Posted on July 22, 2026
PORTLAND, Ore. – Army Col. Brendan John “Mac” McEvoy became the 65th commander of the Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, during a change-of-command ceremony at the district’s downtown headquarters today.
Brig. Gen. William C. “Bill” Hannan Jr., commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Northwestern Division, which includes Portland District and four other USACE districts, said McEvoy brings extensive command and operational experience to the district.
“Col. McEvoy’s expertise blends grit, leadership and strategic vision,” said Hannan. “He is the right leader at the right time.”
McEvoy replaces Col. Larry “Dale” Caswell Jr., who guided the district through a period of significant accomplishments and organizational change.
During Caswell’s command, the district completed major rehabilitation projects at the mouth of the Columbia River South Jetty, Coos Bay North Jetty and Tillamook South Jetty; finished a 20-year plan for managing dredged material from the lower Columbia River navigation channel; implemented historic reservoir drawdowns to support fish passage; advanced cleanup at the Bradford Island Superfund site; began raising the Mount St. Helens Sediment Retention Structure; and implemented the executive order directing employees to return to in-person work while sustaining district operations.
“Col. Caswell guided the district through complex challenges while putting people first,” said Hannan. “His legacy will echo for decades.”
Some of the challenges McEvoy will face include maintaining aging infrastructure, balancing the multiple authorized purposes of the Willamette Valley Project, supporting the recovery of threatened and endangered fish, and reliably delivering the district’s growing civil works program.
Portland District has one of the nation’s most comprehensive and diversified civil works programs, providing vital public engineering services to the Pacific Northwest and the nation. Covering most of Oregon and southwestern Washington, the district operates locks and dams along the Columbia River, manages dams in the Willamette Valley for flood risk management and other authorized purposes, maintains Oregon’s coastal navigation channels, and generates hydropower while supporting environmental protection and restoration, fish and wildlife enhancement, and recreation.
