U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chicago District

📢 Join Us for the Chicago District Regulatory 2026 Nationwide Permit Seminar!

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chicago District Regulatory Branch is hosting a virtual outreach seminar to discuss important updates to the 2026 Nationwide Permits (NWPs).
📅 Date: June 23, 2026
⏰ Time: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. CT
💻 Location: Virtual (meeting link will be provided closer to the event date)
✅ Registration is FREE

This seminar will cover:
• Updates to several Nationwide Permits (NWPs)
• New NWP regional conditions for Illinois and Indiana
• Illinois and Indiana Section 401 Water Quality Certifications for the 2026 NWPs

Register today: https://forms.osi.apps.mil/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=unZN_HzxUEy5p48xY9J1ghuShBIj-PBOuJlXXPc6velURDlZS0oyODA0MzZPTDE5NjlaWkE5TFBTRC4u

We look forward to connecting with consultants, applicants, agency partners, and other stakeholders to discuss these important regulatory updates.

A life jacket can’t save your life if it’s floating on top of the water and you’re sinking to the bottom. Having a life jacket on your boat, even if it’s “readily accessible,” is not good enough. so you can enjoy boating another day.

📣 This week, the Chicago District Leadership Development Program (LDP) Phase 1 and Great Lakes and Ohio River Division LDP Phase 3 groups visited Chicago District critical projects to learn about their significance firsthand!

LDP 1 participants toured Fort Sheridan and McCook Reservoir, while LDP 3 visited McCook Reservoir and Northerly Island. During their visit, LDP 3 participants also reviewed a case study and used a 7-step problem-solving method to brief command staff on their findings and recommendations. 📊

The Leadership Development Program is designed to build strong leaders at every career level.

🔹 Phase 1 focuses on local district employees
🔹 Phase 2 includes employees from the Great Lakes Districts (Chicago, Detroit, and Buffalo)
🔹 Phase 3 is a division-wide leadership program

The program helps develop skills in self-awareness, communication, teamwork, time management, and problem-solving — preparing the next generation of USACE leaders.

Fishing is a lot of fun even when a big fish gets away. Please play it safe and always wear a life jacket when fishing from a kayak, boat, the shore, or a dock.

Mission Update: 2026 Spring SIM. 🚤🐟

During the week of May 11th, our USACE crew was on Lake Calumet for the Seasonal Intensive Monitoring (SIM) effort. We conducted electrofishing at 10 randomized habitat locations to ensure no invasive carp are moving toward Lake Michigan.

The Result: No bighead or silver carp were captured or observed! Our teams did identify a variety of other species, including smallmouth bass, yellow perch, and black crappie, confirming our gear is working and our Great Lakes remain protected.

Behind every emergency response is a team preparing long before disaster strikes. 🚨

USACE Emergency Management teams work year-round to coordinate resources,🤝 strengthen partnerships, and respond quickly when communities need support most.💦 From flood response and sandbag operations to supporting large-scale emergencies,🏗️ these teams provide critical engineering and emergency expertise across the region and beyond.

Below is a story that highlights how USACE, Chicago District Emergency Management responds while helping protect lives, property, and infrastructure when it matters most. 👷

Full Story: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/566114/behind-response-inside-usace-chicago-district-emergency-management

Today and throughout the year take time to remember the lives lost fighting for our freedom.

Historically, Memorial Day Weekend is one of the riskiest times of the year for boating and water-related activities. Sadly, many water-related fatalities occur during the holiday weekend. Following these simple tips can help ensure that you have a good and safe Memorial Day weekend. Remember Life Jackets Worn…Nobody Mourns so .

On Friday, May 8, the 14th Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), Sec. Adam R. Telle, stopped by the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal (CSSC) Invasive Species Electric Dispersal Barriers Project near Romeoville, Illinois following a visit to the Brandon Road Interbasin Project (BRIP).

Sec. Telle was given a tour of the project by USACE Chicago District leadership and personnel, discussing how the technology, first implemented in 2002 as a demonstration project, has grown into a multi-layer defense against invasive carp. The efficacy of this technology at the CSSC has been studied and improved over the last twenty years and important lessons learned will be implemented at the BRIP to form a layered defense against the spread of invasive carp into the Great Lakes, without disrupting the navigation industry that depends on these waterways to support our nation’s commerce.

📣 Effective May 19, 2026, Lockport Lock has fully reopened to navigation traffic after a temporary closure that began March 31 to complete essential infrastructure repairs and maintenance activities.

During the closure, the Rock Island District Floating Plant team replaced pintle socket components on the downstream miter gates, a critical element of lock operations, along with completing several gate crack repairs, and installing new quoin blocks, miter blocks, and strut arms. In addition, Chicago District personnel completed significant electrical upgrades to the gate machinery buildings to improve operational reliability and efficiency.

The fleet staff also installed new concrete pads for the gate pedestals for the upstream vertical service and emergency gates to sit on when in the open position. These improvements are designed to reduce strain on the gate cables and hydraulic cylinders, helping extend the service life of the lock’s mechanical systems.

For more information on Lockport Lock see the project page at: https://www.lrd.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects/Display/Article/3638555/lockport-lock/