Corps of Engineers inducts Cottage Grove, Minn., resident to district’s Hall of Fame

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, recently named Michael Knoff of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, as its 2026 hall of fame inductee.

Knoff was honored for his exemplary service to the St. Paul District and the Corps of Engineers. During 21 of his 25 years in the St. Paul District, Knoff served as the chief of the Hydraulics and Hydrology Branch, helping tackle the district’s most complex water resource problems. After taking over as the chief of the Engineering and Construction Division, Knoff oversaw the completion of the Grand Forks Flood Risk Management Project and helped the district transition to the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program.

Throughout his tenure, Knoff mentored 176 employees in the district’s leadership program while also working as the chief of the Project Development Branch and as the deputy district engineer.

“Mike's legacy extends far beyond his 25 years of service,” said acting St. Paul District Commander Lt. Col. Joshua Rud. “The people he developed and the projects he helped build continue to shape the district today, leaving a lasting impact that makes him a deserving member of our St. Paul District Hall of Fame.”

The St. Paul District navigation program provides a safe, reliable, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable waterborne transportation system on the Upper Mississippi River for the movement of commercial goods and for national security needs. To do this, the district maintains a 9-foot navigation channel and 13 locks and dams from Minneapolis to Guttenberg, Iowa. Keeping this system open is vital to the nation’s economy.