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Author: Bertha Angela Smith
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  • September

    A graphic created to support the Sacramento District’s inaugural competition Blueprint to Better in 2026. The graphic incorporates branding elements designed by Sam Boyle for the Blueprint to Better competition.

    Blueprint to Better: Building Momentum, One Idea at a Time

    The Sacramento District’s Blueprint to Better competition encouraged team members to identify workplace challenges and propose practical solutions to improve efficiency and innovation. From streamlining financial processes and project milestones to exploring responsible uses of artificial intelligence, team members shared ideas directly with District leadership, demonstrating how individual ideas can build momentum and drive meaningful organizational change.

  • August

    U.S. Army Col. Robert McTighe, commander of the Sacramento District, dons a virtual reality headset as Kevin Russ, USACE Sacramento building information modeling manager, walks the commander through a demonstration of an upcoming real-world project through the view of a virtual reality environment during the “Virtual Reality for Building Information Modeling” presentation in Sacramento, California on Feb. 5, 2026. The presentation highlighted how integrating virtual reality and building information modeling enables immersive collaboration, helping teams identify design issues early, improve coordination and deliver U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects more efficiently. (U.S. Army photo by Bertha Smith, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District Public Affairs)

    Stepping Inside the Design: How VR Is Advancing USACE Projects

    USACE Sacramento District is using building information modeling (BIM) and virtual reality (VR) to help project teams visualize infrastructure designs before construction begins. By allowing engineers, customers and contractors to experience projects at true scale, the technology improves spatial understanding, identifies design conflicts earlier, strengthens collaboration and helps reduce costly changes during construction. The approach supports USACE’s efforts to leverage technology to deliver quality infrastructure safely, on time and within budget.

  • February

    U.S. Army 1st Lieutenant, Gabby Faltin, poses for a portrait within the interior constructs of Folsom Dam in Folsom, California on Jan. 29, 2026. Faltin serves as an Army engineer officer assigned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District, where she applies her civil engineering background to manage projects supporting civil works initiatives. (U.S. Army photo by Bertha Smith, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District Public Affairs)

    Among Hard Hats: An Army Engineer’s Path to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

    Gabby Faltin is an Army engineer and first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve who supports major infrastructure projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District, moving between office coordination and on-site work at dams and flood risk management systems. Often the only Soldier on a civilian team, she combines technical expertise, adaptability, and a calm approach to solving complex problems that directly affect nearby communities. Her fascination with engineering began in childhood visits to Chicago, where curiosity about bridges and learning the Chicago River had been reversed sparked her career path. After ROTC, an Army scholarship, and years of work in the Omaha District, she now bridges military service and public infrastructure, helping protect regions while steadily building a career shaped by intentional goals rather than chance.

  • December

    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District team members Ashley Lopez (left) environmental manager and David Colby (right) fisheries biologist, perform maintenance and a software update on the system used for the Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System (JSATS) receivers that will be used for a telemetry survey on Sept. 10, 2025, in Stockton, California. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District conducts telemetry surveys to close critical data gaps on green sturgeon passage in the lower Sacramento River, providing valuable information to partner agencies for setting river flow requirements, managing dam releases, and improving the survival of this federally protected species. (U.S. Army photo by Bertha Smith, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District Public Affairs)

    Telemetry Surveys: Tracking Life Beneath the Surface

    Environmental manager Ashley Lopez, fisheries biologist David Colby, and Bryte Yard technicians deployed acoustic telemetry receivers along the lower Sacramento River to monitor juvenile salmon and green sturgeon migration patterns and habitat use. The data collected helps assess the impact of flood control projects like the Sacramento River Bank Protection Project on aquatic species. Shared with agencies such as the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the telemetry results support environmental compliance and guide mitigation efforts for federally protected species. This collaboration with partners like the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and UC Davis ensures that flood risk management projects are balanced with environmental stewardship.

  • April

    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District team members from the operations division speak with attendees at the annual Business Opportunity Open House hosted by the small business section at the Hyatt Regency in Sacramento, California on March 12, 2025. (U.S. Army photo by Bertha Smith, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District Public Affairs)

    Breakout sessions break new ground at this year’s BOOH

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District opened its doors once again to the contractor community with the annual Business Opportunity Open House (BOOH) - an event dedicated to building connections and creating active pathways between businesses and USACE.The annual BOOH provides insight into what it takes to become a successful

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