12 Jun 2026

EcoHydraulic Modeling to Inform Sustainable Sediment Management: A Priori Modeling of Reservoir Sediment Release to Estimate Geomorphic and Ecological Response

Abstract: With decreasing storage capacity and increasing operational costs in reservoir management, sediment release is considered a potential alternative to traditional dredging. However, passing sediment through reservoirs may have unexpected effects on downstream river morphology and ecosystem resources. This study uses numerical modeling and a conceptual ecological model to assess the relative effects of sediment load, stream flow magnitude, and grain size distribution in downstream river morphology and aquatic habitat in a case study system of the Big Blue and Kansas Rivers downstream of Tuttle Creek Reservoir, Manhattan, Kansas. The effects of sediment grain size, clearwater flushing rate, and backwater effects from the Kansas River were all found to be relevant in affecting sediment transport and deposition patterns. High-volume water/sediment releases were found to be most effective at emulating historical conditions. Additionally, sediment release was found to increase desirable physical habitat areas that have been lost in the channel. Clearwater flushing further increased the distribution of sediment to support physical habitat creation. These findings can inform sediment release management decisions regarding the timing, duration, and magnitude of sediment releases, particularly in relation to flows at the downstream confluence and for target ecosystem function goals.

11 Jun 2026

The Bird Islands Ecosystem Design Using Boussinesq Modeling—Barren Island, Mid-Chesapeake Bay

Purpose: The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Baltimore District is currently engaged in an ecosystem restoration within the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. Specifically, two islands, Barren Island and James Island, are to undergo restoration using dredged materials and creation of berms and breakwaters to offer a level of protection to the island from wave and surge during storm events. This report focuses on the design of bird habitat development on the Tarbay side of the detached breakwaters in the Barren Island design. During the ongoing Preconstruction, Engineering, and Design (PED) phase of the project, it was determined that terraced islands would be created on the leeside of the detached breakwater system for bird habitat development. Coastal storm inundation and wave loading from Coastal Storm Modeling System (CSTORM-MS) coupled surge and wave modeling system were quantified in a previous effort. These results are used as input to local high-fidelity phase-resolved wave modeling to quantify the hydrodynamics on the island. The terraced structure will include berms. Berm and breakwater stone stability was quantified using Ahrens (1989) reef equations. This report discusses potential erosion and additional structure configurations. Additional offshore reef-type breakwaters were considered to protect the bird islands from waves propagating from the east to the west toward the Tarbay side of the island.

9 Jun 2026

Considerations for Potential Use of an Agent-Based Model in a Petri Network Framework to Model Roost Tree Dynamics of Bats

Purpose: The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is responsible for numerous projects that involve altering or removing wildlife habitat, including habitat of species listed as threatened, endangered, or sensitive (TES). Before initiating a project that may affect TES species, USACE must determine the project’s impact to these species. Understanding the degree of impact, both positive and negative, allows USACE to compare alternatives to reduce negative effects. Because of this, USACE planners need tools to provide accurate assessments of project impacts. Conservation efforts for bats have focused on protecting habitat, especially diurnal roosting trees. Roost trees serve not only as daytime shelter for bats but also for rearing pups until they are able to fly (Barbour and Davis 1969). Determining the impact of habitat change by empirically testing the response of bats to habitat modification has proved difficult because of the effects it may have on TES bats as well as its cost. Simulating the effects of habitat change using computer models provides an excellent data alternative for USACE planners. This technical note explains how agent-based models within a petri network framework can provide USACE planners with information on how habitat modification will affect bat presence or absence.

4 Jun 2026

Brief Overview and Guide to Developing Monitoring and Adaptive Management Plans

Purpose: The purpose of this technical note is to summarizes key points on monitoring and adaptive management from the more detailed US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) report ERDC/EL SR-19-9, “A Systems Approach to Ecosystem Adaptive Management: A USACE Technical Guide” and to provide a quick guide to developing monitoring and adaptive management plans (MAMPs) relevant to ecosystem restoration and mitigation projects. Although this report was written specifically for USACE projects, it is applicable to most restoration and mitigation projects. This guide does not supersede current or future USACE policy or guidance, nor is it applicable to private mitigation projects regulated by USACE.

1 Jun 2026

Operational Analysis of Composting for Military Installation Resilience

Abstract: On military installations, food waste is the heaviest portion of solid waste. At a single installation, food waste and its management can contribute up to $1.5 million lost annually. Additionally, Army installations pay over $100 million annually in disposal fees. Army policy calls for source reduction and composting as preferred methods of waste management over landfilling. As of 2025, 11 states and Washing-ton, DC, have laws that restrict food waste from being landfilled, with some laws more stringent than others. Composting is one way to align with both Army policy and local laws. Several installations have on-post composting operations, and others send food waste to nearby commercial compost facilities, where those are available. In FY 2024, 33 installations reported food recycling, which includes composting, anaerobic digestion, and other food-waste diversion. If composting on-post, a suitable location, equipment, and labor are needed. Multiple methods of composting for an installation must be considered. But composting can be worthwhile and may be more economical than landfilling. When installations are deciding how to manage food waste, they should consider their resources, organic waste generation tonnage, labor availability, and potential for cost savings. Depending on their location, on-post and off-post commercial options may be possible.

15 May 2026

Application of Rapid Response Reporting Tools to Improve Harmful Algal Bloom Management: US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)–Omaha District

Abstract: Harmful algal blooms (HABs) pose significant threats to critical water resources, including potable water supply, fish and wildlife propagation, recreation, and overall water quality, managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). To address these challenges, USACE needs innovative technologies that can enhance monitoring and management across the diverse portfolio of inland waterbodies they oversee. This technical report presents a case study from the Omaha District in which open-source software (R), satellite imagery, and traditional water quality parameters were integrated to produce near-real-time reports to improve HAB monitoring and management. The approach enabled timely identification of the areas most susceptible to HABs and provided actionable data to inform management strategies, such as hypolimnetic withdrawal, and other management actions. The findings demonstrate that combining remote sensing with open-source analytics can serve as a proof of concept for improving the efficiency of HAB monitoring programs. Ultimately, these tools facilitate more responsive decision-making by reducing resource demands and establishing a foundation for broader adoption of open-source tools in HAB management across USACE districts.

8 May 2026

Development of a Trace Element Signature Library Across a Large Watershed for Assessing Large-Scale Fish Movement Patterns

Abstract: Using trace element or stable isotope analysis has proven to be an effective means to characterize early life history and large-scale movement patterns in fishes. Target species are assessed for analyte concentrations occurring in calcified hard structures and compared to signatures noted from associated watersheds. However, this approach assumes analyte absorption occurs in proportion to their availability, and success relies heavily on the ability to identify unique water chemistry signatures between neighboring watersheds within a defined study area. Our objective was to establish a trace element signature profile for major tributaries occurring within the Mississippi River Valley (MRV). Water samples were obtained from 49 stations and evaluated for the presence and relative concentration of Ba, Sr, Ca, Fe, and Li. Analyte concentrations (milligrams per liter) varied across the sampled stations, although Li occurred at only four stations, primarily in the upper reaches of the MRV, and provided little discriminatory use. Concentrations of Fe and Ca depicted an inverse relationship, with Ca having higher concentrations in the upper third of the MRV while Fe typically had higher concentrations in the lower third. Ratios of Ba:Ca and Sr:Ca (millimole per mole) exhibited the greatest utility for delineating river-specific or reach-specific signatures.

4 May 2026

Freshwater Wetland Carbon Flux Analysis Pertinent to the Net Emissions Analysis Tool Improvement: Method Development and Testing

Palustrine wetlands are ecosystems of interest due to their capacity to sequester large amounts of greenhouse gases. This field study in Washington and Idaho was conducted as proof of concept of methods for measuring carbon emissions in palustrine wetlands. The regions of Washington and Idaho were chosen as they span three different Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Level 1 ecoregions in a relatively close geological area. Data were collected across all three ecoregions in an effort to detail the potential differences between palustrine wetlands within them. Carbon dioxide flux measurements were compared across two instruments: LICOR 8,100A and CIRAS-4. Supporting data related to vegetation and site characteristics were incorporated into the overall analyses. Results suggest that carbon dioxide flux varies in relation to several factors. Additional research will be required to inform the application of site-specific data which can improve the application of tools designed to quantify project scale estimates for net greenhouse gas emissions.

9 Apr 2026

Vertebrates in Trade that Pose High Invasion Risk to the United States

Abstract: The United States imports thousands of live vertebrate species annually as part of legal trade. Escapes and releases from captivity are major pathways of invasion, however, the risk posed by the thousands of imported vertebrate species has not been systematically assessed. We conducted a horizon scan that used a data-driven climate match to filter a list of nearly 15,000 taxa drawn from across the globe of imported fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals for rapid assessment by taxonomic experts. Experts evaluated 840 species and identified 32 as having the highest risk for establishment, spread, and negative impacts. Of those high-risk species, the majority have the capacity to disrupt ecosystem processes via their role as top predators or the unique ecological niches that they occupy, while several of the snake species pose a threat to human health. High-risk species were often scored with high confidence while in contrast, low scores were attributed to a combination of ecological redundancy, low propagule pressure, or low climate match while low confidence arose from a lack of information in the literature. Our study therefore highlights legally imported species likely to cause the greatest harm with the recognition that many other species could also become invasive in the United States. The ranked list of vertebrate threats can be used to prioritize watchlists and inform the development of targeted regulations for importation can be applied to regions to provide a rapid, preliminary screening for large pools of potential invaders.

20 Feb 2026

Overview of the Coastal Storm Model Development and Results for the Deer Island Restoration Study Using the Engineering With Nature® Toolkit

Abstract: The Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory of the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center presents this study as a comprehensive numerical model development and validation approach that can be employed to simulate winds, waves, and water levels during significant storm events for the Deer Island Restoration Project in Mississippi. Leveraging validated storms from the South Atlantic Coastal Study, this research utilized the Coastal Storm Modeling System with the coupled Advanced Circulation (ADCIRC) and Steady-State Spectral Wave (STWAVE) models. As part of this effort, the ADCIRC mesh was updated to encompass the Deer Island region and two variations on elevated water level scenarios were incorporated. Specifically, 10 validated storms were simulated, with varying sea-level conditions, to represent a range of feasibility-level proxy events from a 1- to 10,000-year annual exceedance frequency. The modeling outcomes provide a detailed depiction of water levels, wave heights, and storm surge impacts on Deer Island under different sea-level rise scenarios. These results offer critical insights into the potential effects of the restoration project on Deer Island and the surrounding areas. The findings can inform decision-makers and contribute to formulating effective guidelines for restoration projects within the Mississippi region and in coastal areas facing similar challenges worldwide.