ORPS’PONDENT C Vol. 38, No. 2 March - April 2014 For light backgrounds less than 50% gray Pantone 032 100 Magenta 80 Yellow Egrets are just one of the many bird species that call Fern Ridge Reservoir home. R CONTENTS 1.75” x 1.25” pg.5 March - April 2014 Pantone 032 = Red CMYK = C0, M100, Y80, K0 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 3 Commander’s Column: Right-sizing for the future 4 Portland District People 5 2014 Engineering Day pg.8 6 Safe Kids Columbia Gorge recognized for their support of water safety 7 Corps FY14 work plan provides funding for coastal dredging 8 Waterways experience advances Corps/Brazil partnership 10 Finding purpose through pg.10 Team Rubicon 13 Volunteers in Action 14 Recycling the Corps’ Water Safety Message 15 Women’s History Month 16 The Corps’ re-engergized Environmental Operating Principles pg.14 Cover photo: by Enrique Godinez, Real Estate Office Corps’pondent is an authorized unofficial newsletter for Department of Defense employees and retirees. Editorial content is the responsibility of the Public Affairs Office, Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208. Contents herein are not necessarily the official views of, Commander: Lt. Col. Glenn O. Pratt or endorsed by, the U.S. Government or the Department of the Army. Layout and printing by USACE Enterprise Chief, Public Affairs: Matt Rabe Information Products Services. Circulation 750. Contributions and suggestions are welcome by mail, phone at (503) 808-4510 or email to [email protected] Check out Corps’pondent Editor: Erica Jensen online at www.nwp.usace.army.mil/library/districtpublications.aspx ® 2 January - February 2014 Corps’pondent ® R Commander’s Column Right-sizing for the future s I started to address in my last So the question is “How will we column, I believe one of the execute our current, more substantial, A 1.75” x 1.25” greatest challenges Portland District budget now while also preparing for faces today is the “right-sizing” of our the lean budget years we know are only Pantone 032 = Red workforce as we prepare for future two years around the corner?” CMYK = C0, M100, Y80, K0 workload requirements and for the fiscal realities of the years to come. One of the main ways we plan to tackle this “wicked problem” is through I know we received record funding the Long-Term Programmatic Planning levels in the Fiscal Year 2014 Process which is a part of Northwestern Presidential Budget and that the FY15 Division’s overall regional planning budget looks good, fiscally, as well. process. This will allow the District to continue to execute its missions at a very high In a nutshell, LTPP allows us to level – a benchmark I am positive we review and analyze our structure, will achieve. workload requirements, and workforce capacities and capabilities at the District Lt. Col. Glenn O. Pratt Our budgets for FY16 though, will level. It helps us to set ourselves up to be challenging as we face a return to successfully continue our exceptional We also need to restructure how we the same type of sequestration issues performance, be flexible to changing support the regional mission so we can we dealt with last year. requirements while still maintaining continue to maintain our capabilities our technical competencies, and at the and flexibility as a District. Our FY14 and FY15 budgets, same time, helps to get us to the staffing while exceptional, also may make it level we need to be to meet our future Right now, each division within the potentially more challenging for the financial limitations. District is addressing how they will Portland District to get to the right size implement this planning. it needs to be to continue to achieve Through the LTPP we have success in FY16 and beyond. identified that workload reductions The good news, however, is that the will be necessary and will come from majority of the reductions will come Again, the outlook for the next year the Operations and Maintenance through normal attrition as people or two looks positive but, the truth as and Columbia River Fish Mitigation retire or change employers. At this time we know it, is that there is an increasing Program funding areas – which will be no drastic reductions of our current and continued uncertainty in our future partly mitigated through continued and workforce is required. funding levels – with most indicators steady BPA Expense and Large-Capital pointing in the negative direction funding. Thank you for your continued starting in FY16. support and hard work as we march What does this mean for the District? through the years together. I am proud Debates between members of Our challenge is how we will shape to work along side you and serve with Congress and the White House about our workforce to retain staffing in our you. A special note of thank goes to the federal deficit and future levels of required disciplines as we align with Don Erickson, Planning, Programs and funding (budget and appropriations), our future funding realities in FY16. Project Management Division, for his a five-year freeze on discretionary leadership in the LTPP and his support funding and continued restrictions on A reduction of between 50 to 60 full as I wrote this column. ® budgetary earmarks will significantly time positions will be necessary by impact the number of Corps projects FY16. Again, the reduction of jobs will and studies that are funded. primarily come from O&M and CRFM Lt. Col . Glenn Pratt funding lines with BPA-funded lines remaining at a near steady state. www.nwp.usace.army.mil 3 ® R Portland District People 1.75” x 1.25” Michelle Rhodes Civil Engineer, Engineering and Construction Division Pantone 032 = Red CMYK = C0, M100, Y80, K0 Michelle Rhodes is the technical lead on What do you like most projects ranging from jetty repair to environmental about working for the Corps of Engineers Photo restoration. Some of her projects include the Portland District? Tillamook North Jetty repair in 2009, the Sandy I love civil works and I love that this District River Delta Dam removal in 2013 and the current keeps a lot of work in-house. I feel like I can put major rehabilitation of the jetty system at the my touch on a project. Mouth of the Columbia River. What was your first job? Describe your job. My first job was at Mrs. Field’s cookies. Thank I am a project technical lead, which means I goodness I ran high school track at the same time! work with many disciplines to coordinate legal actions such as permits and real estate. I help What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done? design a product, prepare and award a contract, I went skydiving for my 30th birthday. That and see the project through construction. I love was crazy-awesome! organizing and coordinating, so being a technical lead is fun for me. Who inspires you? My dad inspires me. We think alike and he has What do you find most rewarding about your always shared his wisdom with me. I could never job? have become who I am today without his support, It’s really rewarding to see construction on a insight and love. ® project I helped design. What are some of the challenges you encounter? Each team is comprised of many disciplines and my job is to ensure the team members communicate effectively and work together to meet project deadlines. It can be very tricky at times. 4 January - February 2014 Corps’pondent ® Photo courtesy of Michelle Rhodes, Engineering and Construction Division R 2014 Engineering Day By Erica Jensen, Public Affairs Office 1.75” x 1.25” Pantone 032 = Red CMYK = C0, M100, Y80, K0 visit to the construction site for a The day began at 8 a.m. with A new Portland high-rise building a welcome by Portland District was the highlight of the Portland Commander Lt. Col. Glenn Pratt. District’s 2014 Engineering Day. The Engineer-In-Training employees from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers partnered Engineering and Construction and the with TMT Development, KPFF and Hydroelectric Design Center escorted Hoffman Construction to give more students throughout the day, serving than 100 area high school students a as their mentors answering questions close up look at real-world application and explaining what the students were of engineering and construction at the experiencing. Park Avenue West Tower construction in downtown Portland, Ore. At the site, Together, students and mentors students learned from design engineers rotated through a series of hands- how the building was designed and the on workshops and discussion panels project engineer explained how on-site which allowed them a closer look at During Portland District’s Engineering work is managed. distinct engineering disciplines and Day, Feb. 18, students toured the Park other career relevant issues. Avenue West Tower construction site hosted by TMT Development, KPFF and The Society of American Military Hoffman Construction then, back at Engineers provided a complimentary District headquarters, rotated through luncheon and sponsored a mini job a series of hands-on workshops and fair staffed by local engineering discussion panels. firms and Oregon State University. Portland District staff also hosted a booth providing information on its EIT program and other student job opportunities. and Dam Dalles Lock The Tilton, Amber by Photos The day was a huge success as summed up by Columbia River High School’s Dave Bennett and his Brandon Bouwman, chief of the students, “I just wanted to thank you Hydroelectric Design Center’s for all your work on the event.