Corps, EPA, councilman tour L.A. River
By Daniel J. Calderón

(From right to left) Environmental Projection Agency Region IX administrator Wayne Nastri, Col. Thomas H. Magness IV, USACE Los Angeles District and Los Angeles City councilman Ed Reyes talk with a fisherman on the bank of the Los Angeles River Aug. 11. The brief stop was part of a tour of the river intended to foster a deeper understanding of the river’s importance to the area and a sense of the varied ecosystem along its length.

The visit allowed the three agency representatives the chance to discuss plans for the river and find common ground in dealing with issues surrounding it.

“We’re here to work with the Army Corps of Engineers,” Reyes said. “We’ve done a great job making sure the river flows from mountains to ocean as quick as possible. But for decades, we’ve penalized this river way through very harsh infrastructure – freeways, power lines oil pipelines.”

Reyes said the Corps has been an able partner and participant in plans to revitalize the area around the river. Plans include gardens, bike paths and walkways in addition to development for commercial ventures along the river.

“The Army Corps’ been a great, great partner for the past seven years that I’ve been working with them,” he said. “Its reminded us that [the L.A. River is] a flood control channel built for public safety first. Once we understand that, everything that evolves around that premise allows us to get some range of possible scenarios. So now we have the ability to look at our river in a different light.”

In fostering understanding of the unique nature of the Los Angeles River, Magness invited Nastri to see, first hand, how the river varies along its length.

“I think a lot of people have this vision that it’s nothing but a concrete-lined channel and it’s amazing to come out and see the diversity of the wildlife and the habitat,” Nastri said. “We saw people fishing. We see the river is actually being used in ways that a lot of us, in the regulatory world, hadn’t envisioned. So it's important for us to understand what is actually happening. It’s significant from the perspective of both the U.S. EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers have responsibilities to implement the requirements of the Clean Water Act so we share that common mission.”

Rivers in the Southwest, said Nastri, are very different than rivers east of the Mississippi. In this arid environment, rivers are often dry for long stretches punctuated by damaging flash floods which, in the past, would inundate surrounding cities. With the advent of the Corp’s creation of flood control channels, much of the flood damage was reduced.
 
“Generally, we’ve been increasing awareness and understanding of the impact. What it means for the state and what it means for local development, “Nastri explained. “I think you see a lot of different views as you would on any issue. The issue is do you have the protection or do you have other things that are more important. I also see it from the perspective of the local government having the right and, I think in many ways, the responsibility to make sure that at the region and the state and at the federal level, that those views are understood.”

However, questions remain regarding the future of the Los Angeles River.
 
With recent issues surrounding the river and concerns the river may be losing its protection, Nastri pointed out the river will continue to be protected at the federal level as long as its partners continue their long-standing communication.

“It’s not just about water quality and standards. It’s also about quality of life,” Nastri said. “The partnership between the Corps and EPA is very important. We fully support the determinations that we’ve seen thus far and we’re certainly continuing to work with the Corps and with all the stakeholders that are involved.”

McMahon tours Edwards AFB project
By Daniel J. Calderón

Brig. Gen. John R. McMahon, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers South Pacific Division commander, prepares to ascend the ladder of the slip-form concrete paver used to pave the concrete for the 37.5-foot lane on the main base runway at Edwards AFB, Calif. McMahon visited Edwards Aug. 22 to view work on the project and to meet with members of the Los Angeles District at the base resident office.

The Corps awarded the contract in August 2006. The runway was failing due to alkali-silica reaction (ASR). This meant silica in the aggregate was reacting with alkali in the cement paste and causing extensive map cracking, scaling, and spalling. So, the runway needed to be replaced with one that would hold up better in the desert environment.

The major difficulty in the work would be to complete the work on time without disrupting flight operations. As home to the Air Force Flight Test Center, many aircraft in the military’s inventory use Edwards AFB to take off and land as they are being put through their paces. NASA also uses the runway as an alternate landing site for the space shuttle.
 
The solution was to build a second – temporary – runway for pilots to use while the main one was being rebuilt. With that in mind, the Corps designed and built a runway just off the main one. The temporary runway was completed months ago and pilots have been using it while the main runway is currently under construction.

“I’m just amazed at the work,” said Eichhorn at a meeting with McMahon after he had landed on the temporary runway earlier that day. “It’s a 15,000-foot runway right now. Having that (temporary) runway will be a great asset for the base.”

The main runway should be complete within the next few months. Eichhorn said he looks forward to a long life for the new runway once it is complete.
“If the old one lasted 50 years,” he began, “I know this new one will last 100.”

In addition to visiting the runway project area, McMahon visited the resident office on base. He presented a commander’s coin to Jerry Benes, a district quality control representative, for excellence. Benes is a retired Corps employee who has returned under the Re-employed Annuitant Program. McMahon said current and future projects at Edwards are representative of projects district members accomplish regularly throughout their area of responsibility.

“This work is not unusual for the mighty L.A. District,” he said. “I think when you look at the Army Corps of Engineers, you see a huge capability for construction and engineering. That’s what we’re about.”