The Engineering Services Section (ESS) provides oversight, direction, and management of the engineering design program for the entire U.S. Section. ESS designs and develops plans and specifications for construction and renovation of buildings, hydraulic structures, and wastewater treatment plant infrastructure and conducts hydraulic studies, including developing HEC-RAS and HEC-HMS computer models for IBWC projects such as the Canalization, Rectification and Lower Rio Grande Valley Flood Control Projects.  ESS provides license and permit review for projects that may invoke the 1970 Boundary Treaty; and acts as point of contact on these projects with the Mexican Section. ESS is responsible for graphic support services and maintains the official record drawings for IBWC projects.

Current Projects/Activities (Maps):

• Rio Grande Levee Integrity Study.  ESS has been an active participant in planning condition surveys for USIBWC levees, pursuant to flood control project upgrades. This work is being performed by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center in Vicksburg, MS and employs the use of LiDAR.  The initial condition assessment studies were completed in June of 2004; additional supplemental geotechnical investigations are being conducted in strategic areas. With the results of these assessments and with the new LRGV hydraulic model information completed in 2003, the U.S. Section has developed a work plan for levee improvements in the LRGV. The US Section has also entered into an MOU with the City of Hidalgo, Texas to raise the levee along the City’s new Hike and Bike Trail.  Parsons Engineering Science, under contract with the USIBWC, is preparing an environmental assessment for the Hidalgo Levees from the Main Floodway to the historic San Juan Pumphouse.  Future plans for 2005 include an environmental assessment for levee improvements in the Mission area.
• Hydraulic Studies. ESS has completed hydraulic studies for the Rio Grande at Presidio - Ojinaga, Del Rio-Ciudad Acuna, Laredo-Nuevo Laredo, Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras, and the Lower Rio Grande Valley.   ESS has also conducted dam break studies of Amistad and Falcon Dams.  ESS plans on obtaining study and flood criteria concurrence from Mexico and then releasing the studies to the public for use in planning.
  ESS continues preliminary hydraulic studies for the Colorado River Capacity and Boundary Demarcation Project, and is currently working on a hydrology study for a third Rio Grande dam.
• Facilities Renovation Project. ESS continues to support this program through design and construction activities. Current projects include design of a new Personnel Building for the Mercedes Office, a new maintenance building for the Zacarias Dominguez field office, and improvements to Anzalduas Dam.
• South Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant.  ESS continues to support design studies and construction activities at this project. Construction of safety improvements at the plant is planned for later this year. An optimization study will be conducted in Spring of 2005 to investigate possible methods to improve effluent water quality.