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David Ponganis Named New Programs Director for Corps' Northwestern Division by Staff Columbia Basin Bulletin, April 6, 2012

David J. Ponganis has been named Programs Director for the Northwestern Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, headquartered in Portland.

The Division has a regional office in Omaha, Neb., and five operating districts located in Seattle and Walla Walla, Wash., Kansas City, Mo., Portland and Omaha.

With this appointment, announced by the Corps' Acting Commanding General and Chief of Engineers, Maj. Gen. Merdith W.B. (Bo) Temple, Ponganis becomes a member of the federal government's Senior Executive Service cadre.

Ponganis will direct a $3 billion annual program of water resource projects, military construction, and environmental restoration activities throughout the Columbia and Missouri river basins.

A large part of the civil works mission focuses on maintaining and operating Corps projects for flood risk reduction, hydroelectric, navigation, recreation and water supply purposes, natural disaster response, and enhancing fish and wildlife activities in 12 states. The division's military construction and environmental restoration program oversees support to several dozen military installations and HTRW cleanup actions in 14 states.

With 32 years of civil engineering and water resource planning experience in the Columbia and Missouri river basins, Ponganis most recently served as chief of planning, environmental resources and fish policy for the Northwestern Division office with a focus on fish and wildlife recovery programs and water resource environmental activities.

He earned a bachelor's degree in environmental planning from the University of California at Santa Cruz and a master's degree in civil engineering from Stanford University. Prior to joining the Corps, he spent two years with the Environmental Protection Agency.