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  • September

    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contractors in Lake Charles, Louisiana, installed reinforced plastic sheeting today, Sept. 5, for the first home to benefit from Operation Blue Roof since Hurricane Laura. The program, managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency, reduces further damage to property until permanent repairs can be made. This is a free service to homeowners. Parties affected by Hurricane Laura are encouraged to submit a Right-of-Entry application. To learn more about Operation Blue Roof and to apply, visit: https://www.usace.army.mil/BlueRoof/ (USACE Photos by Jessica Haas)

    First temporary ‘Blue Roof’ a success

    “The governor happened to have a news conference and my wife said, well what about the blue roofs?” Duhon said. “She gave me the information and I got online and registered and here we are today.” The purpose of the program is to provide homeowners in disaster areas with fiber-reinforced sheeting to cover damaged roofs until permanent repairs can be made. The deadline to sign up for the Blue Roof Program is Sept. 21. Don't wait!
  • Farrenburg Levee Phase 5 project

    District awards contract for Farrenburg Levee Phase 5 project

    Congratulations to the Farrenburg Levee Phase 5 Project Delivery Team (PDT) for advancing their project to the important Contract Award milestone. The team awarded the contract to VuCon, LLC. on August 30. Work the contractor will perform consists of replacing two culverts, which have reached their life expectancy,  that cross under the Farrenbeurg Levee, closing a gap in the levee and raising sections of the levee to the authorized grade. Drainage infrastructure like this is a vital part of the overall levee protection system.

  • August

    Virtual pre-construction conference for the Ditch 251 Upper Channel Cleanout project.

    District conducts successful ditch cleanout project pre-construction conference

    While they’d rather have the face-to-face variety, the Caruthersville Area Office (CAO) team is highly successful at conducting effective virtual pre-construction conferences made necessary by the COVID-19 pandemic. On August 25, CAO successfully conducted a virtual pre-construction conference for the Ditch 251 Upper Channel Cleanout project. This critical $8,890,292 cleanout project is to return a 30-mile reach of Ditch 251 to its authorized level of flood protection.
  • Members of our Emergency Power Planning and Response Team pose for a quick picture before getting to work. The Memphis District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers deployed an Emergency Power Planning and Response Team (PRT) to support FEMA's Hurricane Laura relief efforts, Aug 26.

    Memphis Team deployed to Louisiana in support of Hurricane Laura relief efforts

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis District deployed a 13-member Emergency Power Planning and Response Team (PRT) to support Federal Emergency Management Agency's Hurricane Laura response, on Aug 26.
  • IN THE PHOTOS, Dredge Hurley Ship Keeper Curtis Williams a.k.a. “Lil Wolf” as a child all the way up to his time working on the dredges Burgess and Hurley.

    A look back: Williams' 30+ years of service

    "If you walk around this vessel, chances are you will find him working somewhere around here, even when he is off the watch," Dredge Hurley Assistant Master Tim Tucker said. "We sometimes have to make him stop to go to his room to relax after a long day. If some of the kids coming out of high school these days would show up with half of the work ethic that he has, we would really get a lot more done." Tucker is describing Curtis Williams, who is also known by many on the dredge as "Lil Wolf". Williams is the Dredge Hurley's ship keeper and has been with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a little more than 30 years.