US Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District

The history of Walla Walla District is closely linked to the development of water resource projects on the Columbia and Snake rivers. Establishment of the District in 1948 coincided with the start of work on McNary Dam on the Columbia River near Umatilla, Oregon, slightly downriver from the Tri-Cities area in Washington. The District is commanded by a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officer, assisted by her civilian and military deputies and a work force made up of approximately 800 engineers, scientists, technicians, special and administrative support staff. The District’s civil works boundaries generally follow the Snake River drainage and include approximately 107,000 square miles in six states – Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, and small parts of Nevada and Utah. The District staff operates dams, plans projects, provide engineering services, coordinate emergency management efforts and provide a range of administrative and logistical support to the entire organization. About 350 of these civilians work at the District headquarters office. The rest of the staff works at area and project offices.