township Elementary School in Kersey, Pa., participated in an outdoor day at Bendigo State Park at East Branch lake.

For the past several years, they have been participating in the Trout in the Classroom or TIC program. In November, they were shipped Brook Trout eggs and raised them in their class-room until they were released in the spring. Last year, the students decided to combine the releasing of the trout with a field trip and make it a day event.

The PA Game Commission, PA Fish Commission, Bendigo State Park and the Corps of Engineers participated in the event. Officers and park rangers assisted in stocking the Brook Trout, conducted games on predator and prey,

Students get back to nature at East Branch

aided in Blue Bird identification and construction of a nest-ing box for each student.

Students were given a water safety program and each student was given a Bobber bag which contained a variety of Bobber water safety items.

Students show off their bird houses during a visit to Bendigo State Park.

By Robert Langley

On May 16, Robert Langley, a Pike Island Lock and Dam employee, along with Bobber, the water safety dog, visited Wellsburg Primary School, in Wellsburg, WVa., to talk to the students about water safety.

The talk included explaining the different types of lifejackets and preservers, and how to properly don and wear them, as well as water safety tips such as “never swim alone.”

During the lecture, Bobber held the student’s attention with a little show. The children also had an opportunity to ask questions and everyone received a bag of goodies compliments of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Later in the day, Bobber delivered popcorn to the students’ classroom and posed for photos.

Back to schoolBobber visits students, ‘speaks’ water safety

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For fun children’s activities that teach water safety, visit:

bobber.info

By Joella Zaffino, Tionesta Lake

Tionesta Lake Project Staff and 10 of their children, ages eight to15, par-ticipated in National Take Your Child to Work Day on April 24.

The children began the day by observing their parents performing their jobs and learning how each job fit into the mission of the project. Then, the children attended a wel-come and introduction before Ranger Ricky McKee led them on a tour of the control tower.

Rangers Luke Houston, Jason Bowers, and Jason Quinn presented a water safety program and led the chil-dren in various water safety activities.

Keeping with the theme of the Na-tional Take Your Child to Work Day, “Plant a Seed; Grow a Future” and

Plant a seed, grow a future at Tionesta

the observance of Earth Day, Jason Quinn, a Tionesta Lake ranger, led the group to an area of the dam site where invasive autumn olive trees were re-moved during the 2013 Tionesta Lake Clean Up Day.

Finally, while some of the group planted sawtooth oak saplings, do-nated by the PA Game Commission, others planted 11 chestnut tree seeds given to Rodney Daum, Tionesta Lake resource manager, as a partici-pant in a seminar presented by the American Chestnut Foundation.

Take Your Child to Work Day began in 1993, and is held the fourth Thursday of April. The program is designed to bring children into the workplace to explore life’s many career choices. Tionesta Lake has served as host to the educational

event for the past two years, and anticipates this day to be an annual “signature event” for the staff and their children in the future.

Tionesta Lake Staff and 10 of their children, ages eight to15 participated in National Take your Children to Work Day on April 24. In keeping with this year’s theme, Plant a seed; Grow a Future, the group planted two types of saplings, Sawtooth Oaks and American Chestnuts.

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By Mark Jones, Engineering Branch

The Charleroi Emptying Basin contractor began sealing the existing cofferbox. Cof-ferboxes provide a dry work space within the river and help minimize underwater work. The work is designed to assist with the dewa-tering, concrete demolition, and surveying.

The cofferbox work is the first in-river work necessary for the construction of the new emptying basin.

The $15-million contract is one of three active contracts at Charleroi that the Lower Mon Area Office is managing and is sched-uled to be complete in December 2015.

Brayman Construction Corporation is the contractor for the project, and dive work is being performed by Specialty Underwater Services.

Emptying basin work begins at Charleroi L/D

Workers examine the sheet pilings at Charleroi Locks and dam as part of the emptying basin work.

By April Richards, Loyalhanna Lake

On April 27, April Richards, a Loyal-hanna Lake park ranger, joined more than 35 regional environmental organizations and energy companies at the 13th Annual Westmoreland Earth Day at the Robert S. Carey Student Center on the campus of Saint Vincent College.

The day was filled with educational activi-ties, live animal shows, displays and booths for all ages and interests. At the Corps of Engineers exhibit, families had the oppor-tunity to try on life jackets of all colors and sizes, touch a beaver pelt, identify a snapping turtle’s skull, and test their plant identification knowledge.

Parents could also to try on the new inflat-able life jacket while their children were given coloring books and stickers.

The free event went from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and more than 580 people took the op-portunity to learn about other local outdoor recreation sites as well.

Loyalhanna takes part in Earth Day event

On April 23, rangers from Tionesta Lake participated in the 2014 Earth Day event at the Polk Center in Franklin. More than 300 water safety contacts were made at this annual event. Rangers Luke Houston and Jason Quinn stressed the importance of water safety and handed out water safety promotional items.

Tionesta spreads the word about water safety at Polk Center Earth Day

By Steve Stoltz/Sam Peitz, Navigation Design Branch

The Montgomery Dam on the Ohio River represents one of the district’s most fragile navigation structures due to the severe deterioration of the proj-ect’s dam gates.

Currently, eight of the 10 gates at Montgomery Dam have exceeded their lifespan and are in failure status.

A multi-discipline team from the district’s engineering, construction, operations, contracting and project management sections is working to address the structural issues.

This project consists of providing engineering services, calculations, and other analyses necessary to develop the design and to prepare plans. Technical specifications and supporting documents will enable a contract package for the installation of a new “base” gate to replace existing Dam Gate #5 with an option to replace existing Dam Gate #7 as well.

The contract includes modifications of the existing gate

machinery, machinery houses, gate piers, new gate lifting chains, and the replacement of the existing dam gate with new prefabricated gates. The two new gates are currently being fabricated by G&G Steel in Alabama.

The contract is expected to be awarded later this fiscal year.

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By Carl Nim, District Biologist

Staff and volunteers from Allegh-eny National Forest, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Seneca Nation of Indians and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, conducted a week long gill net survey of Allegh-eny Reservoir.

In order to be comparable to previous surveys, the six-day survey occurred in April, and involved set-ting and retrieving more than 35 gill nets along previously used sites in the Pennsylvania segment of reservoir shorelines.

Data was collected about size, weight, and, when possible, sex. The ear bones, or otoliths, were also collected to accurately determine the walleye’s age. Like tree rings, the rings on the otolith can be counted to determine age.

Walleye statistical information can help partnering federal, state and

Corps, partners conduct gill net survey

Brian Ensign, PA Fish & Boat Commission

local agencies to better understand Allegheny reservoir’s fish popula-tion. Additionally, the data can help environmentalists make informed

decisions about how to best manage these natural resources.

The last gill net survey was con-ducted in 2009.

Data was collected during the week-long gill net survey conducted at Kinzua Dam and Allegh-eny Reservoir.

Montgomery gate design, contract gets underway

The Navigation Design Branch staff: Bottom row (from left): Samantha Peitz, Eric Horcick, Megan Miller, Daniel Nguyen. Top row (from left): Paul Surace, Kevin Dorian, Sue Majew-ski, Dave Heidish, Dave Buccini, Ethan Leisure, Tom Andre, Bob Tyszkiewicz.

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By Jason Cote, Shenango River Lake

Shenango Lake partners completed a project to provide another access point to the river for paddle sport enthusiasts and anglers.

The Shenango River Watchers recently rebuilt the New Hamburg Canoe Launch Roadway, located between the Kidds Mill Park and Big Bend Access Area. The project provides midway access to the 7.5-mile river span and opens a little-used, old access road that had fallen into disrepair.

The project was designed so people would be able to drive their vehicles and boat trailers directly up to the launch area, unload, turn around, and park in a nearby lot. There are now three access points on Corps property that are part of the Shenango River Water Trail which stretches from Pymatuning State Park to Shenango Lake.

In past years, visitors could be seen walking down the shoulder of the highway carrying all sorts of canoes, kay-

aks, and associated equipment. They would reach the river by using the unimproved pathways.

The Shenango River Watchers leased the access area from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last year and worked toward obtaining several grants that funded the project.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District and Penn-DOT were involved with planning and imple-mentation. Once the area was leased, the River Watch-ers were able to complete the project during a time when Shenango Lake experienced several fiscal constraints.

The Shenango River Watchers have scheduled the Upper Shenango River Sojourn for June 27 – 29. Check out their website at www.shenangoriverwatchers.org for other fun events throughout the summer.

Financial contributors included the Jamestown VFW, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, the Mercer County Visitors Bureau, Mercer County Commissioners, and the Shenango River Watchers.

River Watchers build new access point at ShenangoShenango Lake staff

Story and photos by Dan Jones, PAO

Keeping the rivers navigable is no easy task considering the age of many of the locks and dams. Without the workers at the Pittsburgh Engineers Warehouse and Repair Station, this task would be impossible.

As PEWARS goes, so go the three rivers.

According to Don Fogel, Pittsburgh District Maintenance Branch chief, with a relatively small staff, PEWARS must rely on highly-skilled personnel working overtime to complete its mission.

Although PEWARS consists of many different occupations from engineers and mechanics to electricians and welders, the staff must be highly versatile.

“This is where the rubber meets the road,” said Don Fogel, chief of the Pittsburgh District Maintenance Branch. “Everyone does a little bit of everything. We don’t do repetitive work. We are not a manufacturing plant. We take a broken part and fix it or fabricate a new one.”

While this is can be challenging, PEWARS is also facing a greater personnel challenge.

“Although, we have had some success with growing apprentices and students in-house, we don’t have that luxury. We want a 25-year old worker with 30 years experience,” he joked.

He also added that because of

the workload to workforce strength, employees often work 200 hours of overtime in a busy year.

“We have a lot of talented people here, who can cover a lot of ground,” he said. “Finding industrial electricians with high voltage experience is very difficult. There is a need across the board and there just aren’t enough of them.”

The workers must leverage their

versatility especially when maintaining infrastructure. Because the facilities are so old, there are not many commercially available parts on the shelf. As a result, PEWARS focuses on creating or fabricating one-of-a-kind parts. These steel artisans use their skills to construct parts that have been discontinued for years due to changes in engineering and design standards.

“When rules, regulations and technology change over time, standardization goes out the window,” Fogel added. “Each one (facility) is unique.”

One of the most challenging parts of the fabrication process is when the older existing drawings are used to fabricate parts. Many times, the on-site conditions have changed since the initial design.

“We have to make sure that the design we receive will work.” he said. “We usually have to modify the designs. The modifications make it easier to fabricate and install..”

Fabricating these unique parts often times begins many months before the actual repair work begins.

Once the Dashields Lock and Dam in Crescent, Pa., was scheduled for repairs, PEWARS went to work.

Because of the government

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Keeping the district, rivers up and running

Joe Stipkovits, welder, guides a support brace as it it being craned on to a barge.

furlough, fabrication for the upcoming work at Dashields didn’t begin until March.

“The project was identified late last year, but we lost nearly three months because of the furlough,” Fogel said.

“We have been working a lot of Saturdays.”

According to Fogel, the repair fleet just returned from the Phase I repair effort at Dashields Lock and Dam and will head to Elizabeth, Pa. next. The materials for Elizabeth Lock and Dam have been fabricated and more than 50 pieces will be loaded on barges

and transported up the Monongahela River.

“This is pretty typical to come back from one job and load up for the next,” he said.

As the need for repairs on aging infrastructure continues to increase, PEWARS will continue to face a challenge that is being seen across the county-the replacement of retiring workers.

“Between 25 and 30 percent of our workforce will be retiring in the next five years,” said Fogel. “We are trying to be proactive on the ‘difficult-to-fill’ positions. We are also seeing a lot of temporary developmental assignments for supervisor and leadership positions.”

No matter what happens in the future, the workers at PEWARS always seem to find a way to get the job done right.

“The level of effort and expertise of our workers allows us to be successful,” he added. “This is one of the best crews I have seen in my 25 years here. They are very knowledgeable, capable and dedicated.”

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Kevin Asmus, welder, watches to ensure a support brace is safely loaded on to the barge for transport.

Dan Fry, maintenance mechanic leader, (left), and Ian McDowell, welder, (right), use a crane to move a steel plate into position so that it can be welded.

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By Christina Barker, Shenango Lake

Tionesta Lake, Resource Manager Rodney Daum, and Shenango Lake, Park Ranger Christina Barker, attended the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Com-mission’s open house at the Linesville Fish Hatchery, April 5.

Tionesta Lake personnel operated a Corps booth where visitors could take lake brochures, and a variety of water safety handouts.

The open house showcased how the PAFBC and the Corps provide fish-ing and boating opportunities through exhibits, demonstrations and activities.

Approximately 400 contacts were made during this blustery day in early spring.

Resource Manager Rodney Daum speaks with guests during the PA Fish & Boat Commission Open House at the Linesville, Pa., Fish Hatchery.

Lakes partner for Linesville Fish Hatchery Open House

By Kim Warner, East Branch Lake

On April 22, district personnel traveled to the Corps’ warehouse on Neville Island to inspect rock cores taken during exploratory drilling work at East Branch Dam.

Hundreds of heavy core boxes were laid out in rows on the ware-house floor, displaying rock samples from various locations across the dam and representing depths of more than 300 feet. These core samples depict the condition of the dam’s foundation which is a critical piece of information incorporated into the engineering design of the cut-off wall contract, a Dam Safety Initiative project scheduled for award this fiscal year.

Participating in the review were Carol Tasillo, Kathy Bensko, Greg Hensley (Huntington District), Sarah Missenda, Kristen Enzweiler, David Plas and Kim Warner.

East Branch rock core samples inspected at Neville Island

East Branch Dam rock core samples were inspected as part of the Dam Safety Initiative Project.

By Kevin Dorian, Engineering

Work is wrapping up on the wire sawcutting contract at Dashields Locks and Dam.

The sawcutting is part of a larger project that the Civil Design Section prepared to assist the Repair Party with installing an upstream closure system. The closure sys-tem will allow the 110-foot chamber to be dewatered to perform vital maintenance on the locks.

The current dewatering system, a boule dam, was red-tagged due to its inability to resist the hydrostatic loads exerted by a dewatering of the lock chamber; requiring a new system.

The new closure system was designed by the Inland Navigation Design Center at the Rock Island District, Ill.

When complete, it will use the Braddock Lock mainte-nance bulkheads for dewa-tering. The process requires a wire saw to cut slots into the lock walls where a liner will be placed prior to inserting the maintenance bulkheads.

The Pittsburgh District Repair Party will remove the boule dam, modify the boule sill, install the recess liner and filler assembly this summer so that the lock chamber can be dewatered in future years. This will eventually allow for the much needed replacement

of the downstream miter sill, pintle base, and anchorages.

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By Beth Schneller, Engineering

Four employees from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District’s Engineering and Construction Division, Philadelphia and Baltimore districts, and more than 100 federal and non-federal Flood Protection Project sponsors from Pennsylvania attended the 14th Annual Pennsylvania Department of Environmen-tal Protection’s (PADEP) FPP workshop, April 15.

The workshop was designed to update local sponsors who operate and maintain flood protection projects on the USACE Public Law (PL) 84-99 and Levee Safety programs.

Every year, a sponsor from each district is presented with a plaque in recognition of their continued investment in maintaining a high standard of operations and maintenance. This year, the award was presented to Bruce Foote, Bradford District’s local Flood Control Authority.

Engineers from the Civil Design Sections work with

sponsors and PADEP, to perform inspections on their flood protection projects to document their condition and assign system ratings which determine their eligibility status in the PL 84-99 program. As long as the local sponsors main-tain their projects to a minimally acceptable level, the FPPs remain active in the PL84-99 program which keeps them eligible for rehabilitation assistance if the project receives significant storm damage.

Kristen Hoesch, Civil Engineer; Marc Glowczewski, Civil Engineer; Jennifer Savitz, Levee Safety Program Manager; Bruce Foote, Chairman, Bradford District Flood Control Author-ity; and Beth Schneller, Chief, Civil Design Section, attended the PADEP conference.

District Employees attend PADEP workshopFlood Protection, Levee Safety take center stage

Work is ongoing at Dashields Lock and Dam on the Ohio River. Wire saw cutting is necessary to enable the dewatering of the lock chamber

Saw cutting wraps up, more work ahead at Dashields

By Luke Houston, Tionesta Lake

Anglers by the hundreds visited local streams in the hopes of catching a trout on opening day of trout season at the stocked Ross Run Fish Habitat Improvement Area, Tionesta, Pa., April 12.

The Tionesta Lake staff collaborated with the Pennsyl-vania Fish and Boat Commis-sion, Kellettville Sportsmen Club, and the Collins’ Pine Company to improve fish habi-tat, and to designate a youth and persons with disabilities only fishing area along Ross Run Stream.

The habitat improvement project provides children and individuals with disabilities a unique opportunity to fish in a beautiful mountain stream. It encourages children to learn about fishing, and introduces them to wildlife and the out-doors.

The Ross Run partnership project provides an excellent opportunity for fishing and proves partnerships can be successful.

The partnership establishes a con-

tinuous working relationship with the partners and it enhances the Ross Run and Corps-owned property while en-couraging families to visit and recreate utilizing the Corps’ natural resources.

The Ross Run fish habitat improve-ment project, located near Kellettville,

Pa., is designed to stabilize eroding banks and provide in-stream and overhead cover along the stream.

This project provides habi-tat for both wild and stocked trout by supporting a larger number of fish in the stream and consequently promoting better recreational fishing op-portunities.

A new sign has been in-stalled to identify the partners and the habitat improvement area.

The Ross Run fish habitat improvement project contrib-utes to the Corps’ environ-mental stewardship mission by impacting the health of a stream’s ecosystem and physically improving the trout habitat of Ross Run.

Currently, there are several eroded areas on the banks of the stream and the right bank has channel braids. These devices will stabilize banks

and eroding channels, centralize flow to create deeper water, and provide cover for the fish. With these objec-tives completed, the stocked trout will have a better chance of surviving from year to year.

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Hundreds of anglers took to the water on opening day of trout season

Trout season opens at Ross Run Fish Habitat

By Kim Warner, East Branch Lake

Between the morning stakeholders meeting and the evening public meeting, district per-sonnel visited the Instrumentation Automation Project currently underway at East Branch Dam, April 16.

The contractor is installing towers and other equipment which will allow for automated read-ing of piezometers and other instrumentation which is a vital piece of the Dam Safety Initia-tive project.

Participating in the site visit was Greg Hens-ley, from the Huntington District, along with Jeff Hawk, Werner Loehlein, Judy Sisteck, Mike Rattay, Mike Setlock, Kevin Cannon and Kim Warner all from Pittsburgh District.

Site visit, equipment upgrade conducted at East Branch

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By Sherrie Plonski, Small Business

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District participated in a day-long networking event, Dynamic Networking for Small Business (DyNet), April 2, at the Robert H. Mollohan Re-search Center in Fairmont, W.Va.

This free event brought large federal prime contractors and federal agencies to the networking table with potential small business partners.

DyNet, in its fifth year, is a regional outreach event and was organized through collaboration with the I-79 Development Council, the event host. The Pittsburgh District and the West Virginia Small Business Administration Clarksburg Office assisted with planning, organizing and performing all activities necessary to ensure there was no cost to either the government or the attendees.

Through the sponsorship of the I-79 Council, the collaborative efforts of the Pittsburgh District and the SBA, and the marketing efforts of all, DyNet is fast becoming one of the region’s premier small business events. An attendee commented that the I-79 Development Coun-cil’s DyNet with the SBA and the US Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District, exceeded expectations by providing small businesses with outstanding educational and network-ing opportunities.

“It is one of the events I always attend because the value far exceeds the investment,” said Jeannette King, President & CEO, SRE, Inc.

This year, 254 registrants from 10 states networked with 35 prime contractors, 15 major federal agencies and received advice and assistance from 12 other agencies represent-ing procurement technical assistance and small business development centers, banks, insurance agencies and others. This presented a well-rounded networking opportunity for the more than 72 individual small business companies in attendance.

The theme of 2014’s event, Start Small – Build Big, was conceived by the DyNet Team and all activities were planned around offering classes, networking, and assistance designed to help the small businesses who “start small” to “build big.”

The Dynamic Networking for Small Business was held April 2. The event enables small business owners and opportunity to meet large federal prime contractors.

District helps small businesses build big

By Jason Bowers, Tionesta Lake

Bobber, the water safety dog, played by Jason Bower, a district natural resource specialist, and

Smokey the Bear, played by Dan Schmidt, a Pennsylvania Game Commission officer, traveled to Tidioute Charter School, May 27.

The two teamed up to remind children of the im-portance of water safety and fire prevention.

Christy Mealy, USFS

Bobber hangs out with Smokey, students

By Kevin Nogroski, Youghiogheny Lake

Youghiogheny River Lake held its 42th Annual Special Recreation Day, May 8.

Under the sun and warmth of the day, 244 special needs people enjoyed a fun-filled day of picnicking, pon-toon boat rides, hay wagon rides with live entertainment, trout fishing, disc jockey Frankie, carnival games and face painting provided by the Turkey-foot Valley Area High School Honor Society.

Galliker’s Dairy donated ice cream and gave away towels with the black and white pattern of a cow on them. The Confluence Lions Club provided hot dogs and drinks, and all the partici-pants received stainless steel tumblers with money received from the Federal Executive Board, other Lions Clubs and local businesses. In total, 550 hot dogs were served along with 44 2-liter bottles of soda, five gallons of water, 30 cups of coffee, and 430 tumblers. The Ladies Auxiliary provided 40 pounds of potato salad, 40 pounds of coleslaw, and baked beans. The Spring Valley Brethren provided two large trays of cookies.

The Southern Area and Tionesta Lake staffs, along with District Office support from Maj. Laura Schroeder, Maj. Stephen Lucas, Capt. Joseph

O’Donnell and Operations Division supported the 460 people in attendance.

Youghiogheny River Lake also dedi-cated their new Outflow Playground and provided a plaque in memory of Robert “Bob” Oslick, who provided countless hours of time and donations for this event, as well as many other events like it around the district, for more than a 35 years.

Pete Colangelo, a former district Na-tional Resources Management Branch chief, presented the plaque and gave

a speech for the dedication. Oslick’s friend, Howard Horton, was also rec-ognized for 35 years of service with the Commanders Award for Public Service. The Friends for the Youghiogheny Riv-er Lake provided 162 hours of labor on the construction of the playground, and their efforts were also recognized on the plaque dedicating the playground.

Several Corps retirees also partici-pated including Pete Colangelo, Bob John, Bill Alex and George Turak pictured above.

Many volunteers were necessary to make the 42nd Annual Youghiogheny Special Recreation Day a success.

42nd Annual Special Rec Day at Yough Lake

Charleroi site visitContractors attended the pre-bid site visit for the upcoming Charleroi Middle Wall Contract. Glenn Bush, Lower Mon area office briefed the contractors during their visit, June 12.

(Photo by Jonathan Muller, Lower Mon area office)

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By Mark Zaitsoff

Pittsburgh District’s Joseph Bossard provided hy-draulic and hydrology support to the Federal Disaster Recovery Coordination Infrastructure Support Team, deployed to Denver, in support of Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Northeast Colorado 2013 flood recovery effort.

Bossard used GeoRAS and HEC-RAS, hydraulic modeling tools, to assess geomorphic changes to the stream channels after the 2013 flood and its effect on flood elevations and extents for multiple communities, such as Estes Park, Co.

The mission was to evaluate the geomorphic changes that occurred to stream channels and floodplains dur-ing the September 2013 event. Changes were generally scour and/or deposition (debris/sediment). Sometimes, meandering channels straightened out due to the energy of the flood waters, but now, some of these reaches are reverting to their natural conditions.

Bossard used software to model pre- and post-conditions with available survey data. The findings are briefed out weekly through the Infrastructure Coordina-

tor to the senior leaders. The objective was to inform district leaders and FEMA Region VIII of the potential risk of flooding during spring runoff, and to establish the baseline for the next phase of recovery mission - long-term recovery.

District provides support for FEMA recovery efforts

Members of the Pitts-burgh District Power Team participated in a Combined Response Mission Exercise -- CRME 2014 -- March 26-29 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska.

Held on the 50th an-niversary of one of the nation’s most devastat-ing earthquake events, the training exercise gave power team mem-bers hands-on experi-ence with the challeng-es faced in responding to an emergency, not just of this magnitude, but within a remote region of the U.S.

The field training exercise was designed to train USACE Planning and Response Teams responsible for execut-ing Emergency Support Function #3 response missions: temporary power, commodities distribution and national water. Also included in the training was the Logistics PRT, 249th Prime Power Engineer Battalion, ESF#3 manage-ment personnel, Containerized Tactical Operations Center,

USACE Logistics Activity, ACE-IT Enterprise Emergen-cy Response Team, Advance Contracting Initiative power contractors and others.

The CRME 2014 was part of a larger group of exercises connected to the National Exercise Program Capstone Exercise/Alaska Shield Exercise.

Alaska is the most active seismic area in the U.S., with as many as 4,000 earth-quakes of varying depths occurring annually.

In 1964, the most dramatic and memorable 9.2 magni-tude earthquake, centered near Anchorage, Alaska’s

most populated area, caused extensive damage. This seismic event left homes and buildings twisted and

uninhabitable, caused rock slides, landslides and ava-lanches, and the following tsunamis essentially destroyed many of Alaska’s coastal communities. Deaths from this earthquake were recorded as far south as California and the tsunamis caused damage to seaside towns as far away as Hawaii.

Pittsburgh Power Team participants included: Jon Coleman, Jim Christ, Glenn Hawkey, Josh Bridge, Bob Isler, Dominic Basile, Elaine Lisk, Sandra Petre, Matt Slezak, Mark Ivanisin, Terence James, Kit Tressler, TJ Fichera, Norrice King, and Dave Bishop, LRD Emergency Power SME (not included in photo).

Power team heads to Alaska for Combined Response Mission Exercise

Joseph Bossard provided hydraulic and hydrology support for FEMA during flood response in Denver. He evaluated geomorphic changes that occured to stream channels.

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By Carol E. Davis, PAO

Members from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District donned their lifejackets and took to the city streets to raise awareness not only for Wear Your Lifejacket to Work Day, May 16, but as a kickoff to National Safe Boating Week, May 17 – 23.

Seventeen district employees were joined, in Pittsburgh’s Market Square, by seven government, local, and state agencies in sup-port of the day. Bobber, the Water Safety Dog, posed for pictures with people in the square while the group handed out safe boating ma-terial. A spokesperson from the Pittsburgh mayor’s of-fice presented a declaration to the Coast Guard com-mander recognizing Nation-al Safe Boating Week.

Col. Bernard Lindstrom, district commander, em-phasized the importance of always wearing a lifejacket while in and near the water.

“Look at the wonderful,

technological and amazing piece of equipment that we have,” he said while point-ing at Bobber’s lifejacket. “Not only that, but it’s a great addition to your sum-mer wear. While you’re out there, selecting your beach attire, use your personal flo-

tation device to save lives.” “Wear it and Love the

Life,” the 2014 theme for the National Safe Boating Week campaign resonated throughout the event.

Representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat

Commission, River Rescue, Port of Pittsburgh Com-mission, City of Pittsburgh EMS, Venture Outdoors, and Waterways Association of Pittsburgh also attended the event. Many other Corps location participated in their local communities as well.

Lifejacket message spread throughout region

Crooked Creek Lake Staff Southern Area Office

Pittsburgh District employees throught the region participated in the Wear Your LIfe Jacket to Work Day. This was part of a world wide event designed to spread the word about water safety and lifejackets.