US Army Corpsof Engineers" EngineerCorps team deploys to Africa flood

By Torrie McAllisterEurope District

A team of six dam safety and watermanagement experts from the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers has deployedto southern Africa to support the U.S.European Command's Joint Task Force(JTF) Operation Atlas Response. TheJTF is supporting the U.S.government's humanitarian aid effortsto the governments of Mozambique,Botswana, South Africa, and Zimba-bwe in the wake of severe floods in theregion.

The Corps' technical experts are ad-vising the JTF and host nation officialson predictive flooding analysis andmodeling. They are assessing damsafety and the potential impact on flood-ing of various rates of water release athydroelectric dams on the ZambesiRiver.

The members of the Corps' AfricanResponse Force team are:

* Lee Campbell from North Atlan-tic Division's International Affairs Of-fice. Campbell is the team leader.

* Andrea Shoulders, a geotechnicalengineer from Europe District.

* Tim McClesky, a dam safety spe-cialist from Nashville District.

* Mark Phillips, a hydrologist fromPittsburgh District.

The Corps' African Response Force assessed the Lake Cahora Bassa dam inMozambique. (Photo courtesy of Europe District)

* Mark Jourdan, a civil engineerfrom the Engineering Research andDevelopment Center (ERDC).

* William Roland, a tele-engineer-ing expert from the Waterways Experi-ment Station.

The team visited Lake Cahora BassaDam in Mozambique on March 17-18to look at the structural integrity ofthe dam, provide hydraulic modelingof the flood plain, and recommend re-lease rates.

'"The dam is in very good workingorder with no signs of any problems,"said Campbell. "It was professionallyoperated and administered. The damdisplays no signs of having problemsin the near future."

The team is also planning to travelto Kariba Dam upriver in Zimbabweto analyze the potential impact of wa-ter releases in Mozambique.

The team is equipped with tele-en-gineering technology, which EuropeDistrict uses to support military op-erations throughout Europe. Usingreal-time satellite communications andvideo teleconferencing, the Corps' smallemergency response team in Africa canconsult with world-renowned scientistsand engineers at ERDC's Coastal andHydraulics Laboratory all they wayback in Vicksburg, Miss.

The team uses portable equipmentto transmit data, photos, and live videoof the conditions they encounter in thefield. Experts at the hydraulics labo-ratory, using the latest in specializedequipment, can tap the Corps' com-puter modeling capabilities and providetheir analysis.

The Coastal and Hydraulics Labo-ratory conducts research on flood con-trol methods and structures to helpredirect floodwaters as part of the Corps'civil works mission.

Contractor averts ecological disasterBy Dr. Fred-Otto Egeler

Los Angeles District

On Feb. 28 a double-trailer tankertruck carrying almost 8,000 gallons ofdiesel and light crude oil slid off amountain road and crashed into one ofthe most sensitive wildlife habitats inVentura County, Calif. Workers fromOgden Constructors, Inc., a U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers contractor workingin the area, sprang into action andhelped avert a ecological disaster.

When the truck slammed into theravine within yards of Santa PaulaCreek, the tank trailers burst open,spilling what is thought to be thou-sands of gallons of crude oil into thecreek. There it combined with stormrunoff from the Las Padres NationalForest leaving boulders, sandy shores,and willows along the creek coveredwith the crude oil. The stench of oilcould be smelled for miles as it floweddown the creek toward the Santa ClaraRiver.

"Shortly after the accident, a localpetroleum company foreman droveonto our rockcrusher site near the junc-tion of the creek and the Santa Clara

River, and notified our people that thespill had taken place and was headedour way," said Geno Jorgensen, seniorproject manager for Ogden Construc-tors, who have been working on SantaPaula Creek improvements since lastApril.

"This was our first experience withan oil slick," said Jorgensen. "JohnKay, general superintendent, and Idetermined that we needed to do some-thing to keep the oil from reaching theSanta Clara River. We had equipmentin the creek 10 minutes after we weretold about it and began building threeearthen berms/underflow dams. Theunderflow dams have metal pipesthrough the bottom of them. Waterflows under the dam and the oil stayson top of the water where it can be re-covered. Unfortunately, some of theoil has seeped around our diversiondams, but local and state officials arehard at work capturing and cleaningit up.

"It was just luck that we were there,because we haven't been working inthe creek the last three weeks becauseof the rains," Jorgensen continued."We were crushing rock, getting ready

Ogden Constructors workers build a hasty berm across Santa Paula Creek.(Photo courtesy of Los Angeles District)

to place it, along with other river rock,to form grouted riprap along the banksof the Santa Paula Creek. We're build-ing a flood control channel for the Corpsof Engineers along 1.6 miles of thecreek. We are also cleaning out 1.2million tons of debris, placing theriprap along the slopes and buildingan access road into the creek and do-

ing some extensive landscaping."It was just fortunate that we were

working when the spill happened, andwe were glad to be able to help preventor limit the loss of habitat for the leastBell's vireos and the willow flycatcher,both of which are on the threatened orendangered species list," Jorgensen con-cluded.

2 ENGINEER UPDATE April2000

Insights

Hearts linked across the mileBy Lt. Col.(P) Tim Carlson

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chaplain

This edition of "Insights" is a little different. Ididn't write most of it; my family did.

I've been thinking about families and how theyare often the forgotten factor in the military equa-tion. The attitude used to be, "If the Army wantedyou to have a wife, they'd have issued you one!" Thatattitude has almost totally changed in this era, butthe sacrifices that government families make are stilloften unrecognized.

Members of the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers are of-ten deployed or on tem-porary duty. Whetherone is a green-suiteror an Army civil-ian, thosewhom weleave behind,whether it's for afew days or a wholeyear, often bear thehardships of lonelinessand trying to keep thehome together with one mem-ber missing.

Back in 1986, my wife and six children lived on afarm in Beresford, S.D., while I attended the six-month Chaplains' Advanced Course at FortMonmouth, N.J. This time became a seedbed forspecial reflections about being apart. Some poemswhich they wrote during that time inspired thismonth's "Insights" column, and I'd like to share themwith you.

My second daughter, now Mrs. Elnora Lee Carlson

White, wrote the first one at the age of 11. My wife,Judy, wrote the other three. Together they give someperspective on what a family goes through while theirsoldier or Army civilian is away on government busi-ness.

I think you will easily identify with many of thefeelings they express. I also hope that, as you readthem, you will experience your own appreciation andaffection for those special and dear who you mustleave from time-to-time.

"Missing Daddy T7"Who will call me Norlaty,And Anna, Dolly Cutie Poopie Pie?Who will call Mom, Momma Jude,And who will eat up all our food?Who will call Kristian, Creast?When Mom said stop, then it ceased!Who will call Libby, Libabib,And laugh at Anna in her crib?Who will call Alida, Al-di-lida?When most of us just call her Lida.Who will call Nels Bubba Dee?It happens to be our Daddy T!

"The Journey"My love has gone on a journey long,And with him my soul, my breath, and my song.My love has gone on a journey brief,With half o' my heart my lover, the thief.My love has gone on a journey foul,With foxholes and brambles and animal howlsTo thwart and to frighten, to lengthen his passage,To make it a journey that threatens our cottage.My love has gone on a journey fair.

And with him I go, my spirit to share.To pick for him flowers and follow the hart.E'en tho' in my body I ne'er shall depart.My love has gone on a journey long.And with him I send my breath and my song.We'll journey together, my lover and I,With destiny near we'll meet by-and-by.

"Season of Sadness,

Bed of Tears"I do not feel his shoulder strongBut just pretend as I touch my own.I do not feel his breathing fineNor his fair face pressed close to mine.I do not touch his sleeping crownBut a lifeless thing of feather down.I do not love him in the nightA hearty mix of knave and knight.I do not hear his tender voiceBut know by grace I am his choice.I do not feel him by my sideBut shall not fear; I am his bride.

"Yearning "As one yearns for springtime, I'm yearning for you.As summer's seduction, as winter's reflection,As daybreak's injunction, I'm yearning.Breath catching, heart skipping,Face flushing, I'm-yearning.As one yearns for heaven, I'm yearning for you,As autumn's cajoling, as twilight's beholding,As sunset's unfolding, I'm yearning.He comes, my beloved; he cometh to me.The rush of all seasons, my husband is he!

Earth Day celebrates 30th anniversarEarth Day 2000, on April 22, will mark the 3 0 th

anniversary of an international grass-roots effort toincrease awareness of the Earth's limited naturalresources and the need to clean up and protect ourenvironment. Earth Day 2000 will also mark thefirst observance of this effort in this century. Thehealth and well-being of our nation's people, our natu-ral resources and of the planet as a whole will cer-tainly be one of the greatest challenges of the newmillennium.

This year's Army Earth Day theme is "Preservingthe Past, Protecting the Future." This theme ap-propriately supports the concept and spirit of EarthDay 2000 by focusing on the progress that the Armyhas made in managing the environment and provid-ing stewardship of the natural and cultural resourcesentrusted to our care. Preserving and protecting theenvironment is integral to the Army's mission of de-fending our national security, and providing for thewell being of this and future generations. As stew-ards of our nation's natural resources, we are com-mitted to maintaining healthy and sustainable envi-ronments - the foundation of the American dream.

We have established partnerships in both the pub-

lic and private sectors to protect the health and safetyof our communities on and around our installationsand water resources projects. We are actively en-gaged in partnershipsthat are creating "Liv-able Communities"across the nation.Earth Day 2000prompts us to makepledges to strengthenexisting relationshipsand to establish newones to accomplishthose environmentalpriorities. In this ef-fort, particular atten-tion is encouraged tofurther develop rela-tionships with youngpeople who will inherit the future.

Though we are called upon to join our neighborsin the grassroots activities such as clean-ups, recy-cling and pollution prevention campaigns that arein our own backyards, Earth Day 2000 reminds us

ythat protecting and preserving land, air, and watergoes beyond our homes and workplaces. Earth Dayrepresents the commitment and significant invest-.ment this nation and more than 140 other countriesaround the world have made toward positive envi-ronmental security. We all succeed by meeting orexceeding compliance with all environmental laws,restoring previously contaminated sites, preventingpollution by reducing or eliminating it, and conserv-ing natural and cultural resources.

Each member of the Corps of Engineers shouldembrace Earth Day as an opportunity to showcaseour successes in preserving our environment and ac-complishing our mission. It is important to remem-ber that Earth Day 2000 represents more than justa one-day event. I encourage each of you be involvedin Earth Day 2000 activities on April 22 and everyday. It exemplifies our commitment to ensuring pro-tection of the environment entrusted to our care - asan investment in our children, our future, and ournation's security.

JOE N. BALLARDLieutenant General, U.S. ArmyCommander

ENGINEER UPDATE is an unofficial publication under the provisions of AR 360-81. It is publishedmonthly by offset for the Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Editorial views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Corps of Engineers or the De-partment of the Army. Letters to the editor are encouraged.

Deadline for submitting articles is the 15th of the month preceding publication. Subscriptions are avail-able free of charge but must be requested in writing. Circulation: 35,000.

Address mail to: EDITOR, ENGINEER UPDATE, CEPA-C, Washington, D.C. 20314-1000. Telephone(202) 761-1808. Photographs are U.S. Army photos unless otherwise credited. Available on theInternet at http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/cepa/cepa.htm.

Commander, USACE.. ..................................... Lt. Gen. Joe N. BallardChief, Public Affairs....................................................................................Col. Robert N. Mirelson

Chief, Command Information............................. .................. ............... George E. HalfordEditor ..... .......................... .................. Bernard W. Tate

S

April 2000 ENGINEER UPDATE

Fort Worth, Galveston, Little Rock Tulsa

SWD's regional team opens 'One Door'by Rhonda James

Southwestern Division

Southwestern Division, headquar-tered in Dallas, Texas, has served theSouthwest and the nation since 1937by overseeing hundreds of water re-sources development, and military de-sign and construction projects.

Brig. Gen. Edwin Arnold Jr. com-mands SWD with its nearly $1 billionin total programs, and leads a workforce of about 2,900 civilian employeesand 17 military personnel.

Although work is executed throughfour district offices in Little Rock, Ark.;Tulsa, Okla.; Fort Worth andGalveston, Texas, the division operateson a regional philosophy. No matterwhich district a customer deals with,the resources of all districts are avail-able to them.

'This provides seamless access toCorps' resources for all our customersand truly opens 'One Door to theCorps,"' Arnold said. "It's all about re-gional teamwork; the ability to harnessthe experience and expertise of division(and potentially all USACE) resourcesto solve an individual customer's need.

"Our ability to satisfy the unfulfilledneeds of our customers is limited whenwe fail to believe in and commit tomeeting those expectations and desires.If you believe in things and commit tothem, you will eventually see them

come to fruition."Historically, SWD has been respon-

sive to the needs of the region and thenation. Whether it was the design andconstruction of large-scale projects au-thorized by the Flood Control Act of1936, support to the nation's military,developing and maintaining infrastruc-ture or doing work for others, SWD hasconsistently met the needs of its cus-tomers.

Since its beginning, the division hasgrown in expertise and missions, andevolved into its present regional, cor-porate approach. SWD now encom-passes all or part of seven states, andmanages 29 percent of the Corps' pub-lic land and water.

SWD's McClellan-Kerr ArkansasRiver Navigation System is one of themost cost-efficient in the nation, as isthe Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, whichthe division maintains fromBrownsville, Texas, to the Texas-Loui-siana state line. Three of the nation'stop 10 ports rely on SWD for mainte-nance of their channels.

The division manages more than11,400 miles of shoreline and 1,172 rec-reation sites.

SWD parks are the most visited inthe Corps of Engineers, and they bringin more revenue than parks in anyother division in the Corps. Of the rev-enue collected, 22 percent of the cost torun the recreation facilities were re-

SWD places a variety of experience at customer's disposal. (Clockwise fromtop left) Galveston's maintenance and operation of a deep-draft ship channel,Fort Worth's construction of Brooke Army Medical Center, Little Rock'sconstruction of Montgomery Point Lock and Dam, and Tulsa's Mingo Creekflood protection project. (Photos courtesy of Southwestern Division)

turned to the U.S. Treasury in fiscalyear 1998.

Nearly one-fifth of the U.S.'s mili-tary activities, covering an area of some443,700 square miles,are located withinSWD's boundaries.The division designsand builds new fa-cilities, rehabsolder ones, andassists with en-gineering prob-lems at 12 AirForce and 11Army installa-tions.

One ex-ample, theBrooke ArmyMedical Centerat Fort SamHouston, Texas,is the largest newArmy hospital inCorps history,providing ser-vices to morethan one million patients each year.

Through its Support for Others Pro-gram, the division provides services tothe Department of Justice, meeting theneeds of the Immigration and Natu-ralization Service by providing facili-ties for detainment camps, border pa-trol stations, and other support struc-

tures, as well as the EnvironmentalProtection Agency, Federal EmergencyManagement Agency, the Departmentof Transportation, Department of

Engergy and others.District and

division mem-bers work to-gether throughvirtual teamsto improve ef-ficiency andbreak down re-gional and tra-

ditional bound-aries. "One Door tothe Corps" is not justa vision statement, it'sa business practice forthe division.

SWD's resources,and the resources of theentire Corps of Engi-neers, are available toany customer, regardlessof which district "door"they choose to open.

While proud of itspast, SWD's regional team is focusedon the future. The division is commit-ted to being a good steward of federalresources, both funds and the environ-ment, and to providing top-quality ser-vice to the people of the Southwest, andto providing seamless service to theentire nation.

Did you know?[~ SWD's 90 lakes have prevented some $1.3 billion in average annualflood damage while providing 7.7 million acre-feet of water supply stor-age. The lakes provide 36 percent of potable water for Texas, 35 percentfor Oklahoma and 20 percent for Kansas.

l SWD ranks third in the Corps of Engineers for the number of hydro-power projects. The division's 18 hydropower plants rank fourth in gener-ating capacity, providing enough electricity to power more than three-quarters of a million homes. During fiscal year 1998, these plants pro-duced 5.4 megawatt hours of electricity, and returned $80 million in rev-enue to the U.S. Treasury.

R More than one-half billion tons of commerce are shipped annuallyover SWD's 1,458 miles of channels, ranking it second in the Corps fornavigation. Within the division are some 22 shallow-draft ports, 12 deep-draft ports, 22 lock chambers, and more than 700 dredged material place-ment areas, all meeting or exceeding environmental requirements.

[b As part of its Department of Defense environmental stewardship orimprovement activities, SWD has 181 projects and 71 Formerly UsedDefense Sites program locations.

R SWD's regional team stands ready to respond when disasters strike,whether within or beyond division boundaries. Last year, division em-ployees deployed to Oklahoma and Arkansas after tornadoes devastatedthe area. In 1998, SWD supported flood response activities in Del Rio,Texas, and cleanup efforts following Hurricane Georges' landfall in PuertoRico.

4 ENGINEER UPDATE April 2000

The McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System is a vital link from Kansas, Oklahoma, and other land-locked states to major shipping arteries. (Photoand map courtesy of Little Rock District)

Districts team up for navigation studyBy Jennifer WilsonLittle Rock District

Little Rock and Tulsa districts have shared theoperations and maintenance responsibilities on theArkansas River Navigation System for more than40 years. Teamwork between the districts is a wayof life. It's what keeps the 442-mile navigation sys-tem working smoothly.

That teamwork is being taken to a new level withthe completion of a project study plan and the startof the feasibility phase of the Arkansas River Navi-gation Study.

'This is a large-scale, regional study of the entirenavigation system," said project manager Lee Bassof Little Rock District. "Our hope is to develop poten-tial solutions that will help transport high water outof the reservoirs in Oklahoma and through the sys-tem as quickly as possible without causing extendedperiods of downstream flooding.

'This may require some adjustment to regulatingplans, the development of storage procedures, or theconstruction of structures. We just don't know yet."

The navigation study didn't start out as a regionalproject. It was initially a Little Rock District recon-naissance study to look at flooding problems in theLavaca and Fort Smith areas in western Arkansas.

Long-range concerns. 'The reconnais-sance study showed us how we could fix the immedi-ate concerns of farmers by using Operations andMaintenance funds to repair some structures," saidRenee Wright, Little Rock District study manager.

"But the farmers also shared their long-range con-cerns with us. They said they could handle floodingon their lands, as long as the water didn't stay highfor a long time."

That's when the team realized that they needed tolook at how the entire system was being operated.

"We noticed that there was a potential to signifi-cantly improve navigation if water could be evacu-ated quicker from the upstream reservoirs," Basssaid. "By evacuating the water quickly, there wouldbe fewer high-flow days on the navigation system.

"Less high-flow days help the navigation industryas well as farmers along the system. It also meansthat there would be fewer days of high lake levels inthe upstream reservoirs, which would benefit the rec-reation industry in Oklahoma."

With the findings from the reconnaissance study

and support from the navigation industry, ArkansasCongressman Asa Hutchinson placed a congressionaladd for $1 million in the 2000 budget to start thefeasibility study.

New role. Once the reconnaissance report wascomplete, team members were able to see the fullimpact of the problem and that possible solutionswould involve the upstream reservoirs as well as thenavigation system. That's when Tulsa District tookon a new role in the project.

"Much of the control of the Arkansas River lies inthe upstream reservoirs that are in Oklahoma," saidEd Rossman, Tulsa District's study manager for theproject. "If there was going to be any system-widechanges, Tulsa needed to be involved because we arethe ones with control over the water."

While the project study plan is in its final approvalstages, duties already have been divided between thetwo districts. Tulsa District will take the lead inhydraulics and hydrology work for the study, andLittle Rock District will lead in project management,environmental and economic study areas.

"Southwestern Division has a computer model thatsimulates different operating conditions on the Ar-kansas River," Rossman said. "We have extensiveexperience using this model because we use it dailyto manage reservoir releases. So, it was only naturalfor our hydraulics folks to take the lead."

Because the study is focused on improving naviga-tion along the system, it will be 100 percent feder-ally funded. If other cost-sharing issues are identi-fied during the study, those projects will be addressedseparately and sponsors will be identified.

interest. A lot of people, including elected offi-cials for surrounding states and users along the navi-gation system and the upstream reservoirs, are in-terested in the study.

"I see our most important challenge will be get-ting the interests and concerns of all affected groupsdocumented at the beginning of the study," Bass said.'"Wherever I go, I pass out comment cards for peopleto fill out and mail back. An e-mail box also has beenestablished for people to send in their comments."

Wright, Little Rock District's study manager,Rossman and Bass all have access to the e-mail box.

'"We will probably use more outside consultationin this study than in the past, just to make surethat we are looking at all aspects of the project,"

Rossman said."We also will seek more public comments and in-

put than on a normal project. This project affects somany interests, we have to make sure we know andaddress the concerns of as many as possible."

Joint Meeting. Members of the OklahomaWater Resource Board and the Arkansas Basin De-velopment Association already have shown an intenseinterest in the study. The organizations are madeup of people with interests in how the Arkansas Riverand its upstream reservoirs are managed.

Bass was invited to a joint meeting Jan. 26 in Tulsaof the two organizations to explain about the study.

"It went well," Bass said. "It was held on the daythat a big snow storm hit the Tulsa area, but we stillhad a good, diverse crowd. Farmers, landowners onthe reservoirs, shipping industry representatives,lobbyists, congressional staffers and even people fromKansas who use the navigation system attended."

Rossman agreed that the first meeting was pro-ductive, but noted some concerns from those in at-tendance.

"You can tell that some folks were reserving judge-ment until the study is further down the road,"Rossman said. "The navigation interests seem to behappy about the study, but they are still concerned.One of their concerns is that this is just a Corpsstudy that won't fix anything. They are interestedin seeing results. It's a valid concern."

Time. Time is another challenge associated withthis project. The first phase of the feasibility study isexpected to take three years to complete. It will in-volve a major hydraulics study and modeling runs ofthe river system, an economics study to evaluate eachscenario, and an environmental impact statement.

The second phase of the study, which will overlapthe first phase by one year, will be directed at in-creasing the channel depth and modification of chan-nel configurations.

"We divided the study into phases because of thecomplexity of the first part of the study," Wright said."We knew it would be more labor intensive becauseof the large number of comments that need to becollected and the different interests to be addressed."

Users of the navigation system could see some ofthe easier fixes implemented fairly quickly after theyare approved. Some actions that require construc-tion could take several years to implement.

McClellan - Kerr Arkansas RiverNavigation System

Apri 2000 ENGINEER UPDATE

Virtual team gets results for customersBy Russell Holeman

Tulsa District

What do you do with old facilities once new oneshave been constructed at an installation? Uponcompletion of their new hospital, Fort Sill, Okla.,was faced with this dilemma.

Master planners at the installation looked at anumber of options, including demolition. Then, anopportunity to use the facility was presented-andone of the first regional virtual teams was born.

The Defense Finance and Accounting Service(DFAS) was looking for locations to central-ize their operations. Fort Sill presented aproposal to renovate their old hospital toaccommodate the DFAS operations. Theinstallation was considered along withseveral other sites, and Fort Sill wasfinally selected as a location for one ofthe new DFAS centers.

A project to renovate the hospitalfor the new DFAS operation was in-cluded as a congressional add in the1997 military construction bills.Work was started to update the con-cept designs for the facility. It wasdetermined that in-house forces would beused for this effort; however, Tulsa District could notsupport all of the design specialties required.

District personnel decided to develop a virtual de-sign team made up of engineers and architects lo-cated in the Fort Sill Directorate of Public Works(DPW) as well as Tulsa, Fort Worth and Little Rockdistricts. The plan was to use this team to completethe concept drawings, then turn the package over toan architectural-engineering firm for final design.

It was decided that technical management respon-sibilities needed to rest in the same district, so Tulsaretained project management and project engineer-ing responsibilities. Tulsa also handled electrical andcost engineering, specifications and contracting du-ties.

Fort Worth handled civil engineering, landscapeand interior design, structural engineering, mechani-cal engineering, and fire protection. Little Rock Dis-trict handled the architectural design for the project.

"This was a great project that involved severaloutstanding individuals working together to createone exceptional team. I was fortunate to be the project

M

The Corps of Engineers construction team at Formechanical room at the DFAS facility. They are, fDon Price, Chief of Engineering for Fort Sill DPWCorps quality assurance representative; and JanConstruction Management Section. (Photo courtesy

manager, but the team was really a self-led group,"said Burl Ragland of Tulsa District.

When it came time to turn the project over forcompletion of design, the team asked to continueworking together to complete the project's final de-sign. They were committed to developing a qualityproject on time and within budget. Based on this com-mitment, it was determined that the most effectiveway to complete the design and maintain the sched-ule would be to allow the team to proceed.

"Initially the team was established in order to pro-vide quick and expert concept plans. They then came

to me to ask if they could continue to work onthis project. A truly integrated team involv-

ing three districts, an A-E, plus theFort Sill DPW had developed, andthey enjoyed working on this challeng-ing project. It was a pleasure to workwith this team," Ragland said.

Sandra Egan of Tulsa District's De-sign Branch was the team leader.'This first virtual design, while not

without its unique set of problems toovercome, was very successful and openedup a new way of doing business in thedivision," Egan said.

Each team member provided excep-tional effort on this project. They were

able to effectively work together outside of the tradi-tional organizational structure to complete the de-sign, and they found ways to overcome the challengesencountered, she said.

"Members of the DFAS virtual team have gone outof their way at every turn to guarantee their cus-tomer the best possible service," said Tom Verdel,retired assistant chief of Engineering and Construc-tion Division and original team member.

'The team's commitment reflects a recognition thatCorps designers and technical personnel work in acompetitive environment where reinvention and achange in culture are essential for their continuedprofessional growth and service to the Army."

This virtual design team had an exceptional work-ing relationship. They developed processes for shar-ing Computer Aided Drafting/Design files among allof the districts and the Fort Sill DPW. This file shar-ing allowed one district to make changes in the floorplan while ensuring that all other disciplines wereable to incorporate the changes into their portion of

the design."At the onset of this project, I

think most of the team memberswere skeptical of exactly how thiswas going to work, but once westarted, things just seemed to fallinto place," said Brinda Jackson,lead architect from Little RockDistrict.

"Being on a pioneer team, therewere some things that wereworked out as we progressed, butwe pulled together as a team tosolve any unforseen problems."

The team was able to completethis critical project on scheduleand within the established bud-get. The final design documentsreceived high praise from DFASpersonnel at the local, regionaland national level.

rt Sill inspects a When the project was adver-

rom left to right, tised in the summer of 1998, con-

; Scotty Hughes, tractors indicated that these docu-

nes Snyder from ments were the best set of solici-Sof Tulsa District) tation documents that they had

This is a remodeled training room in the new DFASfacility. (Photo courtesy of Tulsa District)

seen for a project. They noted that the packet ad-dressed the numerous questions that arise in a reno-vation project. The bids for the project were excep-tional with the contract being awarded at approxi-mately 80 percent of the programmed amount.

The team has continued to provide oversight andsupport through the construction phase of the project.As construction nears completion, DFAS personnelare eager to move into their new facilities. Thisproject will provide an exceptional working environ-ment for them.

"I think it's coming together well. The selection ofmaterials to make a good office environment is there,and the whole package is coming together," said JackHaynes, DFAS coordinator. He also commented onthe cooperation displayed by the team members.

"I think the whole package of putting the thingtogether through Tulsa, Little Rock, Fort Worth, andthe base has worked surprisingly well," he said. "I'msurprised there weren't any conflicts, but it worked."

Col. Billy Barker, DFAS Director, praised the re-gional team.

"I've been in command here since the June 4, andmore or less came in on the tail-end of the renova-tion process; however, my experience with the Corpsof Engineers is that the process has been really out-standing. They have partnered with us to ensure ex-cellence in that renovation process, and their valueadded has been enormous because of the talents thathave lent to that process."

Barker said that as the renovation draws to anend, the Corps' determination to provide a qualityproduct continues.

"I have monitored the progress and quality of thisproject from the start to now -- after all, the buildingstill does belong to us. I believe all credit for thisgreat success story belongs to Burl Ragland and themembers of the Corps of Engineers design team,"said Dennis Hergenrether, Fort Sill DPW installa-tion engineer.

The regional teamwork concept that was pioneeredin part by the SWD DFAS team has continued tospread. The successes of this virtual design team willbe used in the future on projects where adequate re-sources do not exist in a single location.

"The experience gained working with designersfrom several districts, on a concept that would proveto be a way of the future, was well worth any prob-lems we encountered along the way." Jackson said.

Several members of this team have gone on to leadother virtual teams in their districts, sharing workand resources not only within our division, but alsothroughout the Corps, Egan said.

(Russell Holeman is Tulsa District's AssistantChief of Engineering and Construction Division.)

ENGINEER UPDATE April 2000

Across boundariesFort Worth heads national quality effort for Army commandBy Patricia SimoesFort Worth District

The U.S. Army Medical Commandcan get quality assurance service withone call to Fort Worth District.

The MEDCOM Quality AssuranceProgram was developed by the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers in partner-ship with MEDCOM and at their re-quest.

The program places quality assur-ance representatives who are familiarwith the work, the people and the loca-tions in the MEDCOM facility manag-ers' offices.

Kay Gregory, the facility managerfor Blanchfield Army Community Hos-pital at Fort Campbell, Ky., said she isvery happy with the service.

'"It takes the workload offofour staff,"Gregory said.

William Johnson, the Corps' qualityassurance evaluator, or QAE, atBlanchfield, said he has a very goodrelationship with the people at the hos-pital.

"They keep me busy. They wouldnever let me go. I'm good for them, andthey're good for me," Johnson said.

Teamwork counts

The success of the QA program isthe result of a Corps-wide team effortthat started in the summer of 1998when MEDCOM asked Fort WorthDistrict about providing quality assur-ance.

A team made up of representatives

from throughout the Corps assembledto conduct research and write a corpo-rate proposal for MEDCOM.

This Corps-wide participation in theinitial proposal was a key to its suc-cess. Team members knew it wouldtake several districts across the Corpsto implement and support this pro-gram, not just one.

MEDCOM accepted the corporateproposal from the Corps, and in April1999, the Corps placed quality assur-ance evaluators at eight Army medi-cal facilities across the nation.

One door

While the on-site work is carried outby QAEs from Fort Worth and otherdistricts across the Corps, the programis managed by Mike Zalesak in FortWorth. He manages all task orders,funding, reporting, and customer careissues while ensuring that qualifiedpersonnel are on the job.

The Corps' costs for the services itprovides are competitive with otherservice providers.

"A Corps QAE costs MEDCOM anaverage of $66 per hour, while the pre-vious contractor was costing an aver-age of $70.28 per hour," Zalesak said.

The program emphasizes the Corps'flexibility and the flexibility of the qual-ity assurance personnel. The QAE staffis available 40 hours per week and alsoduring non-standard hours when nec-essary.

Electronic reporting and the singlepoint of contact provided by the pro-

Corps employees provide quality assurance at Army medical facilities acrossthe nation, like Darnell Army Community Hospital, as part of the new MEDCOMQA program. (Photo courtesy of Fort Worth District)

gram save MEDCOM time and money,Zalesak said.

Building relationshipsThe MEDCOM facilities help choose

the QAEs, who are usually from thenearest Corps office and are already fa-miliar with the installation, directorof public works, and facility manager.

The QAE's work leader is theMEDCOM facility manager, but hissupervision and career ties remainwith the local Corps office.

Galveston, Tulsa, EPA clean up Brio siteBy Marilyn UhrichGalveston District

A 58-acre site sitting approximately20 miles southeast of Houston is thetarget of intensive efforts by the Envi-ronmental Protection Agency(EPA) and, acting as its over-sight agents, Galveston andTulsa Districts of the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers.

The Brio site, designatedby EPA as a SuperfundSite, reportedly holds morethan half a million cubicyards of measurably con-taminated soil.

Between 1957 and 1982,the site was used for refin-ing crude oil and styrenetars to produce toluene,ethylbenzene, solvents, naphtha-lene, diesel fuel, and kerosene.

EPA's Region 6 is the lead agencyfor the site cleanup. They came to theCorps of Engineers' Southwestern Di-vision, asking for help at the Brio site.

Tulsa District, designated as a haz-ardous, toxic and radioactive waste cen-

ter of expertise, is working withGalveston, the geographic district.Galveston District took on developinga scope of work which includes theoversight of a contract to contain thecontaminants on the site.

Over the years several differ-Sent companies have owned the

Brio refinery. The govern-ment has determined 10

companies as principal re-sponsible parties. These10 form the Brio Site

. __ Task Force that carriesthe responsibility for the Brio

cleanup.The site became contaminated

when the refinery stored products inopen pits, which leaked the contami-nants into the ground. Although origi-nal plans called for excavation and in-cineration or biological treatment of theon-site soils, the EPA now calls for acontainment remedy.

An underground wall with a clay capwill be used to surround and containthe contaminated soils.

Tulsa District holds the indefinitedelivery, indefinite quantity contract

with Weston Engineering of Houston,and Galveston District will have per-sonnel on-site to monitor the work.

"EPA wanted to use Weston for thework, and we had a contract alreadyin place," said Rick Smith, manager ofTulsa District's contract with Weston."We are happy to be working with oursister district and providing a serviceto our customer.

Tulsa District will administer thecontract, lay out the scope of work, ne-gotiate the price and monitor the pay-ments.

This "One Door to the Corps" prac-tice of combining resources and exper-tise of districts has an advantage insavings to the customer. It would costmuch more for every district to pro-vide hazardous, toxic, and radiologicalwaste work.

"By combining forces, the two dis-tricts are able to provide the customerwith less expensive and more efficientservices," said Richard Tomlinson,BRIO project manager for Galveston.

EPA Region 6 covers the states ofArkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico,Oklahoma, and Texas.

"The arrangement gives MEDCOMaccess to an experienced group of con-struction representatives and field en-gineers without having to perform sev-eral short-term personnel actions,"Zalesak said.

MEDCOM facilities request theCorps' services through R. B. Maynor,chief of the MEDCOM Technical As-sistance Team. Maynor determines ifthere is sufficient need for a QAE atthe facility.

When facility managers decide theydon't need the QAE, the representativereturns to the Corps office for theirnext project assignment.

While Fort Worth is the point of con-tact for the Army MEDCOM QualityAssurance Program, many other Corpsoffices provide QAEs for their localMEDCOM facilities. Currently sevendistricts are providing QAEs for eightfacilities.

The districts and facilities includeFort Worth District working with FortHood, Texas; Savannah District work-ing with Fort Jackson, S.C., and FortGordon, Ga; Los Angeles District work-ing with Fort Huachuca, Ariz.; Kan-sas City District working with FortLeonard Wood, Mo.; Louisville Districtworking with Fort Campbell, Kyn.;Omaha District working with FortCarson, Colo.; and New York Districtworking with West Point, N.Y.

The QA program benefits MEDCOMby providing one-stop shopping for aneeded service. The local district andproject offices benefit by sharing in theworkload and building local contactswith facilities managers.

At the same time, the Corps is ableto develop a good working relationshipwith a major Army command. Thatrelationship could develop into morework in the future for the Corps ofEngineers.

Special lnsert ENGINEER UPDATE I

The Chief of Engineers Design andEnvironmental Awards Program en-tries were judged Feb. 28-29 at the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers Headquar-ters. Sixty-nine projects and profes-sional works were presented for thisbiannual awards program and 20 wereselected for awards.

In addition, the Design Team of theYear has been selected. The award goesto the Corps in-house design teamwhich won the highest ranking awardin the Chief of Engineers Design andEnvironmental Awards Program. Thisyear the winner is Fort Worth District, forthe San Antonio River Tunnel, whichwas the Chief of Engineers Award ofExcellence in Environmental Design.

Honorable Mention awards went toSt. Louis District for Micro Modeling,Sacramento District for the Vic Fazio

1 /e~g~r

Yolo Wildlife Area, Galveston Districtfor the Aransas National Wildlife Ref-uge, and Tulsa District for the MingoCreek Local Protection Project.

The program is organized with twocategories of competition, Design andEnvironmental. The Design Juryjudged military construction projectsand works, while the EnvironmentalJury judged the civil works and envi-ronmental restoration projects.Projects in the two categories werejudged independently by interdiscipli-nary juries of six members each.

The Chief of Engineers Design andEnvironmental Awards presents threetypes of honors. The Award of Excel-lence is the highest. Only two Awardsof Excellence are given, one for a de-sign project and one for an environ-mental project. The Award of Excel-

lence can be given only by a unanimousdecision of the jury, and they have theoption of deciding that no project de-serves the award. This year, an Awardof Excellence went to both design andenvironmental projects.

Honor Awards are given to projectsthat demonstrate excellence in mul-tiple design disciplines, and they aregiven by majority vote of the jury.Merit Awards are given for projectsthat demonstrate excellence in singleor multiple design disciplines, and arealso given by majority vote of the jury.

The Chief of Engineers Design andEnvironmental Awards Program be-gan in 1965 to recognize and promoteexcellence in design and environmen-tal achievement by U.S. Army Corpsof Engineers and its professional con-tractors.

The Rodman Materials ResearchLaboratory at Aberdeen ProvingGrounds, Md., is designed to be bothbeautiful and practical. (Above)Inside, the laboratory offers state-of-the-art facilities and equipment.

Design WinnersAward of Excellence: The Rod-

man Materials Research Laboratory,Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.

This is a world-class center of excel-lence for materials research and devel-opment, providing a state-of-the-artresearch environment in 149 laborato-ries. The layout fosters teamwork byemphasizing the visibility of peoplemoving within the building. A secureexterior courtyard between administra-tive and research space allows person-nel to discuss classified work outsidewhile remaining in a secure environ-ment. The facility was designed in 60percent of the time normally requiredfor a project of this type. It was builton schedule and seven percent belowthe $80 million budget. The new facil-ity will save the federal governmentabout $20 million annually. The labhas fostered successful recruitment oftop research staff, and technologiesemerging from its research programsare critical to the capabilities neededfor the Army of the 21st century.

Jury comments: A unanimouschoice as the best project. Jurors sawexcellence from the initial site plan-

ning to the detailing of the reception-ist desk. A clear expression of a com-plete program expressed in discreetforms connected by a circulationspine. Excellent integration with thesite, amenities, choice of materials,and varied massing help provide a won-derful facility.

Honor Award: 9 1 0(h Wing Head-quarters, Youngstown Air ReserveCenter, Ohio.

The two-story 36,000-square-footWing Headquarters Building supportsthe management and training of theC-130 wing.

It consolidates the required supportorganizations into a flexible facility thatcombines open office efficiency with therequired privacy and security for eachoccupant. The interior curved wall, ina metallic finish, is the principal vi-sual design feature. A large secondfloor window in this curved wall, cen-tered on the axis of the boulevard out-side, enables the command section toliterally and figuratively oversee thelobby, the spine of the base, and theairfield beyond.

Jury comments: The jury chosethis project because it addresses thelarger context of the installation. Thesiting of this building provides an ex-cellent solution to the larger contextof the base, a terminus to an impor-tant boulevard. The skillful use ofmodest materials and overall compo-sition elevates this building's contri-bution to a high level. Glazing opensup the space with light and air. Work-station design eliminates sharp edges,and personal harbors give occupantsspace for storing personal belongings.

Honor Award: Brigade Area Bar-racks Revitalization, Fort Bragg, N.C.

The $74 million new brigade areaincludes housing for 900 single enlistedsoldiers, five administrative headquar-ters buildings, 17 company operationsfacilities, and an 800-person dining fa-cility. The aesthetic calls upon the clas-sic design of military architecture ofthe 1920s and '30s found throughoutFort Bragg. It is considered the Dem-onstration Project for the new barracksstandards promoted by Forces

Ind"'u -

II ENGINEER UPDATE Special Insert

An elevated pedestrian walkway is just one of many innovative features in the Brigade Area BarracksRevitalization at Fort Bragg, N.C.

Command's "Barracks Revitalization AlternativesStudy."

Jury comments: The elevations demonstrateexcellent proportions and overcome the long hori-zontal lines normally associated with exterior cir-culation. The design of the buildings made this thestrongest statement of the for Unaccompanied En-listed Personnel Housing (UEPH) projects in theprogram. Nice residential appearance. Takes astandard UEPH floor plan and elevation and showswhat can be done with creative architecture.

Merit Award: Renovation of Building 68, RockIsland Arsenal, Rock Island, Ill.

This was one of several buildings selected to houseDefense Finance and Accounting Service personnel.The building (built in 1878 and listed on the Na-tional Register of Historic Places) had to be reno-vated and modernized. The main challenges were tomaintain historical integrity while satisfying mod-ern technical requirements, and to phase the projectwhile the building remained more than two-thirdsoccupied. The final construction was more than$900,000, and completed six months ahead of sched-ule.

Jury comments: Jurors appreciated the resto-ration of the attic as a pleasant office environment.Indirect lighting of the exposed steel structure pro-vides an honest appreciation of the building's struc-ture. Modern lighting was tastefully selected tocompliment the historic integrity of the project.

Merit Award: Renovation of Barracks Building47, Fort McNair, District of Columbia.

Barracks Building 47, built in 1903, defines thenorth edge of the historic Parade Ground. It had tobe totally renovated and modernized to the new 1+1living standard inside, while retaining its historicappearance. The design team did this in part bycreating symmetrical, geometrically regular interiorspaces, by using natural finished wood trim, mill-work and cabinetry, and by developing a vibrant buthistorically accurate color palette.

Jury comments: Beautifully understated. Thedesign shows excellent restraint. Jurors appreci-ated the "crossing" of the plan with a hierarchy ofmaterial and color. Modern lighting was tastefully

selected to compliment the historic integrity of theoverall project.

Merit Award: KC-10 Maintenance Hangar Com-plex, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.

The 153,131-square-foot hangar complex is a state-of-the-art military aircraft maintenance facility sup-porting the local KC-10 fleet. The design consists ofthree 102-foot-high aircraft servicing bays, each dedi-cated to a distinct aircraft operation, which wraparound a central shop and support core. The exte-

rior is composed of different bands of color and tex-ture which add interest and visually shorten thisfacility. The curved profiled metal panels across thehangar nose bay and warehouse and the sloped deeprib metal panel canopy above the entry doors clearlydefine the main points of access and let the buildingbe perceived in a more human scale.

Jury comments: The exterior design effectivelyreduced the apparent height of a 1 O0-story structure.The interior design created an upscale office ap-pearance within an industrial project. The devel-opment of new fire protection criteria for mainte-nance hangars was outstanding. Overall, the de-sign team took what could have been a genericmaintenance facility and created a building meet-ing the highest professional standards.

Merit Award: Whole Neighborhood Replace-ment, Harrison Villa, Phase 1, Fort Lee, Va.

The existing Harrison Villa was junior NCO hous-ing built in the late 1950s. It had barracks-liketownhouses with up to 10 units per building and park-ing in uncovered paved lots. This Phase 1 projectdemolished half the existing buildings and replacedthem with new energy efficient housing. The 135three-, four-, and five- bedroom units were built astwo-story townhouse duplexes. The area extendedinto an adjacent undeveloped site allowing the newcommunity to be built at a lesser density. New roads,utilities, recreation facilities, and pedestrian routeswere incorporated into the design.

Jury comments: Duplexes provide a suburbanresidential environment for military families. Ga-rages offset in adjacent units provide separation andfeeling of privacy. Front porches promote a com-munity feel and interaction potential. A dining / liv-ing area delineated by personal furniture placementgives choice to occupants. A half-wall in the hallopens up space to the living/dining area for a lessclosed-in feeling.

Merit Award: Summary Development Plan,2 8 0 th Base Support Battalion, Schweinfurt, Ger-many.

The Summary Development Plan (SDP) is a newArmy master planning tool, and the SDP Schweinfurtis one of the first to be completed. It represents aninnovative approach to master planning in that it

The Recreational Pool Area/Water Spout Aquatic Center will benefit both soldiers and their families atFort Buchanan in Puerto Rico.

streamlines the process to where practical for com-munities to participate in long-range planning. TheSDP Schweinfurt enables the command staff to bet-ter understand community issues by presenting alarge volume of valuable information in one concisedocument. It acts as a guideline for long-range de-velopment that gives continuity to base planningdespite personnel changes and is a way to introducenew personnel to the community.

Jury comments: The process generates a veryworkable document, clearly presented, with strongrecommendations. The process demonstrates ex-cellent value for USACE and the user; keep up thegood work. The charts of collected information willbe instrumental in future planning.

Merit Award: U.S. Army Information SystemsFacility, Fort Carson, Colo.

The ISF is the center of post communications. The65,000-square-foot facility has two floors. The first

floor contains the public entry, printing plant, mailroom, computer room, and telephone switch. Thesecond floor houses the commander's suite, trainingrooms, and staff offices. This simple layout uses afront-door/back-door arrangement, with the parkinglot and main entry adjacent to the public access, andthe loading dock and mail deliveries in back.

Jury comments: This project integrated me-chanical and electrical engineering. The siting ofthe project demonstrates consideration of the largerarea beyond the building itself. Great voice/dataflexibility with raised floor and trench duct instal-lation. Artwork in lobby is relative to the geographiclocation. Sunlight streams in to provide naturallight by good use of glass. Glass front on confer-ence room provides open feeling.

Merit Award: Recreational Pool Area /WaterSpout Aquatic Center, Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico.

The 6,000-square-foot Aquatic Center provides a

Special Insert ENGINEER UPDATE IIIresort-like area for all ages within the security of thebase. It includes a 25-meter lap pool with a waterpolo area, a water recreation area with water slides,and a zero-depth-entry family pool area. Pool areasare zoned for different age groups, and include largeshaded areas both in and out of the water, and vari-ous water features. Additional amenities include pic-nic areas, a volleyball court, and landscaping whichprovides a scenic environment. The entry buildingis fully functional and provides controlled entry andexit, space for a snack bar, game room, locker, toi-lets, showers, a multipurpose room, and adminis-tration areas, plus spaces for mechanicall/electricaland pump systems equipment.

Jury comments: Overall the project is playful.Not all disciplines are involved in the design andexecution; nevertheless the project deserves rec-ognition as a meritorious project in specialized dis-cipline. It provides family areas for various agegroups to relax and enjoy the community.

Environmental Winners

The San Antonio River Tunnel provides floodprotection for San Antonio, Texas. The tunnelitself is 24 feet wide and 140 feet below ground.(Below) The above-ground portions of the projectare designed to provide areas for pedestrians toenjoy the river.

Award of Excellence: The San Antonio RiverTunnel, San Antonio, Texas.

The San Antonio River Tunnel is part of the SanAntonio Channel Improvement flood protectionproject. The tunnel is about 140 feet below the sur-face and 3.1 miles long. The tunnel is about 24 feetin diameter and provides protection from a 100-yearflood event. The San Antonio Tunnel, and its sistertunnel on San Pedro Creek, are inverted siphons.This is the first known use of a tunnel siphon for amajor urban flood control project. In October 1998,just months after the tunnel was finished, a recordflood threatened to devastate the downtown andRiverwalk areas. Without the tunnel, the downtownwould have been under about six feet of water. It isestimated the San Antonio River Tunnel paid for it-self in damages prevented in this one event.

Jury comments: This is an innovative projectto retrofit a built-out urban area while providingflood control, economic, environmental, recreation,aesthetic, and historic preservation benefits. Theproject had excellent local support and cooperation,and it successfully managed a flood event of recordin its first year, paying for itself.

Honor Award: Micro-Modeling, St. Louis Dis-trict.

This modeling technology was designed to facili-tate all phases of river engineering. The physical,moveable-bed sediment models are used to definemaster plan programming parameters, develop in-stallation/construction plans and specifications, fore-cast construction costs, and accomplish real-timeanalysis of channel response to river engineering andenvironmental applications, while being cost- andtime-effective and efficient.

Jury comments: Micro modeling, developedtogether with the University of Missouri Rolla, is aextremely small-scale physical sediment transportand flow modeling system for streams. Revolution-ary in scope, it was awarded a U.S. Patent in 1997.It has reduced the cost of scale model studies by 96percent and study time by 70 percent. The Corpssaves $125 for every dollar spent.

HonorAward: Vic Fazio Yolo Wildlife Area, YoloCounty, Calif.

This project restores wetlands lost during creationof the Sacramento River Flood Control Project andYolo Bypass floodway system, which built more than1,000 miles of levees along the Sacramento River.The goal was to restore wetlands while meeting floodcontrol, agricultural, and wildlife objectives and cri-teria. The solution evolved into a cooperative resto-

ration project involving more than 20 organizationsincluding federal, state, and local governments, pri-vate organizations, and agricultural landowners.

Jury comments: Broad partnering resulted inthe largest wetlands restoration in the western U.S.(3,600 acres). It accomplishes shared water use withagriculture, habitat restoration, recreation for met-ropolitan Sacramento, flood control, and improvedwater quality.

Honor Award: Aransas National Wildlife Ref-uge, Aransas and Calhoun Counties, Texas.

The project is a 31-mile stretch of the Gulf Intrac-oastal Waterway. It addresses the serious bank ero-sion problem at the Aransas National Wildlife Ref-uge, the wintering grounds for the endangered whoop-ing crane. Articulated concrete mats mold to theshoreline, and the open spaces in the blocks allowplant growth throughout. Geotextile tubes are usedas a breakwater. These features did not change theterrain, protected the shoreline, and the preservedthe whooping crane habitat.

Jury comment: Innovative methods stabilizethe shoreline which also promote waters edge veg-etative habitat for crane feeding. Construction wasphased due to incremental funding and did not in-terfere with the crane rookery. A marsh was cre-

L V ENGINEER UPDATE Special Insert

The shoreline protection project at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge using geotextile tubes as a breakwater,articulated concrete mats, and other features to protect a 31-mile stretch of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway fromerosion without changing the shoreline contours or endangering whooping crane habitat.

ated from reclaimed materials.

Honor Award: Mingo Creek Lo-cal Protection Project, Tulsa, Okla.

Tulsa led the nation in federal flooddisaster declarations, two-thirds fromMingo Creek. This project providesflood control with 23 floodwater deten-tion sites and 10 miles of channel im-provements. Many of the flood controlareas are popular places to jog, bicycle,fish, picnic, or play soccer. The designpreserved 17 acres of hardwood bottom-land in the Mingo Creek basin. About870 new trees were planted in andaround the detention sites, and thelakes are stocked with fish.

Jury comments: Mingo Creekepitomizes multi-objective floodplainmanagement incorporating recre-ation, habitat preservation, waterquality improvement, and storm wa-ter management. The project has al-ready reduced flood losses.

Merit Award: Local ProtectionProject, Matewan, West Va.

Matewan has had repeated devastat-ing floods. This project will reducedamages with a concrete floodwall,pumping station, and all necessary fa-cilities. The design included relocat-ing utilities, highways, and railroadfacilities, providing sites for businessand residential redevelopment, and newstructures to house the town hall andfire station. Graphics cast into thefloodwall depict local architecture,natural scenes, and history. The words"Welcome to Matewan" are also castinto the wall.

Jury comments: Flood protectionfor a historic town resulted not onlyin mitigation for recurrent flooding,but also in support of local develop-ment. Murals cast in the floodwallcommunicate the town's history.

Merit Award: Souris River Basin

Flood Control Project, North Dakotaand Saskatchewan, Canada.

Throughout history, the Souris RiverBasin has endured flood-related trag-edies. The Souris River Basin Projectis a multifaceted approach to flood con-trol that gives 100-year flood protec-tion to Minot, N.D., and the entireSouris River Basin by successfully in-tegrating floodwater storage with otherFederal and Canadian multipurposeprojects.

Jury comments: The project is asuccessful multi-faceted and coordi-nated approach to flood control. It isimpressive for its 24,000-square-milearea and for its multi-national andagency coordination between theU.S., Canada, North Dakota,Saskatchewan, SaskPower, NorthDakota State Water Commission, theCorps, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,and the Souis River Joint Water Re-sources Board.

Merit Award: The Yazoo Basin,Channel Improvement Item 3B-1,Laflore County, Miss.

Channel Improvement Item 3B-1consisted primarily of five miles ofchannel improvements. The problemswere performing the needed excava-tion, and placing the large volume ofdredged material. Channel excavationwas accomplished using a floating hy-draulic dredge to reduce the impact onbank vegetation. The excavated ma-terial was pumped into a large confineddisposal facilities (CDF), and projectmitigation included a design to oper-ate the CDF as waterfowl foraging area.

Jury comments: The project isan innovative approach using dredgedmaterial to create wetland habitat onformer agricultural land. Broadmulti-disciplinary input avoided ad-verse impacts to forest, wetlands, andcultural resources. This resulted ina wildlife haven along a nationally sig-

nificant migratory bird flyway.

Merit Award: NAPL RecoverySkimmer, Philadelphia, Penn.

The Defense Supply Center Philadel-phia was scheduled for closure. Envi-ronmental investigations found Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (NAPL) petro-leum in the groundwater. The volumeof NAPL was estimated to exceed onemillion gallons. Baltimore Districtused two types of skimmers. Pneu-matically activated skimmers whichrecover only NAPL and no groundwa-ter are very energy efficient. Passiveskimmers, which consume no electric-ity, were installed at wells where NAPLrecovery was slow.

Jury comments: This resultedin a responsive, efficient process,which has removed 220,000 gallons ofNAPL for only 35 cents per gallon.

Merit Award: Benedictine Bot-toms Site, Missouri River Fish andWildlife Mitigation Project, AtchinsonCounty, Kan.

The Missouri River Fish and Wild-life Mitigation Project restores fish andwildlife habitat lost to the constructionand maintenance of the Missouri RiverBank Stabilization and NavigationProject between 1912 and 1980. AtBenedictine Bottoms, Kansas City Dis-trict restored a wetland-bottomland-timber-wetland-prairie complex in thefloodplain and created diversity in theaquatic habitat of the adjacent chan-nel without disturbing navigation orthe continuing operation of MissouriRiver Levee Unit R440.

Jury comments: The BenedictineBottoms Project is an innovative andproductive habitat restoration. Theproject includes four major wetlandsystems and shoreline habitat areas.During design and construction, theCorps formed a team with four statefish and wildlife agencies.

per

April2000 ENGINEER UPDATE 7

Regional center pleases INS customersBy Marilyn UhrichGalveston District

Galveston District, located along theTexas Gulf Coast, found itself on thefront lines in support of a challengingconstruction program for the U.S. Im-migration and Naturalization Service(INS) following the inception of thechief of engineers' Regional BusinessCenter policy.

Southwestern Division becamethe account manager and na-tionwide point of contact insupport of the INS programthat utilizes the Corps ex-pertise and sends work tothe geographic districts-for INS work in southand coastal Texas, thatmeans Galveston Dis-trict.

Galveston District wasalready engaged in INSwork when, in 1997, theCorps developed an Archi-tectural and EngineeringResource Center (A-ERC) co-locatedwith the Fort Worth District. A memo-randum of understanding was signedby the INS and the Corps.

The "One Door to the Corps" policyeased the way for the customer to gettheir work done. The Regional Busi-ness Center provides one contact pointfor the customers, rather than forcingthem to deal with individual districts.

Ron Timmermans, with his staff oftwo, heads up the A-E Resource Cen-ter in Fort Worth.

"We do the overall program manage-ment," Timmermans said. "It's anopportunity for INS to plug in with theCorps in one place, and be able to uti-lize all of the Corps' abilities.

"INS provides $50 million-plus inprojects each year, and the A-E Re-source Center acts as an extension ofthe INS staff. We understand the scopeof work and pass this along to the dis-

I

tricts."The center works across district and

division boundaries to fit the work to adistrict's geographic location and itsunique expertise. Projects are going onnow in many districts: Alaska, Seattle,Sacramento, Albuquerque, Jackson-ville, Buffalo, and as far away asGuam, to name a few.

"We try to be exactly what INSwants-one door to the Corps,"

Timmermans said.George Alcala, INS project

manager for Galveston Dis-trict, said that the A-ERC is

the first contact for all INSwork.

"They coordinate andinterface with INS pro-

gram managers, obtainproject funds and scopes-of-

work from INS, and coordinatewith the district that will perform

the work," Alcala said.Galveston District oversees develop-

ment of the plans and specifications,goes through the bidding process forthe customer, awards contracts, andprovides the contract administration.

Expanded roles

Galveston District has been involvedwith the INS since 1996 when it ex-panded its role to include a mushroom-ing part in construction and rehabili-tation of facilities for the Port IsabelService Processing Center in southTexas. Buildings at the site dated fromthe 1960s when the site first served asan Army Air and Artillery TrainingStation.

The INS took over the site for bor-der patrol training in 1971, and it be-came a detention deportation facilityin 1981.

Ongoing work at this Port Isabelfacility includes construction of threeadditional dormitories (one has alreadybeen completed), an armory, and other

This is a monitoring and communications room Inside the completed PortIsabel dormitory. (Photo courtesy of Galveston District)

The first of three 200-bed secure dormitories has been completed at the PortIsabel site by Galveston District. An armory and several other small projectsalso are being built at the site. Fort Worth's Architecture-Engineering ResourceCenter chose Galveston District for the project because they could best meetthe customer's needs. (Photo courtesy of Galveston District)

small projects.Future projects that are currently

being designed include a multi-purposeadministration building that includesnew courts, a processing building, amedical clinic and a new security sys-tem. Development of a master plan forthis site.also became the responsibil-ity of the Galveston District.

The Corps could advertise its workas "no job too big or too little."

"We have done repair and alterationsjobs from replacing an existing eight-inch water line to constructing newdormitories," Alcala reports. "We areworking towards completing three 200-bed dormitories and a new armory fa-cility. We have completed one dormi-tory, and the INS has it in use."

Customer service

Galveston District's man on thescene is Ralph Rubalcaba, a civil engi-neer, who transferred to Port Isabel tohead up the INS Resident Office. Hestays in touch with the local customer,briefing them on the status of currentconstruction, security concerns, con-tract administration, payments andwarranties, and gets the customer in-volved in project decisions.

'"The customer often wants thingsthat are not in the contract," Rubalcabasaid. "I see to the change orders andmodifications to assure customer sat-isfaction."

"INS likes the regional business con-cept," he said. "It makes the processmuch less complicated for them." Thecustomer goes to the A-E Resource Cen-ter. The center, in turn, contacts thedistrict that can handle the job.

"Every day brings up different is-sues, both good and bad," Rubalcabasaid. "It is very challenging but thisis 'where the rubber meets the road.'You name it, we've done it."

Along with the other projects,Galveston District is working with

Lucent Technologies on a turn-keyproject to upgrade or replace the exist-ing telephone system at the Port Isabelsite.

In the works is the repair of emer-gency power backup generators locatedthroughout the facility and upgrade ofthe equipment in the existing sewagetreatment plant.

The master plan for the Port Isabelsite is divided into five constructionphases that continue through fiscalyear 2006. The construction of eachpart depends on the budget.

The Port Isabel new constructionbudget for fiscal year 2000 was notapproved, delaying the building of a200-bed secure dormitory and the firstphase of the multi-purpose facility un-til fiscal year 2001.

Galveston District also is workingon three new stations for the U.S. Bor-der Patrol, a division of the INS, inRio Grande City, Falfurrias, andHebbronville, all in Texas.

Construction has started on the sta-tions in Rio Grande City and Falfurriaswhile the site work and demolition con-tract has been awarded for theHebbronville site. The two sites underconstruction have similar designs,adapted to the individual sites.

The Rio Grande City and Falfurriasstations are scheduled for occupancyby late 2000 and early 2001.

The original border patrol station inRio Grande City was built in 1954 for12 agents. A double-wide trailer wasmoved in and the population grew tomore than 40 agents.

The new stations at Rio Grande Cityand Falfurrias are each designed for125 agents at Rio Grande City, and thestation at Hebbronville is designed for100 agents.

Whether it's building border patrolstations or developing master plans forINS processing centers, the A-E Re-source Center is working for the dis-trict, the division and the customers.

8 ENGINEER UPDATE April2000

Reese Air Force BaseTulsa, Fort Worth finish fastest cleanup in DoD history

By Tim Brecheenand Dennis Thomas

Five years and millions of dollars-that's just partof the savings realized from the environmental clean-up at Reese Air Force Base in west Texas.

A focused regional effort there resulted in the De-partment of Defense's fastest base closure cleanupever, and it was no small task given the history ofcontamination at the base and the monumental re-quirements that had to be met.

Those involved with the project credit its successto many factors including the unique project man-agement approach employed and the teamwork andsharing of resources among the Environmental Pro-tection Agency (EPA), contractors, base personnel anddistricts within Southwestern Division.

Tulsa District provided project management andcontracting services while Fort Worth Districthandled the challenging real estate portion of theproject.

The Reese cleanup was unusual from the begin-ning. The Air Force Base Conversion Agency becamean active player in the process in October 1996 eventhough the base did not close until September 1997.The Air Force's decision to move in early paid hugedividends.

One of the first decisions made by the AFBCA wasto select Tulsa District as service agent, even thoughthat role was typically handled by the Air Force Cen-ter for Environmental Excellence. The base environ- Drilling teammental coordinator believed that the district was best property atsuited to expedite the program and appreciated the monitoring vmutual trust and openness which existed between be analyzed.the Corps and the state's regulatory agency, the TexasNatural Resource Conservation Commission. A groundw

two miles offRegional teamwork liminary desi

was left withTulsa District managed the environmental estate actions

cleanup process and mastered the art of procurement negotiationsmanagement. and the state

Programming documents and contracting actions As the conwere thought out to ensure the necessaryflexibility needed to expedite the installa-tion clean up. The district provided maxi-mum flexibility in the contracting processto allow for quick changes inherent inthe site investigation process.

All investigations were completedunder firm-fixed price contracts (Ra-dian International) and the remedial Tuldesign/construction phase was com-

pleted under the Corps Total Environ-mental Restoration Contract (The ITGroup). It would have taken longer to meetthe last remedy in place deadline if the TERC had proached, wenot been used. version staff

With more than $40 million executed in two years, further. It waall actions were expedited, including scope definitionsand contract negotiations. The key feature was the Project maflexibility inherent in the contracts.

A typical scenario would be for the BRAC Cleanup A successfiTeam (BCT) to decide to drill an additional well at a municationsite. The drilling subcontractor would be drilling team had thawithin the week with the well installed, sampled, each membeand results available for the next BCT monthly meet- the final deciing. This process continued for both soil and ground- sions were rewater data until the investigations were complete. and cost savi

While Tulsa was handling its part of the work, "Reese isFort Worth District was furnishing the real estate exposed to. Bsupport to make it all possible. team made d

is, like this one, worked all over theReese Air Force Base to drill 50

well clusters that will take samples to(Photo courtesy of Tulsa District)

ater plume at Reese extends more thanbase. After the investigation and pre-gn efforts were completed, Fort Worthlittle time to obtain more than 70 reals. In addition to individual landowners,were conducted with Lubbock Countyof Texas.tractor was installing production wellsand the associated pipelines, FortWorth District continued obtaining theeasements ahead of the pipeline.

"The work could not have been ac-complished in such a short time if itweren't for the total team effort," saidMichael Britt of Fort Worth's Real Es-tate Division.

"As construction began, only a fewactions were in place. We workedclosely with the project manager andcontractors to ensure we had agree-ments in place. As our deadline ap-

worked closely with the Air Force's con-and expedited the entire process evenas a great experience."

inagement was paramount

ul BRAC cleanup team needs open com-and information exchange. The Reeset and much more. It succeeded becauser understood his role and influence onsion. At Reese, the cleanup team's deci-al-time and resulted in significant timengs.different from any base I've ever beenLecause issues were discussed and theecisions, we did not have to continually

revisit them," said Gary Miller, senior project man-ager and EPA team representative.

The team met monthly and spent about a day re-viewing projects and focusing on the next step of theprocess. Because of this strategy, the regulator's re-view and approval time for written reports was 65percent less than the typical regulatory review cycle.Furthermore, 95 percent of all decisions were madein the meetings and involved no interim reports.

"One of the products of a successful BCT is thatwe've already discussed the details of reports Priorto the submittal of the written report. This helps meexpedite my review because I've already seen the re-sults, and I know what to expect," said Mark Weegar,senior project manager and Texas Natural ResourceConservation Commission representative.

All contractors clearly understood that, althoughthe BCT made the final decisions, the contractors'technical expertise was an important component.Before the monthly team meetings, short, concisedata packages were distributed to better leverage thetime of each member. At the meeting, each site wasdiscussed, and the next steps of the decision matrixwere outlined.

To further enhance communications, the clean-up team used an internal web site for instant com-munications, to expedite decision-making, for reportreviews and site tracking. The site kept the playersinformed about the progress of the investigations andother activities taking place.

"I've been able to gather important site investiga-tion information from the web site that I've used indeveloping remedial design work plans-at both atime and cost savings," said Vara Prasad, the IT Groupproject manager.

The final word

The Air Force currently averages seven years fromthe closure of a base to the completion of site investi-gations and remediation. At Reese, the BRAC cleanupteam completed everything in two years.

Not only did the team provide the local reuseagency full access to the former installation five yearsearlier than the average, but DoD also has avoidedhundreds of thousands of additional dollars in man-power which would have been required using the tra-ditional path.

Reese AFB was the only Air Force installation toutilize the Corps of Engineers as a Service Center ona virtually exclusive role.

(Tim Brecheen is the Reese BRAC environmen-tal coordinator; Dennis Thomas is Tulsa District's'senior project manager.)

Teamwork sets the standardr The Reese BRAC Cleanup Team achievedthe fastest Last Remedy In Place in DoD his-tory. It was the first major closure base to com-plete investigations and remedial constructionwithin 24 months.

[ Team members have presented at regionaland national conferences on using partneringand project management skills to expedite theenvironmental remediation process.

Fb Construction was complete in 88 workdays.

April2000 ENGINEER UPDATE 9

Four districts serve Army Reserve unitBy Anita Horky

Fort Worth District

Some of the Corps' customers don'thave a choice. For certain jobs; theymust use the U.S. Army Corps of En-gineers. But for others, the Corps isan option. For the Army Reserve's 90thRegional Support Command, the Corpshas proven to be the best option for itsmaintenance and repair projects.

"I'm real pleased that the 90th RSCcontinues to come back to us year af-ter year," said Fort Worth District'sSteve Wright, who until recently wasthe Corps' project manager for the 90thRSC. "There's nocontract. When they "Theget their funds forthe year, they can go C h oowhere they want. Wehave to deliver every to the Cyear."

And deliver the lot of tCorps does, despitethe challenges of is basserving a militaryorganization head- factquartered in NorthLittle Rock, Ark., proswith isolated facili-ties in five states selneeding everythingfrom interior paint-ing and new roofs to electrical upgradesand new flooring.

'"The 90th RSC chooses to come tothe Corps, and a lot of their choice isbased on the fact that we provide fullservice-project management, designexpertise, construction management,and contracting and financial manage-ment," Wright said.

"'Ifthey go to an outside vendor, suchas an architect-engineering firm to dothe construction management, theystill have to handle a lot of the workthemselves," Wright said. '"The Corpsoffers them a single step, cradle tograve. We'll take the simplest scope ofwork, complete the work and turn itover to them. We can handle it all fromstart to finish."

The Corps' 90th RSC work is man-aged by the lead project manager inFort Worth District (because the ma-jority of the facilities are within thedistrict's military boundaries) and per-formed by four different districts: FortWorth, Little Rock, Tulsa and Albu-querque.

To get the projects completed, thelead project manager (PM) works withhis own district's staff as well as threeproject managers in the other districts,who in turn work with designers, con-struction management field offices andcontractors.

There are usually 50 projects, whichrange from a few thousand dollars to$500,000 each, under construction atany given time.

With so many different people in dif-ferent locations involved, it's difficult

9iS

e

tlvi

fV

to provide a consistent level of qualitywith minimal management costs,Wright said.

A Southwestern Division-wide joborder contract (JOC), which is used for90 percent of the 90th RSC work, helpswith that problem. By using the JOC,the Corps works repeatedly with thesame general contractors who under-stand the Corps' and the customer'sexpectations for quality and construc-tion management.

"I feel like this is the classic exampleof the'One Door to the Corps' concept,"said Jim Pfeifer, PM for the 90th RSCat Little Rock District, which manages

the JOC."Different dis-

th RSC trictshavediffer-ent tools, and

to come we'reworkingto-

rps and a gether to satisfyrps, and a the customer. It's

r choice been an excellentir choice experience work-Son the ing with otherdistricts andwe building trust.hat we It's the way

de fullthings ought towork."

ice." JOC helps the90th throughoutthe year, but itespecially comes

in handy when it comes time to spendyear-end money quickly.

At the end of fiscal year 1998 the90th opted to use the JOC for year-endobligations. They were able to get $1.6million worth of task orders issued onOct. 29 and 30.

"I tried to do the same amount ofwork the year before without the JOC,and it was difficult," Wright said.

Another challenge in serving the90th RSC is the geographic location ofthe facilities involved.

Tommy Grizzle from the Fort Sill DPW (sitting) and Bud Lewis from the 90"'RSC evaluate a roof as part of the 90th RSC maintenance and repair program.The Corps expects to award $10 million in maintenance and repair work forthe 90th RSC in fiscal year 2000. (Photo courtesy of Little Rock District)

"Nobody has as many offices as theCorps does in that five-state area, butwe're still 150 miles away from someof the Reserve centers," Wright said.

"We're closer than anyone else, butwe're still not close enough," Wrightcontinued. "It makes it very difficultto oversee the work. It makes us verydependent on the contractors, and froma design standpoint, it makes that dif-ficult. We can't afford to spend thatmuch money on travel."

Despite the difficulties, the Corpsmanages to perform. In fiscal year1996, the Corps designed and awarded$2 million for the 90th RSC work. InFY99, the Corps designed $8 millionbut due to funding restraints, awardedonly $5 million. This fiscal year, theCorps expects to award $10 million.

3'

"Overall, things are good," said Lt.Col. Nick Flannery, special project of-ficer for the 90th RSC. "It's like anycooperative work between two agencies.There are little glitches, but we canget them worked out."

Flannery said the 90th RSC espe-cially likes having the lead PM in FortWorth as the main point of contact forconstruction issues.

"Having a liason-type person hasmade a big difference," Flannery said."It saves us a lot of time because hegets the right person to work the ac-tion, whatever it may be. It has madelife a lot easier for us and the Corpshas become a lot easier to work with."

The success of the program belongsmore to the individuals involved thanto the lead PM, Wright said.

"In making this thing work, we'revery dependent on all of the playersdoing their personal best to take careof their piece and to look after thecustomer's interest," he said.

'"There's no way to write a defined,detailed, programmatic plan thatwould encompass all of the variablesthat go into each of these projects,"said Wright. 'There are different rep-resentatives from all of the differentorganizations-90th RSC, the Corpsand others--pulling together. A lot ofprofessional courtesies are necessaryto ensure what we're doing is addingvalue to the facilities for the customer.

''The credit belongs to the individualdesigners, the construction manage-ment field offices, customer represen-tatives and the contractor," Wrightconcluded. '"To make this regionalthing work, we work together to makesure we're approaching this in the bestview of the technical and managementarenas, but it's not going to work with-out individual players to do the work."

10 ENGINEER UPDATE April2000

JOC puts money where service isBy Jennifer WilsonLittle Rock District

Little Rock District is re-procuring the regionaljob order contracts (JOC) it manages. This time, thedistrict is asking the customers who used the firstJOC to help foot the bill for the second JOC.

It's a big move for the district and the division,but one that has paid off so far.

"We've gotten great response from our customers,"said Ray Russo, acting project manager for JOC."They have no problem supporting a contracting ve-hicle that helps them get their work done better,faster, and cheaper."

When the first regional JOC was awarded in March1998, Little Rock District paid for the contract pro-curement mainly out of overhead funds.

Traditionally JOCs are awarded by installations,and the procurement costs are funded by those in-stallations. The SWD Regional JOC had the capa-bility to have multiple customers in a six-state area.This made it difficult to determine who should payfor the procurement of the first SWD regional JOC.

Now that the SWD Regional JOC has been in place,the Corps has a customer base who is being asked tofund the procurement of the next JOC.

Many funding options were explored consisting ofvarious up-front funding or surcharge scenarios.Southwestern Division's Resource ManagementBoard made the decision that the existing customerswould be asked to fund the majority of the procure-ment costs for the new JOC.

Customer support

Customers already are stepping up and support-ing the new JOC with their money.

The 90th Reserve Support Command, a big user ofthe last JOC, has committed to fund a substantialportion of the procurement cost. In addition to fund-ing provided by Little Rock District for the JOC re-procurement effort, other commitments have beenreceived from Pine Bluff Arsenal, Department ofEnergy, and Vicksburg District.

The JOC is a competitively bid, indefinite deliv-ery, indefinite quantity contract that task orders areissued against. The JOC can be used to accomplishboth military and civil projects in Arkansas, Mis-souri, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico.

"We've done a great job with the first JOC con-tracts," said Janet Holmes, JOC contracting special-ist. "There were a lot of unknowns when we started,and a lot of things that had to be worked out. We goteveryone on board and tackled the challenges, and ithas become a great tool for the whole region."

A regional tool

The first regional JOC contracts were issued byLittle Rock District in 1998 with two contractors,Del-Jen, Inc. and Rayco Construction, Inc. To date,133 task orders have been awarded to the contrac-tors for a total of $17 million in work.

Project managers throughout the region use theJOC as one of their contracting tools to meet the needsof their customers.

Tulsa, Little Rock, and Vicksburg districts havesuccessfully used the JOC to do in-house operationsand maintenance work as well as small parts of very

large civil works projects. Fort Polk, Fort Chaffee,the Department of Energy and the Bureau of Pris-ons also have used the JOC.

New customers are continually interested in JOC.After the second JOC is awarded, new customers willstill be eligible to use the JOC on a cost-reimbursable basis.

"New customers can use the JOCjustlike our existing customers use it," Russosaid. "When we re-procure the next JOCfive years from now, they will be askedto fund the costs based on their usage,just like our existing customers."

Asking for suggestions

The JOC team isn't just asking custom-ers for money. They also are asking theJOC users for suggestions that would im-prove the contract.

"We are in the process of getting our UnitPrice Book updated," Russo said. "Now isthe time to go out and ask our customers ifthey have any special needs that aren't cur-rently included in the UPB.

'"This gives us a chance to build in services thatwill meet our customer's needs and help us fully uti-lize the JOC."

One of the changes suggested by a customer wasto increase the number of contractors for the newJOC, bringing the total from two to three.

"With the previous JOC, we found that our con-tractors were performing the majority of their workin Texas. But we still have customers in Arkansasand Missouri who use the JOC," said Paris Embree,the JOC's project manager.

This JOC will have one 8A contractor in Arkansasand Missouri. A traditional contractor and another8A contractor will handle the rest of the region.

"By adding a contractor and restricting their area,we hope to provide better response to our customer's

needs," Holmes said. '"This will assure service to ourcustomers in Arkansas and Missouri while freeingup two contractors to work in other areas.

"It also will give an 8A contractor some experienceon a smaller JOC contract so that they

can eventually compete for alarger one."

Another difference in thenew JOC and the existingJOC will be the contractamount.

The existing JOC was for $30million, divided evenly between the

two contractors. The new JOC willri ct be for $55 million. The restricted-area8A contract will be $5 million. The non-

restricted 8A contract and the traditionalcontract each will be $25 million.

Continued service

Customer service has always been a prioritysince the regional JOC began.

"We've had JOC partnering sessions at least oncea year since the contract was awarded," Embree said."It's a chance for the contractors, the major custom-ers, and their Corps contacts to get together and ex-change ideas."

Each of the meetings has proven to be productivefor the customers, contractors, and the Corps. It givesthe Corps and contract representatives a chance toget feedback and to fully explain how JOC works.

"Some customers are confused about the type ofwork that is ideal for the JOC," Embree said. "JOCis different because you develop a scope of work, notplans and specifications. It takes people a while toget used to it, but once they do, they usually like it."

A pre-solicitation notice for the JOC was publishedin Commerce Business Daily March 1. The JOCsare scheduled to be advertised by May 1 and awardedlater this year.

The JOC is perfect for operation and maintenance projects because you develop a scope of work, notplans and specifications. Rayco Construction, Inc. completed JOC work at Dierks Lake in Arkansas.One of the jobs involved placing more rip-rap to the existing drainage ditch to stabilize the area.(Photo courtesy of Little Rock District)

Fort Worth, Galveston, Little Rock, Tulsa '*44V

Around the CorpsBlack engineer winners

Two Corps engineers received awards in the 141"Black Engineer of the Year Awards.Conference heldrecently in Baltimore.

Lt. Gen. Joe Ballard, Chief of Engineers, receivedthe Dean's Award conferred by the Council of Engi-neering Deans of the Historically Black Colleges andUniversities. (In 1998, Ballard received the BlackEngineer of the Year Award.) Gen. Eric Shinseki,Chief of Staff of the Army, presented the award.

A short time later, Ballard returned to the stage topresent the Award for Professional Achievement inGovernment to William Brown, Principal Assistantto the Corps' Deputy Commanding General for Mili-tary Programs. Brown is the Corps' highest-rank-ing civilian officer and the first African-Americanengineer in the Department of Defense in the SeniorExecutive Service.

ASCE awardDavid Pezza of Norfolk District received the Zone

II 1999 Government Civil Engineer of the Year Awardfrom the American Society of Civil Engineers. Theaward recognizes contributions by civil engineers inpublic service. Zone II includes the South and Mid-west U.S. and Puerto Rico. Pezza was the only Corpsemployee to achieve this level of national recogni-tion. He is responsible for Norfolk District'sgeotechnical and environmental engineering pro-grams.

Flood .-insurance lifted

Federal and Los Angeles County officials assembledrecently in Long Beach, Calif., to announce that theFederal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)has lifted mandatory flood insurance for more than100,000 residents along the Los Angeles River due toimprovements made by Los Angeles District.

The completed portion of the restoration projectextends along the L.A. River and a nine-mile stretchup Compton Creek. When the entire project (whichspans 22 miles and 13 communities) is completed,more than 330,000 residents will save $33 million inannual flood insurance premiums. In the completedareas, L.A. District has raised the levees and alsoSbuilt parapet walls, widened the existing bike path,and provided landscaping.

"This is a significant milestone in this 10-yearproject," said L.A. County Supervisor Don Knabe.'We've worked shoulder-to-shoulder at the federal,state, and local level to keep this project fully fundedand on time. In fact, we're about five years ahead ofschedule because of some of the innovations the Corpshas come up with."

'We've completed about 70 percent of our construc-tion," said South Pacific Division Commander Brig.Gen. Peter Madsen. 'We're proud to be part of thismilestone, but we're really looking forward to com-ing back in 2001 for the final ribbon-cutting cer-emony."

British officerIn May, Capt. Jim Yearsley, a British army officer,

will arrive in Los Angeles District for a year of prac-tical experience. His wife Julie will accompany him.Yearsley is fresh from post-graduate studies at theRoyal School of Military Engineering. On his returnto the United Kingdom, Yearsley expects to take TheInstitution of Civil Engineers Member's ProfessionalReview (equal to America's professional engineerexam), and also present his final masters degree pa-per to a learned audience. Yearsley is tentativelyconsidering the pier nose extensions on the LACDAproject for his final master's thesis.

Russian triumphJoey Luebbert, adoptedas an infant five years ago

in Russia by Jim and Mary Ann Luebbert of St. Louis,Mo., has experienced an All-American triumph.

Jim Leubbert is a historian in the Ordnance andTechnical Support Branch of St. Louis District. Heis also an avid football fan, and Joey has been watch-ing the St. Louis Rams on TV with his Dad for years.At a young age, Joey became adept at performingthe Ram's victory dance, the Bob & Weave. WhenLuebbert learned of the children's Bob & Weave con-test at Union Station in St. Louis, Joey became acontestant.

A pair of free tickets to the Rams/Buccaneer gamewent to the winner, so the five-year-old danced hisheart out, and won. Naturally he chose to take hisbest friend, Dad, as his guest.

CERL acting directorDr. Alan Moore will be Acting Director of the Con-

struction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL).In this position he will direct a $70 million researchprogram that creates and fields technologies to en-sure military installations can project power throughan adequate infrastructure and support Army readi-ness through a sustainable training environment.CERL is one of eight laboratories in the Corps' U.S.Army Engineer Research and Development Center.

Moore replaces Dr. Michael O'Connor, who left inJanuary to become Chief of the Geotechnical Labo-ratory in Vicksburg, Miss. Moore will fill the CERLDirector position while the Corps recruits a perma-nent Director in the Senior Executive Service.

Wheelhouse perceptionMemphis and Vicksburg districts hosted Pilot's Day

on Feb. 23 at Ensley Engineer Yard and MarineMaintenance Center. The working conference, anannual event since 1992, involved the districts, Mis-sissippi Valley Division, and the river towing andnavigation industry.

'We presented Memphis District's program of workfor the next two years," said River Engineering TeamLeader Darian Chasteen. "It lets the towing andnavigation industry know where we're going to work,and lets them give us their input."

' This meeting gave the Corps the wheelhouse per-

(This is another in a continuing series of truestories from the history of the U.S. Army Corpsof Engineers to commemorate the Corps' 22 5 thyear. All material is from the History Office pub-lication, "Historical Vignettes - Volume 2,"EP 870-1-1, available on-line under USACE Publications,Engineer Pamphlets, Historical.)

Long before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineerswas charged with aiding victims of natural disas-ters, individual Army engineers lent a helping handto fellow citizens in time of trouble.

As early example is Brig. Gen. (ret.) Joseph Swift,former Chief of Engineers, during the great NewYork City fire of 1835. Fire broke out in lowerManhattan on Dec. 16 and spread rapidly, consum-ing houses and stores, threatening to devour theentire city.

Alarmed and desperate, the mayor of New YorkCity turned to Swift, a municipal hero since 1814

ception," said Capt. Steve Crowley, assistant vicepresident of Operations at Ingram Barge Company."And the pilots can provide information as to situa-tions out on the river that the Corps is not aware of."

For example, the pilots gave the Corps input onsome other sites where no work had been proposedthat were causing them problems.

'"They let us know we had extreme low water con-dition at Armstrong that our hydrographic surveysdidn't alert us to," said Chasteen. "If they hadn'ttold us exactly what happened in low water, wewouldn't have known the problem existed."

But the education did not all flow one way.'"We're required maintain a nine-foot-deep, 300-feet-

wide navigable channel," said Chasteen. 'This meet-ing helped us educate a few river pilots so that theycan understand how we do our business. To do whatsome of them wanted, we'd need five or six dredgesout there. We're constrained by our authorities andalso by our resources, and they weren't thrilled.

"But I had several pilots approach me and say wewere within a foot of the all-time record low waterand they were still running 30 barge tows up anddown the river," Chasteen said. "In a lot of places,they didn't have two-way traffic, but in 1988 theywere running smaller tows and had to light-load theirbarges. We have a better river than in 1988, andthey expressed that."

Special achievement awardStuart Appelbaum, Chief of Ecosystem Restoration

Section in Jacksonville District, received a specialachievement award on Jan. 7 for leading the inter-agency team which produced the $7.8 billion Com-prehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. Appelbaumreceived the award at the Everglades Coalition's 15annual conference in Naples, Fla.

Appelbaum's group consolidated all the informa-tion on the vast, complex effort. The plan is designedto restore the South Florida ecosystem and simulta-neously provide other water-related needs of the re-gion, including urban and agricultural water supplyand flood protection.

'"This is indeed a great honor and I was very sur-prised," said Appelbaum. 'What excited me the mostis that the award celebrates the efforts of the entireteam, and I was pleased to learn that every teammember will get a certificate. We had 150 membersof the Restudy Team. They all worked hard andshould be recognized."

when he directed the city's defense against threat-ened British attack. At the time of the fire, Swiftwas retired from the Army and working as a civil-ian for the Corps on harbor improvements.

Swift decided to contain the blaze behind a lineof demolished buildings. Working quickly, he cal-culated how much gunpowder he would need to"shake down" a house without damaging neigh-boring properties. Then he directed the placementof charges to create "a globe of compression." Whenthe powder went off, walls toppled inward andhouses collapsed upon themselves, leaving adja-cent structures unharmed. (This technique wasa novelty at the time, but it is now standard prac-tice in urban demolition.)

At great personal risk, Swift set off charge aftercharge, arresting the fire's advance on Dec. 17 andsaving countless lives and millions of dollars inproperty.

April2000 ENGINEER UPDATE 11

225 years

Engineer saved NY City

12 ENGINEER UPDATE April 2000

Interns find hard work, fun in KuwaitBy Joan Kibler

Transatlantic Programs Center

Architect and engineer interns have a unique op-portunity to broaden their skills in overseas instal-lation support. Transatlantic Programs Center (TAC)has asked divisions and districts across the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers to give their interns the opportu-nity to work at Army and Air Force facilities in Ku-wait.

The first intern from outside of TAC, Michael Yufrom Fort Worth District, recently completed a four-month tour in the Installation Support Office (ISO)in Kuwait.

'"This experience was incredibly rewarding," Yusaid. '"The ISO in Kuwait has a fast-paced environ-ment where I saw projects from inception throughcompletion. While I worked in design and qualityassurance under the guidance of seasoned profession-als, they relied on me to perform my tasks correctlyand in a timely manner that always met thecustomer's needs.

'"This tour provided broad exposure to the variousengineering processes and functions, in an interna-tional environment, where I worked directly with U.S.military members and with foreign contractors," Yucontinued. "I wanted to expand my engineering ex-perience beyond the continental U.S. because of mybelief that we must think and act globally. This as-signment gave me an opportunity I wouldn't havegotten stateside."

When TAC commander Col. Tim Wynn solicitedCorps offices last summer, he said this intern train-ing experience would provide "great value in termsof the variety of work experience, real-time and real-world tasks, and exposure to a foreign culture.

"It is unfortunate but a fact that Army and AirForce installations in Kuwait are generally under-staffed," Wynn said. '"They don't have the continu-ity of permanent staff generally found at U.S. instal-lations. Recognizing this need, the Installation Sup-port Office performs a variety of engineering and con-tracting tasks to help meet their quality of life andoperational needs."

ISO Impact

The Army uses Camp Doha, a former industrialwarehouse complex converted to an Army installa-tion after Kuwait's liberation from Iraq. Air Forceunits operate in two sectors at Ali Al-Salem and AhmedAl-Jaber air bases. U.S. forces are in Kuwait as aresult of country-to-country agreements, with the hostnation involved in providing and funding the facili-ties.

The Installation Support Office, at Camp Doha withabout a dozen permanent people, is a relatively neworganization formed in January 1998. The staff ofengineers, construction representatives, and contract-ing officers provides a full range of services to theArmy Director of Public Works and the Air ForceBase Civil Engineers.

"Interns assigned to Kuwait provide us with anexcellent personnel source to supplement our qual-ity assurance efforts, especially at the air bases," saidCol. Larry Ghormley, TAC's Gulf Regional Engineer."Interns also have the opportunity to work in ourdesign branch and to work with our contracting spe-cialists who manage the job order contract (JOC) thatprovides most of the construction services for projectsmanaged by the Corps at Camp Doha and the airbases. This work has a direct impact on the condi-tions for U.S. soldiers and airmen in Kuwait."

Ron Rhodes, a TAC senior engineer on assignmentin Kuwait, echoed this theme. "Our installation sup-port business is on the front lines of U.S. militarystrategy in this region. We're supporting airmenwho fly combat missions every day. We're support-ing soldiers who are here in defense of Kuwait. Our

A stint in Kuwait isn't all hard work, as AmandaBenes finds out with two new friends. (Photocourtesy of Transatlantic Programs Center)

installation support business has a sense of urgencythat differs from a stateside installation."

Amanda Benes, a TAC architect intern, has spenttime in Kuwait twice. 'The conditions are austereat the air bases. For instance, in the tent campswhere airmen live and work, they have to walk tothe latrines. The installation of a prefabricated build-ing or a trailer unit dramatically improves condi-tions. Even small projects, like adding walls and airconditioning, go a long way toward making thesemilitary members a little more comfortable when thetemperature reaches 130 degrees in the summer."

What to expect

Interns who sign up for Kuwait can expect to beinvolved in all phases of design, contracting, and con-struction.

"For small projects, it is entirely possible that theintern will see it from start to finish," said YashpalKainth, ISO design team leader. "In the design pro-cess, they participate in discussions with the cus-tomer, and they may be involved in all design phases.Then interns will get involved in the contractingprocess where they learn to prepare the request forproposal package that is sent to the JOC contractor,and they will learn to prepare estimates. Once theproject gets to construction, they review shop draw-ings, participate in the field surveys, and providequality assurance oversight."

When the project transitions to construction, theygo through a similar orientation with the qualityassurance staff and are given specific responsibili-ties.

"With the rainy season this past fall, we had anurgent project to design and install a temporary drain-age system in the housing area at the Air Force campon Al-Jaber," Yu said. "I worked on this project fromstart to finish, with resolution required quickly. Andwe had to tie in the solution with the ongoing up-grade to the water and sewer systems."

What the work involves

"Our installation support office operates almostentirely on operations and maintenance appropria-tions provided by the customers," said project man-ager Ron Tomechko. "Project workload is driven bythe availability of funds, military actions, and an-ticipated needs. Installation Support Office opera-tions can be affected by increases to the operational

tempo of the military units."The JOC, awarded in May 1998 to Kuwait Dynamics

Ltd., calls for maintenance and repair, minor con-struction, utility and infrastructure upgrades, andbase operations. '"The work is accomplished via taskorders, generally ranging between $100,000 and$300,000 each," said Robert Strom, project manager."Right now we have 35 quality assurance projectsand 77 design projects."

Typical projects include offices, dining facilities,cold storage, water and sewer upgrades, access roads,power supply, trailers, pads, maintenance facilities,shops, aprons, and force protection measures.

'"The enormous amount of work at the air baseshas prompted the Air Force's request for a separateJOC for their work," Strom added. "This contractwill likely be for five years, based on the Air Force'sfacility improvement plans."

While the installation support business in Kuwaitstarted with its share of uncertainties, this engineer-ing tool is now heavily relied on. "With the frequencyof the Air Force rotations, we have become the conti-nuity for helping the Air Force with its facility needs,"Strom said. "We are delighted to have this responsi-bility."

Why?

"I'd recommend that interns sign up for a tour inKuwait for two reasons - to get career experienceand to get international experience and exposure,"Benes said. The professional opportunity is unpar-alleled. When I compare my work experiences tothose of my college classmates, mine have been somuch broader at this early stage of my career. TheCorps' intern program is invaluable because of itsexposure to all the engineering disciplines, as wellas the project management and contracting pro-cesses.

"I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in theculture, as well," Benes continued. "Where else canyou get off from work and go watch the camel races?You can take advantage of the MWR (morale, wel-fare, and recreation) activities offered on Camp Doha- a weekend trip to Bahrain, or go boating, fishing,or snorkeling. Plus the traditional shopping areasare renowned for the rugs and gold, and Kuwait Cityhas several upscale malls. When I get tired of eat-ing at the Camp Doha mess hall, there are plenty ofgood restaurants of all types, with reasonably pricedfood."

Interns assigned to Kuwait live at Camp Dohawhere housing and all basic amenities are provided.

"I had never had this degree of exposure to life onan Army installation," Yu said. "I was pleasantlysurprised by the Army's efforts to take care of itsforces."

Interns live in a trailer where they share bath fa-cilities with another occupant. Food, laundry facili-ties, and transportation are provided. Like othersassigned to Camp Doha, they're paid a modestamount of per diem ($3.50 per day). Of course, they'repaid overtime.

"Money wasn't an issue for me," Yu said. "I wantedthe international experience and everything that camewith it. I'm grateful to my mentor in Fort WorthDistrict who encouraged me to do this."

Interns interested in working in Kuwait shouldcontact Philip Dinello, TAC's intern coordinator, at(540) 665-3636 or Philip.l.dinello@usace.army.mil.

'The enthusiasm these interns bring is refresh-ing," Rhodes said. 'Their assignment is a learningexperience. When they come in, we promise themexposure to design, construction, and contractingprocesses. We guide them, teach them, and endeavorto broaden their experience, while giving them sub-stantive work that contributes directly to the Corps'mission in Kuwait. The intern program is good forthe intern, good for us, and good for the Corps."