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  • August

    Congratulations to Lead Realty Specialists Joshua A. Neisen as he recently received his Level I Real Estate Contracting Officers Delegation of Authority. Delegating this authority, Real Estate Division Chief John T. Wilburn issued a memorandum stating, "I hereby delegate to Mr. Joshua Neisen, Lead Realty Specialist, Memphis District, Mississippi Valley Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Real Estate Contracting Officer authority within the limits established by this warrant and certificate of appointment to execute real estate contracts, deeds, and related documents to acquire, manage, out-grant, and dispose of real property and interests therein, including related personal property, for both military and civil works real property (under authorities granted to the Secretary of the Army by applicable sections of Title 10, Title 16, Title 30, Title 33, and Title 40, United States Code). This delegation serves as an interim measure to meet current mission requirements of the Memphis District Real Estate office until such time that the Real Estate office may be re-organized with branch chief positions to serve as Realty Officers." Additionally, the Real Estate Branch extended much appreciation to Mr. Donald Balch (MVD Chief of Real Estate) for his continued support to the Memphis District Real Estate Program. Congratulations, Josh! The Memphis District and Mississippi Valley Division are proud of you and can't wait to see all that you accomplishment during this next phase of your career!

    Lead Realty Specialist Joshua A. Neisen receives Level I Real Estate Contracting Officers Delegation of Authority

    Congratulations to Lead Realty Specialist Joshua A. Neisen as he receives his Level I Real Estate Contracting Officers Delegation of Authority. Delegating this authority, Real Estate Division Chief John T. Wilburn issued a memorandum stating, "I hereby delegate to Mr. Joshua Neisen, Lead Realty Specialist, Memphis District, Mississippi Valley Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Real Estate Contracting Officer authority within the limits established by this warrant and certificate of appointment to execute real estate contracts, deeds, and related documents to acquire, manage, out-grant, and dispose of real property and interests therein, including related personal property, for both military and civil works real property (under authorities granted to the Secretary of the Army by applicable sections of Title 10, Title 16, Title 30, Title 33, and Title 40, United States Code). This delegation serves as an interim measure to meet current mission requirements of the Memphis District Real Estate office until such time that the Real Estate office may be re-organized with branch chief positions to serve as Realty Officers." Additionally, the Real Estate Branch extended its appreciation to Mr. Donald Balch (MVD Chief of Real Estate) for his continued support to the Memphis District Real Estate Program.
  • IN THE PHOTO (to the right),Biologist Josh Koontz, Cost Engineer Max Gomez-Pedro, Design Engineer Chase Kesner, and Geotechnical Engineer Ben Tatum visit a potential borrow site with Bill Sheppard of Yazoo Mississippi Delta Board. (This was not the final borrow site.) Circled in red is poison ivy. The other two photos (to the left) are of the project area, specifically four miles of the Yazoo-Delta Levee System 21 – Segment 26. The $1.8 million job will construct three earthen berms to reduce seepage under the levee when river levels are high. (USACE Courtesy Photos)

    $1.8M contract awarded, add’ l protection for agriculture, communities

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Memphis District recently awarded a construction contract for a Seepage Remediation Project in Coahoma County, Sherard, Mississippi. The project will be accomplished in partnership with the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Levee Board of Mississippi and will address four miles of the Yazoo-Delta Levee system’s System 21 – Segment 26.

  • July

    Please join us in congratulating Mr. Danny Ward on his promotion to the role of Project Management Branch Chief!

    Congratulations, Danny Ward on your promotion!!

    Please join us in congratulating Mr. Danny Ward on his promotion to the role of Project Management Branch Chief! Danny’s career with the Corps began after working with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation for a year, and after graduating with a Master of Science degree from Arkansas State University. And while his career with the Corps began more than 20 years ago, Danny’s interest in the field is something that’s been present for as long as he can remember.  “I have been fascinated with all things water my entire life,” he said. “I naturally gravitated to pursuing an education and a career that would bring me close to water.”
  • IN THE PHOTO, Contractors work to rehabilitate existing relief wells in Crittenden County, Arkansas. To carry out relief well restoration, a contract for $741,423 was awarded to SYTE Corp., with a notice to proceed date of Sept. 22, 2021. The contract was administered by the Memphis District’s Wynne Area Office, and the project was declared substantially complete May 21, 2022. (Courtesy photo)

    Relief wells rehabbed, MR&T efficacy ensured

    A Memphis District Project Delivery Team recently completed work to rehabilitate 84 existing relief wells in Crittenden County, Arkansas. “Relief wells significantly reduce the likelihood of a levee breach during high water events,” Project Manager Mark Mazzone said. “Projects like this maintain and rehabilitate relief wells, and directly impact relief well performance and levee protection.”
  • IN THE PHOTOS, Work to construct 25 new relief wells in Scott County, Missouri. To execute the project, a contract for $1,630,303.15 was awarded to VuCon, LLC., in August 2018. The Below Commerce Mile 5 work area included the installation of 18 new relief wells and 8,100 feet of linear ditch construction or modification. The Below Commerce Mile 15 work area included the installation of 7 new relief wells and 120 feet of linear ditch construction or modification. (Courtesy Photos)

    Relief well installation project substantially complete

    A Memphis District Project Delivery Team recently completed work to construct 25 new relief wells in Scott County, Missouri. To execute the project, a contract for $1,630,303.15 was awarded to VuCon, LLC., in August 2018. The contract was administered by the Memphis District’s Caruthersville Area Office, and the job was declared substantially complete June 24, 2022.
  • IN THE PHOTO, Mississippi Valley Division Commander Maj. Gen. Diana Holland (second from left) presents Civil Hydraulic Engineer and recent retiree Don Davenport (third from left) with a Commander's Civilian Service Award during the Memphis District Townhall Meeting, June 1. Memphis District Commander Lt. Col. Robert Green (far left) and Deputy District Engineer for Programs and Project Management Donny Davidson (far right) joined the commander in congratulating Davenport on his retirement from service after an astounding 40 years with the Memphis District.

    A look back: Don Davenport’s 40 years of Service

    After 40 years of federal service working as an engineer with the Memphis District, Mr. Don Davenport is trying out another way of life: retirement. Congratulations to Mr. Davenport on concluding an extraordinary career – one with too many milestones to name, and several friendships made that are sure to last a lifetime.

  • June

    IN THE PHOTO, Representatives of Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company, International Port of Memphis and USACE. (Courtesy photo)

    Keeping the river open for business, dredging contract awarded

    The Memphis District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for keeping the Mississippi River open for commercial navigation year-round. One way the district does this is through contract dredging, which keeps the river channel at a depth that allows the river barge industry to dependably transport goods up and down the river. Ensuring the district delivers on this charge, the Memphis District recently awarded a contract in the amount of $7,335,450 to Great Lakes Dredge and Dock, LLC for the rental of a 24-inch hydraulic cutterhead dredge, discharge pipe, and attendant plant. The contract was awarded June 2, 2022, with an anticipated completion date of Feb. 28, 2023.
  • IN THE PHOTO, Some of these squares cast will likely be used on Armor 1 (the new Mat Sinking Unit), so it is imperative that all squares meet the contract specifications. With the Mat Sinking Unit stocked with ACM and ready to go, the district can continue to provide riverbank protection along with sound, navigable waters for the industries transporting goods up and down the river. (Courtesy photo)

    ACM casting project complete, revetment prepared for season ahead

    “The project is designed to supply the current Mat Sinking Unit with Articulated Concrete Mattress (ACM) to use for revetment to maintain a safe and reliable navigation channel for commercial towboats in the Mississippi River,” Project Manager Zach Cook said. “If the project were not completed, there could be failures or cutoffs on the Mississippi River banks.” Cook is describing the recently completed project named “Richardson Landing Articulated Concrete Mattress Casting – Mississippi River Channel Improvement Project” located at Richardson Landing, near Drummonds, Tennessee, Mississippi River Mile 769.
  • The Memphis District officially said farewell to Commander Col. Zachary Miller during a Relinquishment of Command Ceremony yesterday, June 16, 2022. At 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 16, several district employees travelled to Beale Street Landing in downtown Memphis. Mississippi Valley Division Commander Maj. Gen. Diana Holland presided over a Relinquishment of Command Ceremony, where District Commander Col. Zachary Miller relinquished command of the Memphis District to Deputy District Commander Lt. Col. Robert Green. (USACE photo by Public Affairs Specialist Jessica Haas)

    Memphis District farewells commander, Miller family

    The Memphis District officially said farewell to Commander Col. Zachary Miller during a Relinquishment of Command Ceremony yesterday, June 16, 2022. At 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 16, several district employees travelled to Beale Street Landing in downtown Memphis. Mississippi Valley Division Commander Maj. Gen. Diana Holland presided over a Relinquishment of Command Ceremony, where District Commander Col. Zachary Miller relinquished command of the Memphis District to Deputy District Commander Lt. Col. Robert Green. Lt. Col. Green will command the district until he transfers command to Col. Brian D. Sawser in an Assumption of Command Ceremony scheduled for late July.
  • Photos of Operation Mississippi Freedom, which consisted of a 28-day joint operation to repair the Ensley Engineer Yard’s partially sunken 161ft by 30ft bridge. The bridge is a vital piece of the Memphis District infrastructure. It is one of only two access points to the fleet of dredges and material barges that transport over 175 million tons of cargo along the Mississippi River. The Memphis District is directly responsible for servicing 355 miles of the Mississippi River watershed, and failure to maintain these operations could cost the nation over a billion dollars in fuel and shipping costs.

    Army Dive Team restores vital district asset

    “The highest risk and resource-intensive Mission Essential Task (MET) we collectively train on is port opening and harbor clearance,” 511th Engineer Dive Detachment Commander Cpt. Olivia Schretzman said. “If we do not provide accurate infrastructure assessments, open ports, repair bridge sections, or clear obstacles in inland waterways, we negatively impact all sustainment and maneuver operations. It is a no-fail mission.” Schretzman commands the 511th Engineer Dive Detachment, a 25-Soldier team that deploys worldwide, performing complex and dangerous engineer tasks at depths of up to 190 feet. Schretzman explained that simulating a damaged bridge is a difficult task, so when the Memphis District reached out for assistance, both parties would benefit from the job. “The Ensley Engineer Yard had a partially sunken bridge that needed repairs, and we needed high-intensity port opening training,” Schretzman said. “This operation became known as Operation Mississippi Freedom.”
  • Employee Spotlight: Work for Others Technical Manager Jordan Bledsoe

    Employee Spotlight: Work for Others Technical Manager Jordan Bledsoe

    “My grandfather had always said, ‘Get a job with the Corps’. That wasn’t always the goal, but funny to see how it worked out,” Jordan Bledsoe said. Bledsoe’s grandfather knew what he was talking about too, because he “actually built some of the levees in the St. Francis Basin, ultimately leading to the Huxtable Pumping Station.” Jordan Bledsoe didn’t know it at the time, but his grandfather had planted the seed that would eventually lead to his becoming the Engineering and Construction’s Work for Others (WFO) Technical Manager that he is today.

  • May

    Memphis District Biologist Andrea Carpenter Crowther collecting samples.

    Carpenter Crowther promoted to Project Management Branch Project Manager Supervisor

    Congratulations to Ms. Andrea Carpenter Crowther on her promotion to the Project Manager Supervisor position (Planning Team) in the Project Management Branch. 
  • .

    NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING Memphis Metropolitan Stormwater - North Desoto County, Mississippi

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will host a public meeting to inform the public and to solicit comments regarding the release of the revised draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement (DIFR-EIS) for the Memphis Metropolitan Stormwater-North DeSoto County Feasibility Study, DeSoto County, Mississippi. The study area lies in the Horn Lake Creek-Nonconnah and Coldwater River basins in DeSoto County, Mississippi.
  • Recognized by USAToday as the “Most Prestigious Barbecue Contest,” the four-day Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (WCBCC) took place from May 12th through the 14th this year. The Memphis District has been competing in this barbeque contest for years, with the Castle Cookers first participating in the WCBCC in 1991 as the Pork Barrel Barbecuers. This year made year 31, with the team for the Memphis District Corps of Engineers comprising of workers from all parts of the district. Memphis District Castle Cookers this year were: Program Analysis Officer Jennifer Thomas, Program Analyst Sara Waterbury, Program Analyst David Alverez, Outreach Coordinator Brian Schneider (Tomato Sauce and Poultry entries), Work for Others Technical Manager Jordan Bledsoe, Civil Engineer Morgan Cowles (Seafood entry), and Survey Boat Operator Brian Schafer (Crawfish).

    Castle Cookers serve up fellowship, camaraderie with BBQ at Memphis in May

    The Memphis District has been competing in this barbeque contest for years, with the Castle Cookers first participating in the WCBCC in 1991 as the Pork Barrel Barbecuers. This year made year 31, with the team for the Memphis District Corps of Engineers comprising of workers from all parts of the district. “We’re a ‘for us by us’ team, which plans, fundraises, cooks, serves, and competes in the Memphis in May (MIM) event every year,” Outreach Coordinator Brian Schneider explained.
  • Final Inspection with Contractor – L to R: Brenan Story – Luhr Bros. Inc, Contractor, Preston Snyder – Memphis District River Engineering Team Leader, Cole Stonebrook – Memphis District River Engineering Technical Lead, Steve Southern – Memphis District Construction Control Inspector, WAO, Landon Mills – Memphis District River Engineering Designer, Chase Arnold – Memphis District, CAO Office Engineer, Wyatt Story – Luhr Bros. Inc, Contractor

    Completed Below Island 9 Project to benefit navigation industry, public

    Congratulations to the Memphis District Below Island 9 Project Delivery Team for achieving total project completion on May 6, 2022. The project area, located in Lake County, Tennessee, was identified as a low water problem spot by local partners in the navigation industry. This area has been dredged by the Memphis District’s Dredge Hurley in 2020 and 2021, yet the problem spot persisted. To come up with a long term solve, a project delivery team came together to complete a dike construction project.
  • On Apr. 26, 2022, the Dredge Hurley and crew (currently 37 people total) departed its home port, Ensley Engineer Yard, for the 2022 dredging season. Their mission: To maintain navigable shipping lanes along the western rivers and inland waterways.

    Dredge Hurley kicks off 2022 season

    “We dredge to maintain these waterways and keep it open for commerce,” Dredge Hurley First Mate Kyle Collins said. “Millions of dollars’ worth of various commodities are transported up and down, and east to west, along these routes, and dredging keeps these lanes open and prevents closures along these trade routes.” On Apr. 26, the Dredge Hurley and crew (currently 37 people total) departed its home port, Ensley Engineer Yard, for the 2022 dredging season. Their mission: To maintain navigable shipping lanes along the western rivers and inland waterways. 
  • It all began in February of 1980, when the Memphis District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hired a young, energetic Memphis State University graduate. After spending some time as an intern, followed by a few years in the Inspections Section, this civil engineering major had decided to officially begin his 42-year-long career in the Geotechnical Engineering Branch. Fast forward to May of 2022, and that young man is now a newly retired (and already sorely missed) Geotechnical Design Section Supervisor, Mr. Norman ‘Chip’ Newman!

    A look back: Norman “Chip” Newman’s 42 years of service

    It all began in February of 1980, when the Memphis District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hired a young, energetic Memphis State University graduate. After spending some time as an intern, followed by a few years in the Inspections Section, this civil engineering major had decided to officially begin his 42-year-long career in the Geotechnical Engineering Branch. Fast forward to May of 2022, and that young man is now a newly retired (and already sorely missed) Geotechnical Design Section Supervisor, Mr.  Norman ‘Chip’ Newman!

  • April

    (L to R) Paralegal Specialist Evelyn J. McLaurin, Caruthersville Area Office Administrative Support Assistant Jennifer "Jen" Brooks, and Ensley Engineer Yard Support Assistant Lekendra Douglas. We appreciate them daily, but today (April 27, 2022) is the designated “National Administrative Professionals’ Day!” So, please make sure you thank your admin pro a few more times than you usually would (like, 20 times more, at least).

    Employee Spotlight: Memphis District Administrative Professionals

    Administrative Professionals are detail-oriented, organized, proactive, independent, adaptive, diligent, and maybe most importantly, they know how to handle a good amount of stress. As Engineering and Construction Administrative Specialist Tami Jacobs put it, “Without this one person, a whole lot of things do not, and would not get done, period.” We appreciate them daily, but today (April 27, 2022) is the designated “National Administrative Professionals’ Day!” So, please make sure you thank your admin pro a few more times than you usually would (like, 20 times more, at least).
  • IN THE PHOTO, Biologist John “Mike” Thron diving with the district dive team, exploring rivers from the bottom up.

    Employee Spotlight: Biologist John "Mike" Thron

    Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22, and serves as a reminder to protect the environment, restore damaged ecosystems, and live a more sustainable life. Protecting the environment is a key district initiative, and fortunately for us, we have Biologist John “Mike” Thron as our environmental champion.
  • The West Tennessee River Basin Authority and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Memphis District recently held a Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement Signing Ceremony to initiate a cost-shared feasibility study. The study aims to identify and evaluate alternatives and the preparation of a decision document that, as appropriate, recommends a coordinated and implementable solution for restoring aquatic and floodplain habitat along a 20-mile corridor from Reelfoot Lake and Lake Isom National Wildlife Refuge to the Obion River. (USACE photo by Vance Harris)

    NOTICE OF PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Memphis District (USACE) and the West Tennessee River Basin Authority (WTRBA) will host a general scoping meeting to solicit comments and information from the public regarding the Running Reelfoot Bayou, TN feasibility study. The study investigates National Ecosystem Restoration benefits related to restoring aquatic and floodplain habitat along the Running Reelfoot Bayou in Lake, Obion, and Dyer Counties, Tennessee. The meeting will be held on Thursday April 21, 2022, from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Lake County Circuit Court in Tiptonville, TN.