MEMPHIS, Tenn., Sept. 6, 2007 – Work is slated to begin later this month on a U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers project to halt erosion downstream of the Oakland, Tenn., town sewage lagoon.
Head-cutting erosion has forced the town to relocate a sewage force main to a deeper depth and
threatens the existing sewage lagoon.
Col. Thomas P. Smith, commander of the Corps’ Memphis District, and Oakland Mayor Bill
Mullins signed a Project Cooperation Agreement late last month establishing an important partnership
and paving the way for Federal assistance.
“The Corps of Engineers is committed to helping local communities like Oakland meet their
important water resource needs whenever we can,” Col. Smith said. “We are very happy we can provide them with the engineering services they need to keep this vital part of their public infrastructure working safely.”
Work at Oakland will include building a stone riprap structure to protect the sewage facility and
prevent downstream erosion caused by the structure itself from affecting adjacent property owners.
The structure will be a 30 feet x 60 feet weir (a small overflow-type dam) with a blanket of riprap protection 100 feet long on one bank.
The cost of the project is currently $123,000 with $80,000 paid by the Federal government under
CAP and the balance paid by the Town of Oakland. Both U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and
U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., supported funding for this project.
Release no. 07-16