17 Jul 2025

Overview of the Coastal STORM (CSTORM) Model Development for the Swan Island Restoration Study

Abstract: This document summarizes the numerical model development and validation approach used to simulate the winds, waves, and water levels observed at Swan Island during two prominent historical storm events in the region: Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Isabel. Using the Coastal STORM (CSTORM) Modeling System, which couples the Advanced Circulation (ADCIRC) and Steady-State Spectral WAVE (STWAVE) models, the North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive Study mesh and grid were refined in the area surrounding Swan Island. The nodal attributes of the ADCIRC mesh in the area surrounding Swan Island were updated to reflect the location of submerged aquatic vegetation around the island. ADCIRC-modeled water levels were in acceptable agreement with observed water levels during both storms, though peak water levels were slightly underpredicted. Similarly, STWAVE captured the phase and trends of the significant wave heights during the storm, while slightly underpredicting both significant wave height and peak period. The validated model will be used to investigate the effect of the restoration of Swan Island on the surrounding area. The results will help to develop guidelines for best practices in island restoration within the Chesapeake Bay and beyond.

17 Jul 2025

Regulatory Considerations in the Development and Implementation of Biological Control for Invasive Mussels and Other Nontraditional Targets in the United States

Abstract: Ongoing research within the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, the Department of Defense, and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), in partnership with Molloy & Associates, aims to discover and develop biological controls to mitigate the negative effects of non-native dreissenid mussels on natural and human-made environments in the US. Although biological control technologies have been employed for decades to manage arthropod and plant pests, the workflow required to successfully develop and permit an agent for invasive bivalves has been unclear. Since 2020, the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) has been collaborating with the project team to compile the information needed to permit biological control agents for Dreissena spp. (i.e., zebra and quagga mussels) in the US. Permitting should cover (1) collection in the native or source country and export to the US, (2) importation (nonrelease) into the US, and (3) field (environmental) release of agents. Because Dreissena are nontraditional targets for biological control, the regulatory issues surrounding their management will differ from other common targets, such as invasive plants and arthropods. This document provides background information on biological control, describes how this project is different from most programs implemented in the US, speculates on what invasive mussel biological controls might be, and provides a road map for successful permitting of Dreissena biological controls. Additionally, other nontraditional, but good, targets for biological control may exist and have been overlooked. These other opportunities are briefly discussed. This report is the result of conversations between the project team and federal regulators, and it represents the best possible information needed to permit agents for invasive mussels in the US.

17 Jul 2025

The Profile Feature Extraction Toolbox User’s Guide

Abstract: The Profile Feature Extraction Toolbox was created by the Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise (JALBTCX) to extract profile features from high-resolution topobathymetric lidar datasets using a transect methodology. This user’s guide details the JALBTCX Toolbox framework, the Profile Feature Extraction Toolbox, and then walks the user through each step within the toolbox to be used alongside example data from Golovin, Alaska. Best practices and example data figures are included for additional assistance to new users. For the full documentation of the JALBTCX Toolbox framework, please see https://cirpwiki.info/wiki/JALBTCX.

14 Jul 2025

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Monitoring for Process-Based Model Development

Purpose: Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) habitat conservation and restoration are necessary actions to counteract the loss of these critical habitats and their associated ecosystem services, such as habitat provisioning and water quality improvements. Process-based numerical models are essential for planning effective and enduring SAV management strategies but require robust datasets to realistically represent processes at high spatial and temporal resolutions. This technical note (TN), developed by the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center–Environmental Laboratory (ERDC-EL), describes an SAV data collection framework that is being applied at freshwater pond mesocosms to better capture intra-annual SAV growth and mortality processes needed to parameterize process-based models.

11 Jul 2025

Lower Mississippi River Resource Assessment: Library of Aquatic Habitat Models

Abstract: Six ecosystem models were developed to evaluate restoration measures for the Lower Mississippi River Resource Assessment that considered connectivity between river and floodplain, substrate quality in riverine habitats, and targeted species of special interest including Paddlefish and wetland fish assemblages. A total of 85 restoration measures in the Hatchie to Loosahatchie reach were identified by the Project Delivery Team that had different modeling requirements. Field data collected by the Engineer Research and Development Center–Environmental Laboratory in the Lower Mississippi River and floodplain identified ecological guilds of fish and aquatic invertebrates representative of different fluvial habitats. Regression and frequency bar chart models developed from this database predicts a biotic response as a function of habitat quality. Six models applicable to either riverine (unidirectional flow) or floodplain (bidirectional flow) environments were used to evaluate measures for enhancing benthic substrates, reestablishing woody debris, and formation of eddies to diversify habitat. Outputs were normalized as a Habitat Suitability Index on a 0–1 scale and a spreadsheet developed to calculate and annualize Habitat Units for selected restoration measures. Models were certified by US Army Corps of Engineers National Ecosystem Restoration Planning Center of Expertise for regional use in the Lower Mississippi River.

3 Jul 2025

Inner Harbor Navigation Canal Lock Replacement Study: Hydrodynamic Modeling and Ship Simulation

Abstract: The Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (IHNC) Lock connects the Mississippi River to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, surrounded by developed areas in New Orleans, Louisiana. Tow transit times through the current IHNC lock take up to 20 hours. The US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, has proposed constructing a new lock to reduce tow transit times significantly. However, the new lock will have potential effects on vehicle traffic patterns due to the three bridges across IHNC. To address potential navigation issues, hydrodynamic modeling and ship simulations of the study area were conducted for the three phases of the project: new lock construction, present lock deconstruction, and proposed new lock design. The hydrodynamic model was developed and validated to present conditions, simulating various water levels across the lock structure to provide water levels and currents for ship simulation. The ship simulation was used to record transit times to determine impacts of the waterborne vessel traffic on vehicular traffic due to bridge raising and lowering, as well as navigability of the bypass channels associated with lock construction and existing lock deconstruction. Elicitation from the towing industry was used to inform final design of the new IHNC lock and bypass channels.

2 Jul 2025

Remote Detection of Soil Shear Strength in Arctic and Subarctic Environments

Abstract: Soil shear strength affects many military activities and is affected significantly by plant roots. Unfortunately, root contribution to soil shear strength is difficult to measure and predict. In the boreal forest ecosystem, soil and hydrologic dynamics make soil shear strength less predictable, while the need for prediction grows due to the rapid changes occurring in this environment. Our current study objectives are to (1) observe possible aboveground vegetation indicators of soil shear strength variation across soils and other environmental heterogeneity, (2) observe possible image-based indicators of soil shear strength variation, and (3) identify the best remote-sensing data source for predicting soil shear strength variation. A total of 65 sites were sampled from a diversity of soil and vegetation types across interior Alaska and Ontario, Canada. Ground-collected data were analyzed to develop a predictive model, while a similar approach was undertaken with Sentinel-2 imagery. Results indicate that both ground-collected data and satellite imagery can reasonably predict boreal forest soil shear strength, with satellite imagery providing the higher predictive ability. A comparison of 10 m Sentinel-2 and submeter Maxar imagery indicated that Sentinel-2 provides a better prediction of soil shear strength.

1 Jul 2025

Bruce Goff and the Camp Parks Entrance Sign: Bruce Goff’s Life, Achievements, Design Philosophy, and Military Contributions at Camp Parks, California

The Camp Parks entrance sign in Camp Parks, California was recommended eligible by the Army for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1998 under Criterion C and the California Office of Historic Preservation concurred with that decision in 1999. Designed by renowned architect Bruce Goff while stationed by the Navy at Camp Parks, the sign holds a significant value in the architectural industry, although the sign is no longer used for its initial purpose. All structures, especially historic ones, require regular planned maintenance and repair. The most notable cause of historic structure element failure or decay is not the fact that the historic structure is old, but rather, it is caused by incorrect or inappropriate repair or basic neglect of the historic building fabric. This document is a report detailing historic information regarding Camp Parks, the life and success of Goff, as well as the 3D scanning, and the subsequent relocation of the Camp Parks entrance sign. This report satisfies Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 as amended and will aid in management of the sign by personnel at Fort Hunter Liggett and Camp Parks.

26 Jun 2025

Preliminary Study for Rapid Ground Stabilization

Abstract: The Army has a need to rapidly repair heavily damaged low-volume roads. This report describes the literature review, laboratory study, and preliminary technology evaluation for potential rapid road rehabilitation materials and equipment. The objective was to identify and evaluate equipment, materials, and techniques for rapid road repair. This phase of the study focuses on rapid stabilizers that, when added to native soil, could improve bearing capacity. Lightweight equipment and attachments were assessed for their ability to effectively excavate and place geomaterials. Several commercial soil stabilizers were identified that could meet strength requirements. Equipment attachments for a compact track loader were deemed most suitable for executing rapid repairs.

25 Jun 2025

Bioconcentration, Maternal Transfer, and Toxicokinetics of PFOS in a Multi-Generational Zebrafish Exposure

Abstract: To enable risk characterization of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid in extended chronic and multi-generational exposures, we assessed PFOS bioconcentration in zebrafish exposed continuously to environmentally-relevant PFOS concentrations through 180 days postfertilization in parental and first filial generation fish. Exposures included five replicate tanks per treatment where whole-body PFOS concentrations were measured. Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid accumulation reached an apparent steady state at ≤ 14 dpf where whole-body wet-weight concentrations remained constant through 180 dpf in the P and F1 generations. The median bioconcentration factor of 934 L/kg was observed for all PFOS exposures with a range from 255 to 2,136 L/kg which varied with PFOS exposure concentration and sex of adult fish. Maternal transfer of PFOS was observed from P females to F1 eggs where maternal whole-body and egg PFOS burdens were equivalent, suggesting PFOS transfer to eggs was not a depuration pathway. Finally, a toxicokinetic model was developed that reliably reproduced PFOS whole-body burdens across all exposure durations spanning the P and F1 generations, providing a tool for PFOS bioaccumulation predictions relevant for risk assessment of acute, chronic, and multi-generational exposures.