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Corps completes Randolph-Hatchie project

#MemphisDistrictMovingDirt

Published Sept. 12, 2019
Final inspection with the contractor

Final inspection with the contractor: (l to r) Project designer Cole Stonebrook, Memphis District River Engineering team; Houston Castle, Luhr Bros., Inc.; and Memphis District’s Del Warfield, Construction Branch; Steve Kuykendall, quality assurance representative; J.R. Holloway, Construction Branch; Shaheen Mokhtari Construction Branch; and Jack Ratliff, administrative contracting officer.

Randolph-Hatchie Towhead Dike Construction

Randolph-Hatchie Towhead Dike Construction

The Memphis District completed final stone placement and final inspection for the Randolph-Hatchie Towhead Dike Construction project on Sep. 6. The project, located in Tipton County, Tennessee at Mississippi River mile 772, upstream of Richardson Landing Casting Field assists in maintaining a safe and reliable navigation channel for commercial towboats traveling on this particular area of the river. The District completed the $4.9 million Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T) Project funded work as part of its navigation channel improvement responsibilities.

Unaddressed, navigation channel conditions would worsen and negatively impact the transport of commercial items such as grain, petroleum, and other goods. Towboats transport about 175 million tons of cargo by barge through the Memphis District's reach (355 miles) of the river each year. Because of the savings involved with barging bulk goods, a reliable commercial navigation channel in the river saves the Nation over a billion dollars each year in fuel and shipping costs.

The Memphis District River Engineering team designed the project with construction administration performed by its Construction Branch and Caruthersville Area Office. Contract work was performed by Luhr Bros., Inc. of Columbia, Illinois. The contract was initially awarded by the Contracting Division in August 2018, but start of work was delayed until August 2019 due to flooding and extended high water conditions.