24 Oct 2025

Hydraulic Evaluation of the Proposed Brandon Road Lock Flushing System

Abstract: The Great Lakes Mississippi River Interbasin Study is a US Army Corps of Engineers effort focused on stopping the migration of aquatic nuisance species (ANS) from the Mississippi River to the Great Lakes. Brandon Road Lock and Dam (BRLD) has been chosen as the location to stop this northward migration. The study described in this report focuses on the performance of a proposed lock flushing system intended to reduce the risk of ANS from passing northward through BRLD. This system is a modification of the existing filling/emptying (F/E) system and must perform as both a lock flushing system and the F/E system. This study focuses on determining the performance of the flushing system and the F/E system to establish flushing and F/E operating parameters for safe lock operation. The results presented include qualitative descriptions and quantitative measurements of the flushing and F/E systems’ hydraulic performance. Finally, this study investigates commercial barge tows entering and exiting the lock chamber to determine the effects such barge tow movement has on both the barge tow and the vessel-generated currents. This report provides recommendations for flushing system and F/E system operation and commercial barge traffic considerations during flushing.

20 Oct 2025

Tensile Strength of Native Boreal Forest Plant Species

Abstract: Plant roots influence the engineering properties of soil, such as erodibility and strength. Plant roots’ contribution to soil shear strength is of particular importance in Arctic and subarctic environments where the shallow subsurface experiences a decrease in shear strength due to permafrost thaw, subsidence, and wildfires. This paper presents the testing method, sample collection and specimen preparation, and tensile strength testing results for laboratory- and greenhouse-grown boreal forest plants to compare root tensile strengths among plant species and functional groups, including deciduous shrubs and trees, evergreen trees, forbs, graminoids, and grasses using a universal testing machine and a modified triaxial device. The results illustrate that root tensile strength increases as root diameter decreases (as a power function). The root diameters successfully tested ranged from 0.063 mm (grasses) to 8.72 mm (deciduous shrubs) across all functional groups. When compared across functional groups and root diameters for each species, grass roots exhibited the highest tensile strength for root diameters less than 0.8 mm, deciduous tree roots displayed the largest tensile strength for root diameters greater than 0.8 mm, and forbs were consistently the weakest, supporting the conclusion that a diverse spread of functional groups is most effective for slope stabilization.

17 Oct 2025

Northeast Florida Regional Sediment Management: A Guide to Using Dredged Material for Estuarine Restoration

Abstract: Regional sediment management is a systems approach using best management practices for more efficient and effective use of sediments in coastal, estuarine, and inland environments. The primary RSM objective for this Northeast Florida study is to determine what opportunities exist to beneficially use dredged material for ecosystem restoration and habitat enhancement. A secondary objective is to ensure more efficient use of federal funds by coordinating dredging schedules for navigation projects with federal, state, and local authorities. This study met these objectives through collaboration with stakeholders on the technical, social, and cultural components required to combine resources to meet common goals. The Federal Standard for navigation projects in Northeast Florida is either upland disposal or disposal at the Jacksonville Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site. This document describes five beneficial uses of dredged material: (1) thin-layer placement, (2) island creation and restoration, (3) dredged hole filling, (4) shoreline stabilization, and (5) upland beneficial use. Dredged material from navigation projects throughout Northeast Florida was considered, including Fernandina Harbor, Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, Jacksonville Harbor, St. Augustine Inlet, Ponce De Leon Inlet, and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. For each placement strategy, the document outlines the required sediments, volumes, construction methodologies, and estimated costs.

15 Oct 2025

An Investigation into the Correlation Between Selected Coastal Protection Indices and Percent Residual Dune and Berm Volumes Following Coastal Storms

Abstract: Morphometric indices describe the dimensions of a dune and berm profile and can serve as relative metrics of coastal protection. However, coastal vulnerability to storm damage also depends on storm, wave, sediment, and offshore characteristics. Recently, more elaborate non-morphometric indices have been proposed in an effort to account for these other factors. This study compares the correlation between these morphometric and non-morphometric indices and one measure of coastal protection, the ability of a dune and berm profile to resist storm-induced changes in volume. This study uses a numerical-simulation approach rather than an empirical approach because a sufficiently comprehensive set of observational data does not exist. A randomized sample of dune and berm profiles were generated at eight coastal locations. Using the cross-shore numerical model (CSHORE), storm-induced changes in dune and berm volume were simulated for storms of low to moderate severity. The correlation between the various prestorm indices and the percentage of prestorm dune and berm volume remaining after the storm was calculated at each location. Results show that no single index always exhibits a higher correlation with percent dune and berm volume remaining. However, some indices were far more likely than others to produce higher correlations.

15 Oct 2025

Use of Chirp Sub-bottom Acoustic Profiling to Assess the Integrity of the Submerged Portion of the Jonesville Lock and Dam, Located at Jonesville, Louisiana

Abstract: Jonesville Lock and Dam serves as a critical navigation conduit along the Black River in Louisiana. The structure has previously been impacted by localized scour, leading to concerns regarding the structure’s long-term integrity and an effort to stabilize the structure with targeted fill efforts. Despite these efforts, operators continued to observe localized water and sediment swirls and boils during high-flow events, suggesting that scour is still an ongoing concern. Recent research suggests that shallow acoustic sub-bottom mapping might be able to identify ongoing or historical scour along and underneath concrete structures, and that technique was evaluated at Jonesville. Sub-bottom profiles revealed density anomalies along the inside, eastern wall of the lock structure and underneath both the lock floor and the wall. These anomalies are interpreted to represent an erosional surface created by ephemeral scour events, with subsequent infilling of homogenous, fine-grained sand. The complex geology on which Jonesville is constructed likely contributes to the localized scour observed at this navigation facility.

14 Oct 2025

Literature on the Load Distributions for Effects on Hydraulic Steel Structures: Notes on Existing Literature for Establishing LRFD Load Factors

Abstract: Previous to 1993 Hydraulic Steel Structures (HSS) were designed using Allowable Stress Design (ASD); modern design, has transitioned to Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) method, which targets a probability of a limit state. To implement LRFD, an understanding of the probability distributions of the loads applied to the structure, the resistances of the components of the structure, and the approximate durations and overlapping of these loads must be determined. The loads applied to HSS are dissimilar to loads applied to buildings or roads, so existing distributions cannot be applied to this problem. Any attempts to implement LRFD without these distributions will result in designs that do not target the probability of reaching a limit state. The USACE has adapted LRFD load combinations and factors to encompass the different geometry, force and displacement conditions, and environments present in HSS. This work collects literature for load effects on HSS to determine either probabilistic distributions or what loads sufficiently unknown to necessitate new research. Because the loads the HSS are subject to are dissimilar to other designed structures, these load distributions cannot be taken from them directly. Loads considered are hydrodynamic, barge impacts, debris impacts, ice expansion, seismic, wind, and waves.

10 Oct 2025

Development and Management of Arctic Zonal Characterization Products: Geospatial Database

Abstract: Environmental parameters for operational planning in extreme conditions require accurate knowledge of prevailing meteorological conditions. However, the Arctic region presents unique challenges due to limited observational data and unique geographical conditions. To address the need for such knowledge, this study presents an analysis of Arctic prevailing-conditions using European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) Reanalysis v5 (ERA5) Data from 1991 to 2020. A custom Python-based framework was developed to process and analyze hourly datasets, identifying zones of extreme events and their frequency across multiple temporal scales. The framework uses ArcPy to automate the generation of nearly 40,000 mapped classifications for land masses 60°N and above. This automated pipeline enables both static and dynamic map generation capabilities for operational planning now and in the future. The resulting dataset provides critical spatial and temporal resolution of Arctic prevailing-conditions, enabling more refined characterization of extreme prevailing-conditions across the circumpolar region.

10 Oct 2025

Standard Operating Procedures for the Site Selection, Design, and Maintenance of All-Season Roads Linear Infrastructure

Abstract: Planning, designing, constructing, and maintaining all-season roads in cold regions requires navigating complex environmental, hydrologic, and geomorphologic challenges. Harsh conditions, such as permafrost, frost-susceptible soils, muskeg, and extreme cold, are compounded by limited data availability, remote locations, and fragile ecosystems. Recent Arctic strategies across the DoD have identified changing weather patterns as significant threats to infrastructure, operations, and training land management in these regions. Key risks include degrading permafrost, changes in precipitation intensity and duration, and the loss of soil bearing capacity in saturated soils, all of which are examined in detail. As the Department of Defense expands Arctic training capabilities, infrastructure investments across Alaska must balance operational goals with sustainability and resilience. This report synthesizes the military’s typical methods for constructing roads in contingency environments, identifies practices used in the construction of the Alaska-Canada Highway, and draws from consultations with training land managers, a thorough literature review, and active engineering research. The report highlights the importance of holistic design that prioritizes longevity, environmental conservation, and safety by addressing cold-region challenges, mitigation strategies, and best practices. This resource is indispensable for military units and infrastructure planners tasked with navigating the complexities of cold-region infrastructure construction and operation.

10 Oct 2025

Standard Operating Procedures for the Site Selection, Design, and Maintenance of Low-Water Crossing Linear Infrastructure in Cold Regions

Abstract: Low-water crossings (LWCs) are critical components of DoD infrastructure in Alaska and other cold regions, yet their effective siting, design, construction, and maintenance are challenged by remote locations, limited environmental data, seasonal hydrology, and complex terrain. Harsh winter conditions, rapid spring melt, and freeze–thaw cycles introduce hazards such as ice-related scour, debris loading, and variable streambed stability. In cold-region operational areas, natural processes such as permafrost degradation, shifting hydrologic regimes, and sudden flood events from glacial or thermokarst activity further increase risk to infrastructure performance and longevity. This report addresses these challenges by consolidating best practices and mitigation strategies for LWC implementation in cold environments. Drawing on technical literature, input from land managers, and existing agency standards and SOPs, the report identifies key considerations for improving LWC resilience. These include accounting for ice forces, complex geotechnical challenges, sediment transport, and the use of appropriate materials to name a few. By framing LWCs within a systems-based approach to site selection and engineering design, the report provides guidance for supporting safe and sustainable operations across Arctic and Subarctic training environments. It serves as a technical resource for DoD planners and engineers tasked with managing infrastructure in cold regions.

7 Oct 2025

Gravel Investigations Informing Resource Management Within the Lower Mississippi River

Abstract: This report integrates available information about gravel deposits within the Lower Mississippi River (LMR) from previous studies coupled with new analysis to identify reoccurring observed gravel locations. This study also summarizes spatial and temporal trends of bed material sediment characteristics, focusing primarily on gravel. Moreover, selected data sets from previous studies, and field and aerial observations have been added to a geographic information system (GIS) database housed in ArcPro to illustrate observed gravel locations. Last, a literature review documenting the ecological importance of gravel bars to riverine fauna and a brief discussion of potential technologies to support conservation efforts are included. Major findings summarized herein are (1) the presence of gravel deposits tend to decrease in a downstream direction along the LMR; (2) qualitative analyses of aerial videos suggest that gravel-predominant bars are more common between River Miles 953 and 681; (3) past investigations have documented gravel sizes at rivers bars ranging from pebbles to boulders; (4) the gravel content in LMR bed material samples has decreased since 1932; and (5) more detailed surveys are needed to better delineate the spatial extents and depth of gravel bars and identify suitable technology to detect potential buried gravel.