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  • June

    Corps' partnership with Trinity River Authority saves time, money

    GALVESTON, Texas (June 18, 2012) – With a rich history of water management, the Trinity River Authority is known for providing services to more than 60 cities in the Trinity River basin and for supplying approximately 60 percent of the water for the City of Houston. But what you might not be aware of is that the TRA partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District in 1977 to issue permits at the Lake Livingston Project, saving permit applicants a substantial amount of time and taxpayers thousands of dollars each year.

  • Wallisville Lake Project offers visitors outdoor fun, relaxation

    Leave the City of Houston behind with its tall buildings, stadiums and busy streets and drive east

  • May

    Spotlight on USACE Galveston District’s Mark Garza

    Spending time outdoors and learning about nature has always been a hobby for Mark Garza, a biologist in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District’s Environmental Section.

  • What is ecosystem restoration?

    Q.        What is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Ecosystem Restoration Program?A.         The

  • What is a seismic survey?

    Q: What is a seismic survey? A. Seismic surveys are conducted by sending a seismic wave, generated by an energy source, into the subsurface of the earth and recording the reflection wave back on the earth’s surface. The intensity and timing of the reflected wave are used to three-dimensionally map the subsurface geologic features to the desired depth, and these maps are used to assess geological features that could potentially contain hydrocarbon reserves deep below the earth’s surface.

  • What is dredging?

    Q: What is dredging? A. Dredging is essentially the underwater excavation of a channel. Throughout the year, sediments within the water column will settle and accumulate within the channel, a process that is known as shoaling. The shoaled material is removed to the authorized project depth (plus advance maintenance and allowable overdepth) to allow for safe navigation between dredging cycles, a process known as maintenance dredging.

  • Contracting with Corps: What constitutes a small business?

    In these tough economic times, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District encourages small businesses to expand their customer base and consider the federal government as a source of business. – USACE Galveston District Ken Adams, Deputy for Small Business

  • What is permitting?

    “We are neither a proponent nor opponent of projects. As a steward of the public trust, our mission is to make permit decisions based on the best available information and policies set forth by the federal government to ensure compliance with the primary goal of protecting the nation’s overall aquatic environment.” -- Fred Anthamatten, USACE Galveston District Regulatory Branch chief

  • What is levee flood protection?

    Q. What is a levee? A. The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) defines a levee as a “man-made structure, usually an earthen embankment, designed and constructed in accordance with sound engineering practices to contain, control, or divert the flow of water so as to provide protection from temporary flooding.” The terms dike and levee are sometimes used interchangeably. A few examples of levee systems in the Houston area are the USACE-constructed Texas City Hurricane Protection Structure, Freeport Hurricane Protection Structure, the Port Arthur Hurricane Protection Structure and the locally constructed levee systems in Fort Bend County.

  • What is a dredging placement area?

    “We work with our partners to manage resources and dredging activities in a sustainable manner, one which leaves behind the smallest footprint, while continually seeking ways to reduce, mitigate or eliminate potential negative impacts.” Alicia Rea

  • What is an Environmental Impact Statement?

    When an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is necessary in making a Corps permit decision, it provides staff with a comprehensive document to gain an understanding of environmental consequences that a proposed project may have and allows us to make balanced public interest decisions to protect, restore, and enhance the environment.” -- Fred Anthamatten, Chief, Regulatory Branch

  • What is required for debris removal?

    “The Corps provides strong protection of the nation’s aquatic environment by ensuring compliance with federal laws and regulations.” - Fred Anthamatten, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District Regulatory Branch Chief

  • What are the Colorado River Locks?

    Q. What are the Colorado River Locks? A. USACE Galveston District locks provide navigation access through the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, assisting vessels crossing the intersection of the Colorado River.

  • What is the Wallisville Lake Project?

    WALLISVILLE, Texas - Tucked away along the outskirts of the bustling City of Houston lies a

  • April

    USACE Galveston District’s beneficial use site provides shelter for weary fliers

    Galveston, Texas (April 12, 2012) — Every April, the sky above the Gulf Coast becomes alive as millions of birds wintering in Latin America take a temporary respite before resuming their long journeys home. Depending on the weather, the 18-hour flight can be arduous and many of the birds need time to recuperate before continuing to their breeding grounds further north, which makes the Corps Woods on Galveston Island, situated along a major migratory route, an ideal rest stop after crossing the Gulf of Mexico.

  • Employee Spotlight: Tricia Campbell

    Galveston, Texas (April 11, 2012) — As a small child, building and figuring out how something worked appealed to Tricia Campbell.

  • March

    Employee Spotlight: Bill Krampe

    HOUSTON (March 13, 2012) — When engineer equipment operator Bill Krampe of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Houston Project Office arrives to work in the morning, he can never be too sure what he will be doing that day.

  • February

    USACE Galveston District's recycled computers modernize local schools

    GALVESTON, Texas (Feb. 24, 2012) - Tucked away in a small corner on the first floor of the USACE Galveston District’s Jadwin Building lies a graveyard of sorts – a technology graveyard, comprised of gently used computer equipment waiting to be recycled for future use at local schools as part of a federal program that allows for the transfer of excess computer equipment to classrooms across the nation.

  • Employee Spotlight: Joe Vernier

    GALVESTON, Texas (Feb. 23, 2012) - Developing a love and respect for the open seas came naturally to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District’s Small Craft Operator Joe Vernier, a Galveston, Texas, native, who spent much of his youth recreating along and exploring the Gulf of Mexico. So it’s not any surprise that Vernier chose a career that would enable him to continue doing what he loves – spending time on the water.

  • USACE Galveston District keeps commerce moving along the Texas coast

    GALVESTON, Texas (Feb. 17, 2012) - On any given day, ships carrying cargo from Mexico to China pull into one of the 28 ports along the Texas coast to deliver imported goods ranging from coffee to cars – a maritime industry that generates $135 billion in economic value to the state and creates nearly one million jobs.