CORRECTED COPY
Portland, Ore. (September 15, 2023) – New commanders of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Portland District conducted an aerial survey of Willamette Vally dams and reservoirs with the assistance of Civil Air Patrol’s Oregon Wing aircraft and volunteer personnel on Friday, September 15.
District Commander, COL Dale Caswell and his Deputy Commander, LTC Kathie “Kate” Werback, were met by Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Mission Pilot, Col. Brian Bishop at the Portland-Hillsboro Airport in a CAP Cessna 182 aircraft. Bishop flew the two military officers to the Salem Municipal Airport (McNary Field) and picked up the district’s Operations Project Manager (civilian), Erick Petersen.
COL Caswell took command of the district in July 2023 and wanted to understand the mission of the Valley system. “The flight gave Caswell a better understanding of the Portland District geography assets,” said Petersen. “This along with topography of our area of responsibility and proximity of our assets to infrastructure and communities was also helpful to the Colonel.”
In a memo sent back to the Oregon Wing, Petersen shared, “The mission of the survey was to orient Caswell and Werback to the system of Willamette Valley dams and reservoirs, developed between 1939 and 1969, to manage flood risk for communities on the Willamette River and its tributaries. The system is comprised of 13 dams and reservoirs and prevents about $2 billion in damages due to flooding on an average annual basis.”
Petersen continued, “This pre-flood season flyover was a great opportunity to review changes on the landscape since the 2020 wildfires that hit the McKenzie and North Santiam sub-basins particularly hard. The fires changed the hydrology affecting system reservoirs and basin flood risks. Seeing the effects of the fires from the air helped facilitate a better understanding of the changes to the context of our mission.
“Heavy smoke kept us out of the McKenzie, but we got a great view of most of the system’s dams and reservoirs in a short amount of time,” Petersen wrote. “We will find an opportunity to get back in the air and see the McKenzie Basin as well, when the current fires and smoke subsides.”
In closing, Petersen commented, “The Civil Air Patrol has a unique mission and is an incredibly supportive partner, enabling us to easily get out and see a different view of our area of responsibility. We’re thankful for the opportunity we had on September 15th and look forward to continuing partnering in the future.”
Photo captions –
USACE-1 – (L-R) CAP Col Brian Bishop gives a flight safety briefing to USACE COL Dale Caswell and LTC Katie Werback under the wing of an ORWG Cessna 182. Photo credit: Lt Col Scott Maguire, Oregon Wing.
USACE-2 – LTC Katie Werback in the backseat of an ORWG Cessna 182 getting ready for the aerial survey flight of the Willamette Valley on September 15, 2023. Photo credit: Lt Col Scott Maguire, Oregon Wing.
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About Civil Air Patrol
Founded in 1941 and established as the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force seven years later, Civil Air Patrol is chartered by Congress as a nonprofit organization for the purposes of youth development, aerospace education, and to promote general aviation. In an auxiliary role as a Total Force partner of the Air Force, CAP operates the world’s largest fleet of single-engine aircraft for search and rescue, disaster relief, training, and education. Civil Air Patrol is dedicated to serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures.