USACE Honored in Kansas City

The Kansas City Industrial Council awarded the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Kansas City District one of the council's top honors in a Tuesday afternoon ceremony here.

The District was awarded the "Brick by Brick" award for its efforts in constructing and managing projects throughout the Greater Kansas City area that provide flood protection for regional businesses and the area's more than 1 million residents.

"The Corps work in protecting Kansas City is important to the economy of the region," said Dan Fuhrman, president of the council. "Any time there is flooding, it effects the jobs of several thousand people and the ability for businesses to recover.

"By working with other agencies to protect the area from flooding, the Corps has proven they are important to the economy of the area," he said.

Specifically mentioned in the Tuesday ceremony was the Corps ongoing effort to increase flood protection from Turkey Creek in the Southwest Boulevard corridor. The effort, a partnership between the Unified Government of Wyandotte County, Kansas City Missouri and the Kansas Department of Transportation, comes at a cost of nearly $73 million.

"This partnership led by the Corps is a noble and dynamic effort that has saved taxpayers several million dollars," Fuhrman said.

The Turkey Creek project is one of several in the area the Corps has built to boost flood protection for the metro. Efforts on Brush Creek near the Plaza and improving the Blue River channel on the city's eastside are credited with preventing millions in flood damages.

This is the second time in the past 2 years the Corps has received the award from the council.

The Kansas City Industrial Council established the award to recognize and honor individuals, companies and organizations that have contributed to the growth and stability of Kansas City's industrial areas, Fuhrman said.