Reclamation Commissioner John Keys recognized Reclamation engineers today for their contributions during the past year. These achievements were among those recognized during the 2006 National Engineers Week, February 19-25.
"Reclamation engineers are hard working and innovative," stated Keys. "Our engineering expertise was instrumental in providing water for a growing West, and continues today to be the gold standard in this professional field."
Reclamation engineers completed numerous projects last year, including dam safety modifications at Grassy Lake Dam in Idaho, providing technical assistance to the states of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas for hurricane relief efforts and damage assessments, and completed a water conservation project in Washington to enhance water deliveries and improve natural streamflow for endangered fish.
To commemorate National Engineers Week, Reclamation honors one engineer who provides outstanding achievement in their particular field. This year, Reclamation honored Bill Engemoen from the Technical Service Center in Denver, Colo. Engemoen was recognized for his outstanding achievement in geotechnical engineering of embankment dams and other civil structures for the Reclamation. He currently works as a Senior Level Geotechnical Specialist and is an expert in the engineering of embankment dams. As a mentor and technical specialist, his oversight routinely results in improvements and cost savings.
"Reclamation's engineers, like Bill, will continue to play a key role in helping us meet the water resource challenges that the West will face in the 21st Century," Keys said.
National Engineers Week is an annual event to highlight the work and contributions of the nation's engineers. It was first established in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers. For more information on National Engineers Week, visit www.eweek.org.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
