USACE Liaison

ACEC Oregon / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Liaison Committee

OBJECTIVE: To provide members with the opportunity to improve working relationships with agency personnel. Each liaison committee has its own agenda, but communications and problem-solving are primary concerns.

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Meetings are held quarterly, generally on the second Tuesday of the month from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.

ACEC members (and USACE personnel), contact tschooley@acecOregon.org to be added to the distribution list. 

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NEXT MEETING
August 12, 2025 - ACEC presents (hybrid: in-person and virtual via Teams) 

TOPIC
TBD

PRESENTER
TBD
 
OVERVIEW
TBD

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UPCOMING

• November 2025 - Corps presents 

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Click here for list of firms that have AutoCad/Microstation capability

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PAST MEETINGS / PRESENTATIONS

May, 14, 2025
NWP UAS/UAV Program
- Jason Miller, Geographer - USACE Portland District

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February 11, 2025
Priest Rapids Right Embankment Improvement Project
- Zachary Haffenreffer, PE, Geotechnical Civil Designer, Stantec
- Greg Rollins, PE, GE, Vice President, Stantec

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November 12, 2024
Lamprey Passage Structures on the Lower Columbia
- Adam White, Electrical Engineer, USACE Portland District
- Jacob MacDonald, Physical Scientist, USACE Portland District

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August 13, 2024
Vinegar to Vincent Habitat Restoration
- Caitlin Alcott, CE, Regional Director/Senior Ecologist, Inter-Fluve
- Matt Cox, PE, Senior Water Resources Engineer, Inter-Fluve

 

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May 14, 2024
Willamette Valley Project Court-Driven Operational Changes, and Lessons Learned 
Kathryn Tackley, USACE, Portland District, Engineering & Construction Division, Reservoir Regulation and Water Quality Section

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February 13, 2024
Rockwood Water Cascade Reservoir #2 
Erik Peterson, P.E., Executive Principal, Peterson Structural Engineers

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November 7, 2023 
Mount St. Helens Spirit Lake Tunnel Intake Project 
Michael Carl, P.E., Structural Engineer and Project Technical Lead
USACE Portland District 

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August 8, 2023
I-5 Interstate Bridge (North Bound) Trunnion Shaft Replacement
Kevin Bracy, PMP, Vice President | Sr. Transportation Project Manager
David Evans and Associates, Inc. 

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May 9, 2023
Willamette Falls Locks Seismic & Safety Upgrades 
Jeffrey Hicks, Project Manager
Planning, Programs & Project Management Division 
USACE Portland District

Mr. Hicks will be presenting the Willamette Falls Locks (WFL) Project, which is a major undertaking that will have a significant impact on the region. His extensive knowledge and experience in project management, combined with his passion for engineering and construction, helped drive District Execution and Award of WFL. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Willamette Falls Locks Project and is well-positioned to ensure its successful completion.”

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February 14, 2023
Walla Walla River Forks Restoration 
Jason Scott, CFP, Senior Fisheries Biologist, GeoEngineers
Becca Miller, PE, Water Resources Engineer, GeoEngineers

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November 8, 2022
Atmospheric Rivers 101
Dr. Andy Martin, Reservoir Regulation and Water Quality Section, Hydrology and Hydraulics Branch, USACE Portland District
OVERVIEW: Water managers in the Western US are aware of Atmospheric Rivers (ARs) as the largest drivers of flood, and Atmospheric River forecasts inherently impact water management operations. While weather forecasters have developed many observational and modeling techniques to better predict atmospheric rivers and their impacts, these techniques have not widely been incorporated into water management operational decision making. This lesson will equip water managers in USACE with the basic understanding of AR science, observational and forecasting tools that will allow managers to assess potential for AR rain, snow and flooding; qualitatively assess uncertainty in traditional precipitation and streamflow forecasts; and make better informed decisions in water management operations.

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August 9, 2022
Seismic Design and Construction for the OSU Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building
Scott Schlechter, PE, GE, D.PE, Principal, GRI

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May 10, 2022 
Mt. St. Helens Sediment Retention Structure, Second Spillway Raise
Jeremy Appt, PE, Chief; Geotechnical, Civil and Environmental Section
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District 

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March 1, 2022 
Steigerwald Wetland Restoration  
Curtis Loeb, P.E., Principal Engineer, Wolf Water Resources
Wade Osborne, P.E., Senior Associate Engineer, Cornforth Consultants

 

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November 9, 2021
Portland Metro Levy System 
Ryan Cahill, PE, Hydraulic Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Portland District 
SUMMARY  In 2018, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers initiated a Feasibility Study focusing on Flood Risk Management of the Portland Metro Levee System in partnership with the Columbia Corridor Drainage Districts (CCDD) Joint Contracting Authority. The study area includes 27 miles of levees along the lower Columbia River within the Portland Metropolitan Area, running from Smith Lake to the Sandy River. The federal feasibility study process leads to a recommendation to Congress for federal investment in addressing the problem areas in the levees and drainage system. The three-year federal feasibility study process is now complete, culminating in the Chief of Engineers signing the Chief’s Report on August 20, 2021. This presentation will give a brief history of the feasibility study process and provide an overview of the recommended plan.

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August 10, 2021 
Astoria Waterfront Bridge Replacements
Jeff Parker, PE, Senior Project Manager, DOWL

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May 11, 2021 
Fall Creek Pipe Lining 
Daniel Carlson, PE, FPE, Mechanical Technical Lead, CENWP-ENC-DM, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

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February 9, 2021
Willamette Falls Fishway Thermal Action Mitigation Project 
Erik Peterson, PE, Peterson Structural Engineers

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November 10, 2020
Spirit Lake, UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) Reconnaissance 
Jason Miller, Geographer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

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May 5, 2020 
Washington Park Reservoirs: History and Modernization
Tom Westover and Andy Kost, Cornforth Consultants, Inc. 

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February 25, 2020
Emergency Repair of the Bonneville Navigation Lock Downstream Sill Block (2019) 
Matthew Hanson, Supervisory Structural Engineer; and Joel Prusi, Structural Engineer; Structural Design Section, Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

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November 12, 2019
Monitoring and Modeling of Harmful Algal Blooms
Paul Worrlein, Water Resources Engineer, Lead for "Dams, Levees, and Civil Works" projects for HDR, Portland

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August 13, 2019
John Day Turbine Replacement and Generator Rehabilitation Project (John Day TRGR)
Curtis L. Lipski, Electrical Engineer, Technical Lead, Engineering and Construction Division, US Army Corps of Engineers - Portland District

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May 14, 2019
Sandy River Log Jams:
Structure and Process in a Dynamic River System
Mike "Rocky" Hrachovec, PC, Principal Engineer, Natural Systems Design
Rowyn Cooper-Caroselli, EIT, CFM, Engineer in Training, Wolf Water Resources 

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February 12, 2019
MCR Pile Dykes: Maintaining an Inlet with Sticks and Stones
Austin Hudson, Coastal Engineer, CENWP-ENC-HD, USACE

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November 13, 2018
Evaluating Unpermitted Encroachments in Levee Systems
Kevin Severson, P.E., Project Engineer, Cornforth Consultants
Colin Rowan, Levee Ready Columbia Program Director, Multnomah County Drainage District

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August 14, 2018
Cougar Dam Downstream Fish Passage
Erica Tarbox, P.E., Technical Lead, Structural and Architectural Design Section, Portland District, USACE

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May 8, 2018
Levee safety: Not Snow, Not Rain, nor Beer at Night
Juan Sorensen and Mahendra Shewalla, AECOM
They talked about their efforts completing levee inspections for the USACE Levee Safety Program. 

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February 13, 2018
The Dalles Auxiliary Water Supply Project
Pat Duyck, USACE

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November 14, 2017
Oroville Dam Response
Dan Osmun, HDR

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August 15, 2017
Mud Mountain Dam Adult Fish Collection Barrier
Kristy Fortuny and Lori Ebner, USACE

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May 16, 2017
Extremely Extreme, Rainfall on the West Coast
David Curtis, WEST Consultants

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February 14, 2017
Portland District Future Workload
Lance Helwig, USACE

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October 18, 2016
Port of Newport Terminal Renovation
Scott Schlecter, GRI

Executive summary 
 

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July 19, 2016
Spirit Lake Tunnel Rehab
Jeremy Britton, USACE

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April 19, 2016
Fargo Moorhead Diversion Project
Mark Anderson, CH2M

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January 19, 2016
Steamboat Slough Levee Rehab
Jeremy Britton, USACE

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ACEC Oregon + Corps of Engineers renew partnering charter

Pictured at right, Jason McBain of the USACE Portland District signs the ACEC Oregon/ USACE Portland District Partnering Charter at their July 15 (2015) meeting.

The mission statement reads, in part, “...through this charter, commit to a meaningful partnership between our organizations in the common purpose to provide quality and responsive engineering and consulting services to the nation and the world.” 
 
Goals and objectives of the partnering charter are:

• Ensure a cooperative dialogue between the USACE and ACEC Oregon at all levels.
• Clarify and understand the changing roles of USACE and the private sector.
• Foster an attitude that explores opportunities and resolves issues.
• Enhance professionalism and integrity throughout the design and construction industry.
• Promote quality and value through improved business practices.
• Invest in the future by promoting new technology, continuing education, and research and development.
• Promote qualifications-based selection procurement of A/E services.
• Promote the use of project delivery methods that best serve the public interest.
• Support a healthy USACE and a strong U.S. engineering industry.
• Collaborate to expand U.S. business opportunities in the global marketplace.