Vol. 34, No. 4 July – August 2010

District team leads fish recovery in the Willamette Valley

Demystifying the 2008 biological opinions

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Corps’pondent is an authorized unofficial newsletter for Department of Defense employees and retirees. Editorial content is the responsibility of the Public Affairs Office, Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208. Contents herein are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government or the Department of the Army. Layout and printing by USACE Enterprise Information Technology Services. Circulation 775. Contributions and suggestions are welcome by mail, phone at (503) 808-4510 or email to CENWP-PA@usace.army.mil. Check out Corps’pondent online at http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/pa/csp.asp.

Commander: Col. Steven R. Miles, P.E. Chief, Public Affairs: Matt Rabe Editor: Erica Jensen

5 Portland District launches new website

6 New class for Leadership Development Program 8 Safety specialist brings wide-ranging experience to John Day project

10 District team leads fish recovery in the Willamette Valley 14 Rogue Basin Project staff to the rescue of the Western Pond Turtle

16 Portland District HQ picnic

18 Retiring the Hickson: A chapter in family, Corps history comes to an end

20 Where are you now?

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

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2010 to 2040: A new chapter on energy solutions for the future

President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “Bonneville Dam would give Americans more wealth, better living, and greater happiness for our children” by improving navigation for commercial shipping and providing communities with inexpensive electrical power.”

When the dam was built in the 1930s, construction put roughly 3,000 people to work who labored through eight-hour shifts, non-stop to complete the massive structure in four years.

But I have to wonder – while employees were working all those hours, did they think that anyone would actually buy the power the dam was supposed to produce? Did the local community? Who was watching?

Seventy-two years later, as we rededicate a renewed and improved First Powerhouse to the next generation of Northwesterners, we know that the people across the nation were inspired by what those workers did at Bonneville. The evidence lies at the foundations of scores of other federal, public and private hydropower projects across the United States.

Today, as the District considers more efficient and even renewable energy solutions for the future, are people thinking the same thing? Do we really need to do this?

At present, Portland District produces about 44 percent of the region’s hydropower to meet the growing demands of public and private utilities, cities and industry.

In my mind, the operative word of that statement is the word “growing.” What will be the population in 2040?

As a District, can I promise the public that we will meet their needs 30 years from now – with an aging

infrastructure that needs critical repairs, and with construction and operation limitations imposed by both the Columbia and Willamette river biological opinions?

I think we can fulfill that commitment if we look at the potential of all available renewable resources and work with our partners and stakeholders to integrate them into our current hydropower operations. With them, we can maximize the efficiency of our operations – helping to balance wind, solar, pumped storage and other capabilities into the mix.

Whirling windmills are clearly visible as you drive through the eastern Columbia Gorge, and solar and natural gas resources exist throughout the region. Pumped storage, as a means of

Continuedonpage4Bonneville Power Administration graphic

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integrating these resources into the transmission grid, is still a concept being worked out on paper by the Bonneville Power Administration, but with support by the region.

Put simply, pumped storage acts like a giant battery that stores power to use later. Pumped storage projects have two reservoirs – an upper reservoir that holds water until electricity is needed, at which time the water is released to run through a turbine and into a lower reservoir. During off-peak hours or when excess generation is available, the water is pumped back to the upper reservoir to repeat the cycle.

The benefit of pumped storage is that it can be balanced with other resources to provide a stable electrical grid system that provides reliable electricity for homes and businesses when there’s no wind blowing or river water running through turbines.

According to Hydropower.com, 40 pumped storage facilities are operating in the U.S., with the closest to Portland District at Grand Coulee, Wash. The plants account for about 16 percent of renewable energy nationwide. Another 40 plants have been proposed for construction that would bring another 31,000 megawatts to the country.

Ensuring we meet the Pacific Northwest’s need for balanced renewable energy is a joint effort, shared by not only by the Corps of Engineers,

but also by Bonneville Power Administration and Bureau of Reclamation to name some of the other federal partners involved. Native American tribes from Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Montana along with state delegations and agencies are engaged in the discussion, and public interest groups also have an important role, such as the Northwest Public Power and Conservation Council, whose charge it is to ensure that energy and environmental resources are balanced in the Columbia River Basin.

As the District marches forward into the next 30 years with this group, we are focusing on how we can operate more efficiently as well as looking for relevant energy solutions to help us balance how power is generated and used. Our work in this area has the potential to change how we do business and could possibly add another business line to our organizational structure.

The years between now and 2040 are crucial for the District as we see continued growth in the region and manage our operations within the constraints posed by critical infrastructure issues and environmental policies.

Like our forefathers did before us I think it’s vital that we prepare now for future generations in the Northwest – just as they did when Bonneville Dam was just an idea on paper.

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Portland District launches new website

By Eric Hamilton, Public Affairs Office

It’s said that the only constant is change. And change is a powerful force in an Internet-enabled society, driving the 24-hour news cycle and paving the Information Superhighway. With that challenge in mind, the Portland District will launch its newly designed website by the end of the month allowing users to get concise information in a standardized format that’s easily navigable.

Col. Steven R. Miles, Portland District commander, calls this, “giving the public what it needs to know and what it wants to know.”

“Giving the public what it needs to know” refers to providing information that’s mandated by law, policy, regulation or common practice. Ensuring that information is available on the Web also helps ensure that what we do in the Corps is transparent to the public and reflects the public nature of our mission.

Providing the public with “what it wants to know” requires a different approach. Statistical data from the Web server was analyzed, showing which pages have higher usage than others over a given period of time. This data, when paired with public interaction on social media sites and tied to communications plans, defines what the public wants to know more about.

“Portland District’s public website should be clear, competent, coherent, concise and current with information available in just a few clicks,” said Miles. “This will make it easier for our public to find what they’re looking for – whether a recreation area in the Willamette Valley or the numbers of fish passing through the fish windows at Bonneville Dam.”

With these criteria, the District’s website has been reorganized following a functional structure

that reflects our primary missions: administration, business (which includes contracting and employment), environment, hydropower, navigation, projects, recreation, regulatory, services and tribal relationships.

This means a recreation user will now be able to easily access boat ramp information in one or two clicks instead of having to know the District’s organizational structure before their search. When migrating through the new design, the user would click on the website’s recreation link then select the location they would like to visit. All recreation information for the area will then be displayed in an expanded list. An example of this is at http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/recreation/.

Some Web pages also provide in-depth information and images on specific projects or topics, such as the District’s Web page on Mount St. Helens which is available at http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/projects/mountsthelens.asp.

The District’s Web pages also are now optimized for search engines, and have shorter addresses that are easier to remember and use.

Along with the District’s analysis of its users needs, the new public-centered site design also incorporates guidance that is commonly listed as “best practices” for government websites, such as that found on the Department of Defense’s Web Site Administration Policies & Procedures website (http://go.usa.gov/OsJ).

“The new design reflects the needs of our users,” said Miles. “There’s also another significant benefit: With change ever on the horizon, Portland District has ensured that it is willing and able to keep abreast with new technology and the new challenges it brings.”

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New class for Leadership Development Program

Ralph Banse-FayFacilitator

Chief, Contracting DivisionCorps Career – 15 years

Michael AdamsMechanical Engineer

Engineering and ConstructionCorps Career – 13 years

Mark BrodesserCivil Engineer

Engineering ConstructionCorps Career – 16 months

Joahnna K. BurdaAdministrative Officer

Planning, Programs andProject Management Division

Corps Career – 2 years

Monica B. CarterSafety and Health

Occupation SpecialistThe Dalles Lock and DamCorps Career – 10.5 years

Nell CochranPower Plant Electrician John Day Lock and DamCorps Career – 12 years

David W. GeslRegulatory Appeal Review

Northwestern DivisionCorps Career – 25 years

Kristen HaferRegulatory Project Manager

Regulatory BranchCorps Career – 3.5 years

Jeff HurtChief, Product Coordination Branch

Hydroelectric Design CenterCorps Career – 15-plus years

Tim DarlandNatural Resource Specialist - Ranger

Bonneville Lock and DamCorps Career – 8 years

Danielle JacquotAdministrative Assistant

Operations DivisionCorps Career – 4 years

Kim JohnsonEnvironmental EngineerNorthwestern DivisionCorps Career – 1 year

Bryan MasonStructural Engineer

Engineering and Construction,Structural and Architectural Design Section

Corps Career – 9 years

Rich PiaskowskiFisheries Biologist

Planning, Programs and Project Management DivisionCorps Career – 1 year

Mindy SimmonsProgram Manager, Planning, Programs

and Project Management DivisionCorps Career – 4.5 years

James A. TaylorChief Power Plant Operator

The Dalles Lock and DamCorps Career – 9 years

Brian J. WilsonProject Manager/Biologist

Eugene Section OfficeCorps Career – 2 years

Portland District Leadership Develo pment Program Class of 2010-11

By Erica Jensen, Public Affairs Office

PhotosbyBillieJohnson,ACE-ITVisualInformation

Sixteen employees selected for this year’s District Leadership Development Program will spend the next year honing their presentation skills and learning about and witnessing leadership principles in action.

Participants are from across the District and Northwestern Division and come from a broad spectrum of professional occupations. Despite their differences, they share a common motivation about why they applied for LDP.

They all saw it as a challenge to learn more about the Corps, from the local to national level, and an opportunity to develop new skill-sets and knowledge.

“I want to cultivate the necessary skills to prepare for leadership; not just in title, but to lead from any position I may be in,” said Kristin Hafer, a project manager in the District’s Regulatory Branch. “LDP is an investment that the Portland District is making in me, and in turn, I want to take what I learn from the program and reinvest my skills in the Corps.”

LDP is an intensive program that requires time, dedication and commitment. During the next year, students will participate in 40 hours of Speechcraft public-speaking immersion sessions sponsored by Toastmasters International, be paired with senior staff-level mentors, attend three graduate-level public administration courses at Portland State University and also travel to Washington, D.C. to learn about national policy.

Danielle Jacquot , administrative assistant for the Operations Division, sees LDP as a key part of her future with the Corps.

“I want to become a better leader and gain more insight into our role here and in the nation so that I can be a better asset in my current and future positions with this organization,” said Jacquot.

A capstone project culminates the program and is intended to test the cohort’s team-building and project development skills.

“I’m hoping to supplement my technical engineering education by furthering my understanding and experience of governmental and management processes,” said Michael Adams, a mechanical engineer in Engineering and Construction.

Throughout the year-long program, participants also are encouraged to attend and participate in District leadership meetings to learn not only what the Corps does, but also how it all fits together.

This year’s LDP class is facilitated by Jim Mahar, chief of Operations Division, and Ralph Banse-Fay, chief of Contracting Division, both of whom bring a tremendous amount of individual, organizational and national leadership experience to the three academic components of the program.

“My opportunity to participate as one of LDP’s facilitators is a chance for me to give back to this organization, which I have come to deeply respect over the years,” said Banse-Fay. “Good, capable people are the heart of any organization and I’m excited to be able to help develop some of our outstanding people so they can carry on the good work that we do.”

Brian Mason, a structural engineer in Engineering and Construction, applied for this year’s program because he heard great reviews from past graduates.

“They said LDP is a great opportunity to learn more about Corps operations and the driving factors and influences that shape our many missions,” said Mason. “I also see it as a great way to learn more about myself and my strengths as a future leader of the Corps.”

To learn more about this year’s class and what makes Portland District’s LDP one of the best in the Corps, visit the District Intranet or send a note to one of the participants to ask questions and congratulate them on their success.

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James MaharFacilitator

Chief, Operations DivisionCorps Career – 26 years

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mSafety specialist brings wide-ranging experience to John Day projectBy Scott Clemans, Public Affairs Office

When it comes to managing the safety program for a large, complex facility with lots of heavy machinery and other dangers at hand, you want someone who’s excelled at the job in several high-profile, can’t-fail situations, and has been pointed to by his peers as one of the best in the business. John Day/Willow Creek Project Safety and Occupational Health Specialist Barry Wright fits the bill perfectly.

Wright has worked as an industrial hygienist for Air Force special projects, spent four seasons as a safety manager in Antarctica, and served as a member of the space shuttle medical recovery team. He’s also designed an award-winning safety website for his Air National Guard wing and earned a top safety award from the Air Force’s Air Mobility Command.

Wright started his career in safety and occupational health as an active-duty Air Force airman, then transferred into the Air National Guard and soon became a full-time uniformed air reserve technician. He spent four years as an industrial hygienist, nine years in the military public health field and then transferred to the safety management field.

Wright’s duty station in the late 1980s was as an industrial hygienist and environmental specialist in Athens, Greece, and early 1990s was Edwards Air Force Base in California’s Mohave Desert. Edwards has long been one of the Air Force’s primary bases for testing advanced aircraft and related systems, and Wright provided industrial hygiene support to “special projects” there like the testing of the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter and MC-130 Combat Talon special operations transport aircraft.

Edwards is also the alternate landing site for space shuttle missions should the primary site at

Cape Canaveral, Fla., be unavailable due to bad weather or other factors, and Wright spent 18 months as a member of the shuttle medical recovery team, supporting nine shuttle missions.

“We were responsible for monitoring the health effects of the shutdown of the shuttle’s systems – such as defueling and purging of the shuttle’s tanks – and the egress of the astronauts themselves from the spacecraft after it landed,” Wright said.

After transferring to an Air National Guard unit in the Southeast, Wright supported the 109th Airlift Wing that operates the ski-equipped transport aircraft used to supply National Scientific Foundation research stations in Antarctica.

That led to his serving four annual two-month rotations at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, and three years in a support role as the ground safety manager for Operation Deep Freeze, an Air Force-led joint task force responsible for the coordination of strategic and field support airlift, emergency response and aeromedical evacuation to and from the frozen continent. Wright established the benchmarks for a new safety program there.

SeniorMasterSgt.WrightwasnamedoneofthetopsafetyprofessionalsintheU.S.AirForcejustafewmonthsbeforehisretirement.

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Phil Speck, U.S. Air Force

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Wright’s stateside duties with the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Airlift Wing included managing his own wing’s safety program, but Wright also spent time detailed to the AMC Inspector General office, where he had frequent contact with other units preparing for their IG inspections.

“I could see we all were struggling with the same issues, so I created a Safety Community of Practice site on the Web, where we could share ideas and lessons learned,” he said.

The site, along with the 123rd’s exemplary safety program and the support Wright lent to four other Air National Guard wings, earned him the Air National Guard and then Air Mobility Command Distinguished Individual Safety Award for 2008.

“It’s a peer-reviewed award – fellow safety folks decide who the winner is,” Wright said. “That makes it all the more special for me.”

It was also a fitting finish to Wright’s Air Force career – he won the award just months before his retirement as a senior master sergeant.

Wright knew Corps of Engineers safety specialists working for Louisville District and liked what he saw, so he kept his eye out for Corps safety positions during his post-Air Force job search and, although he had never spent any significant time in the Pacific Northwest, jumped at the opportunity to work at the John Day/Willow Creek Project.

“I love it here, even though it’s not airplanes,” Wright joked. “I have a mechanical background, and there are so many different mechanical systems to learn – hydropower, fish, navigation, and so on. I also like the work environment – it’s like a family here.”

Wright’s real family includes his wife, 6 year-old stepson, and two grown children, ages 22 and 19. He enjoys road biking, motorcycling, hiking, camping and weekend trips to explore the Pacific Northwest.

Wright also remains active in the Civil Air Patrol, holding the rank of major and the position of mission pilot with a CAP wing in Yakima, Wash. The CAP was founded in 1941 as a volunteer air reconnaissance force that chased German submarines off America’s coasts. Today, CAP handles 90 percent of inland search and rescue missions and saves about 75 lives each year.

“I’ve been in the Civil Air Patrol since age 12,” he said. “It’s the main reason I joined the Air Force.”

Now Barry Wright has joined Portland District, and is putting his wide-ranging safety and industrial hygiene expertise to work on behalf of John Day/Willow Creek Project employees.

ExhaustvaporsformaroundaC-1�GlobemasterIIIafterenginestart-upduringanOperationDeepFreezemission.Wrightservedassafetymanagerfortheannualfly-inofscientists,supportstaff,foodandequipmentfortheU.S.AntarcticprogramatMcMurdoStation,Antarctica,forsevenyears.

MilitarymedicsprovidecaretocrewmembersafterasimulatedspaceshuttlecrashduringanemergencyresponseexerciseatEdwardsAirForceBase.Wrightspent1�monthsasamemberofEdwards’shuttlemedicalrecoveryteam,supportingnineshuttlemissions.

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Shane A. Cuomo, U.S. Air Force

Photo by Mike Cassidy, U.S. Air Force

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By Amy Echols, Public Affairs Office

This is the first in a series on the Corps’ work to recover populations of endangered fish in the Willamette River basin. Future editions of the Corps’pondent will highlight actions and progress and share stories of the people making a difference in fish recovery.

Fish and the changing environment

The Willamette River basin historically supported large numbers of salmon and steelhead. But even before construction of the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers’ dams started in the 1940s, fish populations were in decline from valley settlement. Aggressive hatchery practices to boost commercial fisheries and provide fish eggs to hatcheries throughout the Columbia River basin contributed to this decline. Access to tributary habitat was blocked by barrier traps used to collect fish eggs.

“This history played a role in the decision to construct some Willamette Valley dams without fish passage facilities,” explains Greg Taylor, lead fisheries biologist for the Willamette Valley and Rogue River projects. “Fisheries managers planned to compensate for the loss of wild salmon and steelhead by building and operating hatcheries.”

“Where several of our dams – Green Peter, Foster, Cougar and Fall Creek – originally had both upstream and downstream fish passage facilities in their design, these systems failed to provide effective and safe passage, and most were abandoned.”

In addition to the dams’ blocking significant upstream fish spawning and rearing habitat, operating dams to control river flows have, over time, limited the movement of sediment and large

wood that supports a healthy ecosystem. Dam operations also have degraded downstream habitat by altering flows and water temperature patterns that are critical for fish survival. Compounding these issues, hatchery fish have had a negative effect on the genetic diversity and productivity of the basin’s wild fish.

“When you consider the cumulative effect of our dams, combined with major population growth, land development and the altering of the natural landscape, it’s not surprising that the habitat necessary to support the natural lifecycle of fish, including the resident fish Oregon chub and bull trout, continues to decline,” adds Taylor.

And the number of salmon and steelhead returning to the basin from the ocean declined sharply over the decades and those returning are now mostly of hatchery origin. (These two anadromous species travel to the ocean during their lifecycle and return to spawn in the fresh water of high Cascade tributaries.)

In response, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the small, thumb-length Oregon chub as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in 1993 and listed bull trout as threatened in 1999. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service listed both the Upper Willamette River spring Chinook and the Upper Willamette River winter steelhead as threatened species in 1999.

Biological opinions support species recovery

The Endangered Species Act protects species listed as “endangered” or “threatened.” It also requires any

District team leads fish recovery in the Willamette Valley

Demystifying the 2008 biological opinions

UpperWillametteSpringChinookandthesmallOregonchubarelistedforprotectionunderthefederalEndangeredSpeciesAct.

ResearchthroughthebiologicalopinionswillhelpchartacoursetowardincreasedfishsurvivalduringpassageoftheWillametteValleydams.

Corps of Engineers photos

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federal agency proposing an action (or continuing an existing one) that might have an effect on an ESA-listed fish to first seek a formal opinion from USFWS or NMFS about the effects of their action. These fisheries agencies may then issue biological opinions to the “action” agency to ensure that their actions – such as the operation of a dam – do not further impact the continued existence of a listed species or adversely modify their critical habitat.

“The Corps, Bonneville Power Administration and Bureau of Reclamation, as the Willamette Valley action agencies, were issued two biological opinions, one from each of the federal fisheries agencies in July 2008,” stated Mindy Simmons, the program manager for Willamette biological opinion implementation.

“The goal of these ‘biops’, as we call them in our everyday work, is to ensure that we will not reduce the likelihood of survival and recovery of the four ESA-listed fish as we continue the operation of the Willamette Valley dams, reservoirs, hatcheries and riverbank protection projects.”

Identifying and implementing actions

Specifically, explained Simmons, implementing the actions in the biological opinions will reduce possible undesirable effects

on critical fish habitat downstream of the Corps’ Willamette Valley dams. The biops also require actions that provide upstream and downstream fish passage at three dams (Detroit, Lookout Point and Cougar), water temperature improvements downstream of at least one dam, improvements in downstream flows, screening of irrigation diversions, restoring habitat and improving hatchery practices and facilities.

“There are still many uncertainties, however, about the best way to get fish past the Corps’ tall, high-head dams and how well fish passage alternatives might work,” explains Simmons. Because of this, the biological opinions do not prescribe specific structures or operations, but instead include biological objectives such as improved water temperatures and safe fish passage at high-priority dams.

Since some of these actions will involve major financial investments and the project must still be managed as a system to meet its flood protection mission, improvements must be evaluated both individually and for their relation to other actions. This adds layers of complexity to research, decision-making, funding strategies and implementation.

“The biops specify time frames for actions and include measures for coordination, research, monitoring and reporting,” added Simmons. “We face years of work in the field, in our offices and

ActionsunderthebiologicalopinionswillimprovefishhabitatintheWillametteRiveranditstributariesbyrestoringwaterflows,providingmorenormalrivertemperaturesandrehabilitatingstreamsideandfloodplainhabitat.

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among agencies and stakeholders to meet federal requirements and reach our long-term goals.”

With a multi-agency leadership organization and technical teams with members from many disciplines – fisheries biology, hydrology, engineering and economics to name a few – a formal decision- making process will identify actions that the agencies can carry out within their legal authority. These actions must be biologically beneficial, technically feasible, cost effective and supportive of statewide species recovery planning efforts.

Simmons and her team know implementing the biological opinions will call for changes, some sooner and more later, in how the agencies manage the dams and reservoirs, both as a system and within specific tributaries.

The team is now helping communities in the valley understand that the fish recovery actions will demand an increasingly complex balance of uses for a limited, and often unpredictable, supply of water.

“These discussions are challenging and emotional for many valley residents but a more balanced ecosystem is not an “either/or” choice. We not only have a legal obligation to support species recovery but it’s the right thing to do,” Simmons explains.

Protecting fish and other species and their habitat is not new to federal, state and

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FishrecoveryactionswillhelpmaintainsalmonpopulationsintheWillametteValley,tobeexperiencedbyfuturegenerations.

Photo by Greg Taylor, Corps of Engineers

local agencies and many Willamette Valley stakeholders. They have been working together for many years, along with private interests, on improvements essential for the successful protection and recovery of this Northwest treasure.

“Progress, small or great, is motivating and we’re paving the way for actions around the state and throughout the region,” encourages Simmons.

Introduction to the Willamette Valley Project

The Willamette Valley Project, managed out of the Corps’ project office in Lowell, Ore. (near Lookout Point Dam east of Eugene), consists of 13 multipurpose dams and reservoirs, several fish hatcheries and approximately 42 miles of riverbank protection projects in the southern and central areas of the Willamette River watershed from Cottage Grove, Ore., to just north of Salem, Ore. The Willamette River is one of the largest tributaries in the Columbia River basin and contains a diverse and complex system of streams, natural habitat and human-made features.

Teams from across the Portland District, comprised of engineers and other technical experts, coordinate the holding and releasing of water in the reservoirs during the rainy season to reduce the risks of potentially disastrous flooding in the Willamette Valley. After flood season, the Corps stores water for release during drier summer and fall months to improve water quality and conditions for migrating and spawning fish in the Willamette River and several of its tributaries. Stored water also supports summer recreation.

The Corps releases water from mid-April to the end of November for power generation and irrigation. Eight of the dams generate hydroelectricity, sufficient to power about 300,000 homes. The Bonneville Power Administration markets the electricity and the Bureau of Reclamation sells a portion of the water stored in the reservoirs for irrigation.

Managing these uses and balancing demands for this water requires collaboration among federal, state and local agencies, tribal entities and stakeholders, especially during low water, drought or flood years.

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tRogue Basin Project staff to the rescue of western pond turtleBy Chad Stuart, Rogue River Basin Project

Some lakes, ponds, and creeks around the State of Oregon have seen a decline of one of their residents – the western pond turtle, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service species of concern, and a reptile whose decrease is likely attributed to habitat loss, predators and invasive species which may be competing for resources.

Coming to the turtle’s rescue in southern Oregon is a determined group from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Natural Resource Management Section, who are making efforts to enhance habitat in the Rogue River Basin area and educate the public about the needs of this species.

“The study and protection of western pond turtles was an immediate goal of mine,” said Chad Stuart, Rogue River Basin Project’s new resource manager. “But before we could make any attempts at developing a fully functional program, similar to the program at Fern Ridge Lake initiated by Kat Beal, an environmental stewardship supervisor in the Willamette Valley, we needed to study the populations.”

Jared Broughton, a temporary maintenance worker with the Rogue project who also had an interest in ecology, took on the habitat enhancement portion of the project. He planned, budgeted for and executed installation a half dozen basking logs in the Lost Creek Lake spillway slough for the pond turtle. Western pond turtles need this type of habitat to bask on in order to perform basic bodily functions such as thermoregulation, digestion and reproduction.

The hope was that, by turtles utilizing the logs, a picture of the population would start to emerge.

“The spillway slough has areas of ninety degree cliffs and is difficult for any turtles to get a good

sun exposure perch on the rocks,” said Broughton, “So this was a prime location for the project.”

Six basking logs were placed in the slough during the winter months.

Almost immediately as the sun started to peak through the clouds in late March, the turtles started using the logs. Then as the warmth increased, so did the turtles.

“It was easy to head out on a warm day and see nearly 20 turtles clambering over one another for prime real estate on the six logs,” said Stuart.

Justin Stegall, a newly hired natural resource specialist, was tasked with completing a baseline survey around Lost Creek Lake during the basking months.

“It became very obvious that the western pond turtle populations were doing okay, with nearly every log in a cove or on a creek bank having one or more turtles basking,” said Stegall. “One cove on Lost Creek Lake had about two dozen pond turtles swimming through the warmer upper layers of the lake, basking.”

Also, Stegall said, the warm climate in southern Oregon plays a strong role helping to maintain decent population counts, which is encouraging for a species of concern.

University of California, Davis photo

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With turtle populations in a good place, it became apparent that the program direction needed to shift. Habitat enhancement and protection did not need to be the main focus.

But another issue had cropped up during the initial scouting of locations for the basking logs – people were taking the turtles.

A nearby neighbor had told Corps rangers he had seen rafters taking pond turtles off a basking log on Butte Creek, a tributary of the Rogue River, on Corps property.

“It was easy to pass this off as hearsay at first because, anyone who has tried to get close to a pond turtle, knows that they are extremely skittish,” said Stuart. “If you get too close, they bail off the basking structure for deep water,”

But a single event lent truth to the words of the concerned land owner.

Stegall, while on routine patrol in Takelma Park on Lost Creek Lake, was approached by two young children, who were eager to show off their prize – a handful of juvenile western pond turtles. They were followed by their dripping father who said he had caught the turtles in Takelma Cove for what he claimed were educational purposes.

Stegall safely returned the turtles to the lake after providing a quick lesson to the family about the sensitive nature of the species.

“It became obvious that education was going to play a huge role in how we protect the pond turtles,” said Stuart.

Signs now cover the trail entrances to popular basking areas nearby heavily used recreation areas.

“We have posted several signs letting people know they are entering western pond turtle habitat,” he said. “The signs also say the turtles need their help for survival and that handling or harassing them is illegal.”

Several more locations around Lost Creek Lake are also planned for the signs.

In addition to signage, educational material is available at the Corps’ McGregor Park Visitor Center and a campfire program at Joseph H. Stewart state campground is scheduled for later this summer. More habitat enhancement projects with the Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation and the Boy Scouts of America and around Lost Creek Lake are also being planned.

“By taking steps now to enhance habitat and educate the public we can help preserve this important species, a vital resident of the diverse and beautiful ecosystems that make up the Rogue River Basin Projects,” said Stegall.

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More than 500 people turned out for the Portland District Headquarters Office Picnic July 16 at Blue Lake Park. Picnickers enjoyed burgers and hot dogs grilled by the Corporate Board and a fantastic array of salads, fruit and desserts.

Competition was fierce among adults and children as they participated in games and races before ending the day with a ferocious tug-of-war battle won by Planning, Programs and Project Management Division employees.

“It was great to see everyone,” said Col. Steven R. Miles, Portland District commander. “The park was a great place to hold the picnic because it united people together in a really meaningful way.”

A special thanks to the Hydroelectric Design Center for their hard work, with assistance by staff from Engineering and Construction, who will organize next year’s picnic. A final word of gratitude also goes to ACE, who sponsored ice cream for the event, and to the USAgencies Credit Union, who sponsored water and raffle prizes.

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nRetiring the Hickson:A chapter in family, Corps history comes to an endBy Michelle Helms, Public Affairs Office

“What a perfect day.”

Sandy Carter said what many were thinking. It was overcast, cool and breezy, with a touch of nostalgia in the air.

“I couldn’t help but think that if my grandfather had been with us, how proud he’d be of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and of the boat that bore his name and her crew,” said Brian Donnell.

Carter, Donnell and six other grandchildren and great-grandchildren were aboard the survey boat bearing the name of Robert Hickson, Sr. The group took one last farewell voyage on May 27 aboard the survey boat Hickson, to officially retire the vessel after 42 years of service.

Survey boat Hickson was dedicated June 16, 1968, and based in Astoria, Ore. Over the years she and her crews surveyed coastal ports from San Francisco to Grays Harbor and the Columbia River from Astoria to Portland. A typical survey day would cover 80 to 120 miles.

Col. Steven R. Miles, Portland District commander, told the family the Hickson’s mission was twofold: to provide vital data on channel conditions, and to keep her crews safe as they travelled the sometimes treacherous waters along the Oregon coast.

Col.StevenR.MilespresentstheU.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineersflagflownonthesurveyvesselHicksontofamilymembersaftertheboat’sfarewellvoyage.Lefttoright:Col.StevenR.Miles,SandyHicksonCarter,DavidDonnell,SuzanneHicksonKopetski,BrianDonnellandMargaretReedyMoore.

SurveyvesselHicksonwasdedicatedJune1�,1���,andofficiallyretiredonMay��,�010.FamilymemberswereinvitedtotakeafarewellvoyagealongtheWillametteRiver.

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As is the Corps’ tradition, the vessel was named for an individual whose professionalism and leadership left a mark of excellence on the Portland District. Robert Hickson Sr. retired in 1954, after a 46-year career with the Corps in Portland. He graduated from the University of Oregon School of Engineering in 1909, and as a young man worked on construction on The Dalles-Celilo canal, as well as the Columbia River jetties.

An Oregonian article dated April 30, 1954, says Hickson was instrumental in the project to deepen the Columbia River Channel from 20 feet to 35 feet. The same article says he was involved in the design and construction of McNary, Detroit, Lookout Point and Dorena dams, and early design work for The Dalles Dam.

The projects Robert Hickson helped design and build remain vital to our infrastructure in the 21st century. Engineers today are building on his foundation and taking the steps necessary to ensure those projects continue to effectively manage the region’s water resources and support waterborne commerce in the Pacific Northwest.

His family believes Hickson would have felt confident that his life’s work continues in good hands.

“I think what would have interested him most is the new survey boat, the Elton,” said Donnell. “He would have admired her speed and fuel efficiency and marveled at her imaging technology.”

“To know that Grandpa Hickson was an early part of the continuing effort is satisfying,” said Margaret Moore, Hickson’s granddaughter. “We are even more touched by the obvious respect everyone has for the historical importance of the vessel that did so much of the ‘heavy lifting’ over the years.”

Family members said they’re grateful to the Corps members who made the farewell voyage

FamilymembersgatherMay��onthevesselnamedfortheirgrandfatherandgreat-grandfather,RobertHicksonSenior.ThesurveyvesselHicksonwasretiredafter4�yearsofservicetothePortlandDistrict.

SusanMooreCorscadden,RobertHicksonSenior’sgreat-granddaughterandfamilyhistorian,interviewsDarrellLashley,Corpssmallcraftoperator,asheguidessurveyvesselHicksononitsfarewellvoyagealongtheWillametteRiver.

possible, and who shared their own memories of serving aboard the Hickson over the years.

“It’s hard to say goodbye to a dear old friend that has served you well for so long,” Carter said. “I hope they got some satisfaction showing off the boat for the family one more time.”

“May the Elton serve her crews as long and as well as did the Hickson,” said Donnell.

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Photo courtesy of Sandy (Hickson) Carter

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Where are you now?Often, the only chance employees have to hear about what’s

happening with past employees is by attending the Portland District’s annual retiree luncheon or by hearing news through an informal grapevine.

But to be honest, these opportunities are limited – by time constraints or the information shared doesn’t always travel far enough or it becomes inaccurate through the retelling.

So, we’d like to hear from you directly – when you left the District and what you’ve been up to since. We’ll report your activities every so often in the Corps’pondent, a bi-monthly publication that features information on projects, issues, employees … and yes, even former employees.

Tell us your story by addressing the points below and e-mail it to cenwp-pa@usace.army.mil, along with a high resolution photo that you’d like to share.

• Name

• City and state where you live now

• How many years were you with the Corps and what was your former position

• Post-retirement career experiences

• Tell us about your travels

• Tell us about your hobbies

• Tell us about your family

• Tell us about your volunteer efforts

• Other interests of note to employees

If your story is selected for an upcoming issue, a member of the Public Affairs Office may contact you with questions or for more details. If you have questions, e-mail cenwp-pa@usace.army.mil or call 503-808-4510.