Posted on September 30, 2026
Two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District project teams were honored with awards on Sept. 17 by the American Society of Civil Engineers Sacramento Section for outstanding engineering achievements that are helping protect two California communities.
One project will make Marysville one of the most flood-resilient communities in California’s Central Valley and help safeguard more than 12,000 residents, businesses and community assets. The other addressed one of the remaining gaps in a major levee improvement effort and will help prevent flooding of the Natomas Basin and surrounding Sacramento region.
The Marysville Ring Levee Phase 2B team earned the 2025 Outstanding Flood Management Project Award, while the American River Common Features Natomas Basin Reach D, Highway 99 team, has earned the 2025 Outstanding Geotechnical Engineering Project Award.
The awards recognize two very different projects, and two different sets of engineering challenges. But one thing these projects do have in common is that they share the Sacramento District’s commitment to deliver resilient infrastructure through innovative engineering, strong partnerships and a focus on community safety.
“These awards are a tremendous recognition of the expertise, dedication and teamwork that went into both projects. The Sacramento District congratulates both project teams on this well-deserved recognition, as well as the many partners who contributed to their success,” said Col. Bob McTighe, USACE Sacramento District commander.
Marysville Ring Levee Phase 2B | Marysville Ring Levee
What was the project?
The Marysville Ring Levee project is a critical part of the region’s long-term effort to improve flood protection for the city of Marysville and surrounding communities. Located in Yuba County at the confluence of the Yuba and Feather rivers, Marysville is essentially an “island” of about 12,000 residents, surrounded by approximately 7.5 miles of levee.
Why this work matters
For a community surrounded by rivers and levees, reliable flood protection is essential to the safety of its residents, businesses and critical infrastructure. Phase 2B strengthens one of the city’s most vulnerable levee areas, helping reduce the risk of flooding and moving Marysville closer to its goal of becoming one of the most flood-resilient communities in California’s Central Valley.
What made it challenging
Phase 2B addressed one of the most complex sections of the levee along the north bank of the Yuba River. The team faced significant challenges below ground, including buried structures, century-old municipal utilities and remnants of former transportation corridors.
The work also took place in a tightly developed urban area, requiring the team to carefully manage construction activities near historic landmarks. Strict vibration monitoring and ground-control measures helped protect the nationally registered Bok Kai Temple, established in 1880, as well as the nation’s last standing Gold Rush-era Chinatown.
What the team accomplished
Among the project’s key accomplishments:
Approximately 3,000 linear feet of cutoff wall was installed to reduce the risk of water seeping beneath the levee, while crews carefully navigated buried infrastructure.
A seepage drainage blanket and collection ditch were constructed to collect and safely convey water away from the levee, reducing the risk of internal erosion.
A stability and seepage berm near Highway 70 was constructed along approximately 700 feet of levee to address critical flood-risk gaps near the major transportation corridor.
Complex utility relocations included high-voltage transmission lines, gas mains and municipal utilities, all while working near homes, businesses and major transportation routes.
Strong partnerships with the Central Valley Flood Protection Board and Marysville Levee District helped the team coordinate utility relocations with PG&E and resolve right-of-way and scheduling challenges with Union Pacific Railroad. That coordination helped keep construction moving while minimizing impacts on the community.
“Phase 2B was all about protecting communities,” said Chris Purdy, geotechnical engineer. “It has been a privilege to be part of this talented and dedicated MRL team. Delivering this level of flood protection to a community like Marysville is why we do this work.”
Natomas Basin Reach D, Highway 99 | Natomas Basin
What was the project?
The Reach D, Highway 99 project addressed one of the remaining gaps in a major levee improvement effort protecting the Natomas Basin and surrounding Sacramento region.
Improvements to the Reach D levee were completed by USACE’s non-Federal sponsors in 2010, with one exception: an approximately 690-foot section, or “window,” where Highway 99 crosses the levee. The Highway 99 project closed that gap by constructing an approximately 750-foot-long cutoff wall that overlaps and connects with cutoff walls previously built by the non-Federal sponsors.
The construction contract was awarded Jan. 17, 2024, with physical construction beginning in June 2024 and wrapping up in fall 2025.
Why this work matters
Closing the Highway 99 “window” eliminates a remaining gap in the Reach D levee improvements and strengthens flood protection for the Natomas Basin. The project also helps protect a major transportation corridor that serves thousands of people traveling through the region every day.
What made it challenging
The project presented significant engineering and construction challenges in one of the region’s busiest and most developed transportation corridors. Rather than working on the waterside of the levee, the team used an innovative deep soil mix cutoff wall to address seepage and stability concerns while avoiding the environmental, access and limited-clearance challenges of working beneath the Caltrans bridges.
Detailed analysis helped establish a safe working platform along the top of the levee and maintain stability throughout construction. A comprehensive monitoring system provided real-time information about potential settlement or movement, allowing the team to quickly respond to conditions that could affect the Highway 99 bridges or floodwalls.
What the team accomplished
Successful execution required close coordination among the general contractor, Caltrans, USACE and Sutter County. Some of the most critical cutoff-wall work required weekend bridge closures, with crews working continuous 24-hour shifts to complete construction in the most constrained areas.
The result was a completed connection between the new cutoff wall and the existing levee improvements, closing the remaining gap while maintaining the safety and functionality of the Highway 99 transportation corridor throughout construction.
“The ASCE award recognizes the technical expertise and collaboration that went into solving a complicated engineering problem while maintaining the safety and functionality of a major regional transportation corridor,” said Ashley Jorz, project manager.
Both teams were formally recognized during the ASCE Sacramento Section Awards Banquet on Sept. 17, where representatives received award plaques honoring their accomplishments.
