Hello. I am Ethan reporting for FOX 4 News from Missouri. The Army Corps is a group of engineers ranging from archeologists to carpenters to accountants to lawyers. They are active in the military. There are 38,000 employees, and they work on building dams, levees, canals, storm walls, and other things to protect cities from flooding and other water problems. They also make maps for the US Army.

Over to you Laura for more info about the Corps.  The Corps is made up of civilians and soldiers who deliver engineering services to more than 90 countries.  They work to strengthen our nation’s security…but maybe not in ways you’d think.  To achieve this goal, they build and take care of America’s infrastructure.  Honestly no one really knew what that was when we started.  But now we know the Corps researches and develops all these structures that let us use our rivers.  They also provide military factilities where they work and live.   They work with dams and canals…things most of the 6th graders I know never think about.  And they assist with things like floods and streams.

That’s about all….so back to you Ethan.

Thanks.  The CoE was called into action when the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers flooded in 2011. The flooding happened because people were releasing water from dams so the dams wouldn’t overflow, but that led to the rivers overflowing. The Corps was forced to build the Morganza floodway and continue monitoring levees. This was only the second time this had happened in history. While all but two of the CoE’s levees survived, no others made it through. The rivers continued to flood for four months.

The Corps is a very important organization that helps keep water problems under control while serving the country. They are very smart and creative people that usually find the best solution to difficult environmental problems. If it weren’t for the Corps, some parts of Missouri could be under water right now. I am Ethan, and now back to you in LA.

Natural disasters to them are no biggie because they are prepared and smart.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/locosteve/5993863561/  and  http://www.flickr.com/photos/usdagov/5870531732/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/omahausace/5798485048/   are all pictures that were used in this post and are CC Attribution License.