How We Celebrated Our First 100th Year

The National Capital Section of ASCE celebrated its 100th year in 2016. During our Centennial Year, all activities had a centennial focus. We held walking, driving, and boating tours of civil engineering landmarks located in the nation's capital region. We had a monthly article on Outstanding Civil Engineers in our Monthly Newsletter, and participated in two major Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math events, including the Science and Engineering Festival where we highlighted civil engineering to over 10,000 students, teachers, and parents. Our lasting tribute to our first hundred years was a coffee table book, Engineering the Nation's Capital, that features memorable civil engineering projects from our past. The highlight of our Centennial was a day-long Centennial Conference held on June 3, 2016 that featured Technical Sessions, Panel Discussions, and Exhibits.

Presented by ASCE-NCS

Register HERE by March 16th!

Join us on March 21 at the Hilton Arlington for the National Capital Section’s (NCS) signature event of the year. This event gives us an opportunity to recognize and celebrate local excellence in projects, engineers, and students who have contributed to our profession and our community. Recognized parties include the ASCE-NCS Outstanding Civil Engineering Project, Sustainable Project of the Year, Meritorious Service and Community Service Award winners, NCS Student Scholarship Award recipients, Outstanding Graduating Seniors from local civil engineering universities, and members of the NCS who have achieved Life Member or Fellow status during the past year.

The finalists for the ASCE- NCS 2017 Outstanding Civil Engineering Project are the US Army Corps of Engineers’ 17th Street Closure and the MGM Resorts International’s MGM National Harbor.

The 17th Street Closure is a removable structure that can be erected in the event of high water. It attaches to the floodwalls on both sides of 17th Street and consists of aluminum panels between steel posts. Tis replaced the existing levee, in place since the late 1930s, which consisted of an earthen berm that runs parallel to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. It required construction of a temporary closure of sandbags, Jersey barriers, and an earthen dam across 17th Street when river flood conditions were imminent. Post-Katrina federal standards require that a more reliable levee system be in place. Recognizing the need to move quickly, while still successfully meeting engineering and design needs, numerous federal and local agencies collaborated over a two-year period to develop a new approach for the 17th Street Closure. The levee elements are designed to seamlessly blend with the setting of the National Mall.

MGM National Harbor uses timeless design, high-end service, public art and spectacular amenities combine to create a new generation of resort experiences: MGM National Harbor, the first luxury gaming destination in the Capital Region adding an exciting new aspect to the culture of the Capital. A fast track construction process required study of options on how best to accomplish design features within the time and money allotted for construction. 3D modeling was used to create architectural, structural and construction models for coordination. Each sector of the project had a dedicated team consisting of design professionals and contracting team that met weekly and as needed to coordinate and solve any problems that arose.

The finalist for the ASCE- NCS 2017 Sustainable Project of the Year is the Nutrient Management Facility (NMF) located in Alexandria, VA. The NMF includes 18 million gallons in tank capacity with associated pumps, chemical analysis equipment, and an extensive odor control system. It also includes a lit, regulation athletic field located on top of the process tanks, created as a community amenity. The facility was designed to preserve floodplain functions by avoiding new development within the floodplain. Acres of impervious surface were replaced with vegetated areas to restore infiltration and water quality functions. A fish and sediment barrier was removed, which improved aquatic habitat connectivity, and a crucial wooded riparian buffer was expanded, enhancing the natural habitat.

WHEN: Tuesday, March 21st, 2017, 6pm - 8:45pm.
WHERE: Hilton Arlington - 950 North Stafford Street, Arlington, Virginia
FEE: Early Registration: $55, Walk-In (pending availability)$65, Life Members $35, Students $20