30 Sep 2020

System 12 Slope Flattening Project contract awarded

Congratulations to the System 12 Slope Flattening Project Delivery Team for reaching its Contract Award milestone. The PDT awarded the contract to SYTE Corporation on September 22. The work consists of furnishing all plant, labor and materials for flattening the slope for a 5,700-foot section of levee by placement of compacted fill.

23 Sep 2020

PDT awards drainage channel cleanout contract

Congratulations to the Iron Mines Creek Channel Cleanout Project Delivery Team (PDT). The PDT recently reached its contract award milestone, awarding the contract to small business contractor Innovative Performance Construction. Work on the contract includes the cleanout of 3.9 miles of the Iron Mines Creek channel located in Marked Tree, Poinsett County, Arkansas.

4 Sep 2020

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.

31 Aug 2020

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.

5 Aug 2020

Corps to resurface 15 miles of White River Backwater levee

The White River Backwater Levee Gravel Resurfacing Project Delivery Team (PDT) recently celebrated reaching their project’s Contract Award milestone. They awarded the contract to A-Rock Construction which will resurface 15 miles of the White River Backwater levee in Phillips and Monroe Counties, Arkansas. This maintenance work on the levee’s crown provides safe and reliable access for vehicles and monitoring levee conditions.

4 Aug 2020

110 miles of levee to be resurfaced in the St. Francis Basin

Working with our local project Partner, the St. Francis Levee District of Arkansas, the St. Francis River Gravel Resurfacing Project Delivery Team (PDT) has advanced their project to the Contract Award milestone. They awarded an $8,353,877 contract to JLC Trucking to resurface 110 miles of levee in Cross, Poinsett, Craighead, and Mississippi Counties in Arkansas. This important contract maintenance work provides safe and reliable access for vehicles and monitoring levee conditions.

4 Aug 2020

Levee in Lee County, Arkansas to be resurfaced

The Arkansas Levee Gravel Resurfacing Project Delivery Team (PDT) celebrated reaching their project’s Contract Award milestone on July 28. They awarded the $2,631,978 contract to Polk & Associates LLC which will resurface approximately 21 miles of the mainline Mississippi River Levee in Lee County, Arkansas. This maintenance of the levee’s crown provides safe and reliable access for vehicles and monitoring levee conditions.

4 Aug 2020

Levee in New Madrid getting resurfaced

Conquering a milestone is a big deal for our project delivery teams (PDT). On July 28, the Missouri Levee Gravel Resurfacing PDT celebrated reaching the significant Contract Award project milestone. They awarded the $1,983,466 contract to Better by Design which will resurface approximately 22 miles of the mainline Mississippi River Levee in New Madrid, Missouri. This maintenance on the levee’s crown provides safe and reliable access for vehicles and monitoring levee conditions.

31 Jul 2020

Contract awarded for Big Slough Channel Restoration project

The Big Slough Channel Restoration project delivery team (PDT) members are feeling pretty good because they’ve reached the significant Contract Award milestone on their project. They awarded the contract to Polk & Associates, LLC.

22 Jul 2020

District reaches important milestone on Ditch 251 cleanout project

While we humans are not that fond of change, we have an amazing ability to adapt to change. Adaptability is a strength the Caruthersville Area Office (CAO) and our Project Delivery Teams (PDT) quickly leveraged when they had to switched to virtual pre-construction conferences to continue pushing projects forward. Five months into COVID-19 pandemic working conditions, virtual pre-construction conferences are the new normal—for now. On July 15, the CAO and PDT members held a virtual pre-construction conference to kick-off work on the Ditch 251 Lower Channel Cleanout project. The purpose of pre-construction conferences is to kick-off the project with a “face-to-face” meeting of key members from the contractor, Federal Government, and project partner to achieve a clear and mutual understanding of all contract requirements and to identify and resolve potential problems.

10 Jul 2020

Keeping a commitment to the environment

The Memphis District has a team of scientific divers experienced in qualitative and quantitative freshwater mussel surveys and aquatic habitat investigations. The team conducts surveys in large and small rivers and various aquatic habitats throughout the country. On July 7, the dive team performed a survey in Iron Mines Creek in Marked Tree, Ark. as part of an environmental impact assessment for a creek cleanout project.

24 Jun 2020

District holds virtual preconstruction conference for West Basin Scour repairs

Learning to love virtual meetings and conferences in the age of COVID-19 is a challenge that takes adaptability, professionalism, and a keen focus on the task at hand. That’s what the Caruthersville Area Office team learned on June 19 as they worked through a few technical issues to successfully host the West Basin Scour Repair project virtual preconstruction conference with contractor SYTE Corporation. Despite the occasional virtual meeting technical issue and COVID-19 working conditions, Memphis District team members continue to successfully execute the largest program in the District’s history. A part of this program is the West Basin Scour Repair Project, Phase 3 which will repair three scour site locations along the right descending bank of the West Basin Levee, Headwater Diversion Channel in Bollinger County, Mo. The contractor, SYTE Corporation, will stabilize the scour locations with rip-rap in order to restore the channel to pre-flood conditions. This is Phase 3 of 5 planned scour repair projects designed to protect the West Basin Levee.

19 Jun 2020

Grand Prairie Widened Canal Project pre-final inspection

Congratulations to the Memphis District Grand Prairie Widened Canal Project Delivery Team (PDT) for reaching their Pre-final Inspection milestone. On June 17, PDT members met on-site with contractor Southern Contracting to inspect construction work and develop a punch list of remaining items required to finish construction.

17 Jun 2020

Oldtown Seepage Remediation Project site showing

Working remotely from their separate homes, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but in concert towards the same goal, the Oldtown Seepage Remediation Project Delivery Team (PDT) successfully reached their Site Showing milestone. The PDT held the project site showing on June 11 in Helena, Ark., which helped contract bidders familiarize themselves with the geographical area and work associated with the project.

12 Jun 2020

Yazoo Levee Seepage Remediation PDT awards contract

Congratulations to the Yazoo Levee Seepage Remediation PDT for reaching their contract award milestone. They recently awarded the contract to sure-up the integrity of the levee in Commerce, Miss. to the Syte Corporation. The contract work consist of installing 30 relief wells and extending the seepage berm 2,700 feet. The seepage berm extension and relief well installations will help reduce water seepage under the levee which could weaken the integrity of the levee and the overall flood protection system.

8 Jun 2020

Harbor dredging contract awarded

Congratulations to the Harbor Dredging Project Delivery Team (PDT) for awarding the contract to dredge four local harbors: Elvis Stahr Harbor in Hickman, Ky.; Memphis Harbor-McKellar Lake and Wolf River Harbor in Memphis, Tenn.; and Helena Harbor in Phillips County, Ark.

29 May 2020

PDT conducts first virtual VE study work session

The Slope Flattening Project Delivery Team (PDT) recently conducted the first virtual value engineering (VE) study work session with team member Neal Newman, who happens to be one of only 12 certified value specialists in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

28 May 2020

Virtual PDT awards contract for Island 18 Phase 5 project ahead of schedule

Despite being new to virtual teamwork, the Island 18 Phase 5 Project Delivery Team (PDT) performed exceptionally well and exceeded expectations when they reached their Contract Award milestone on May 20, ahead of schedule.

25 May 2020

Memorial Day: Remembering Memphis District employees who made the ultimate sacrifice

Today is Memorial Day. For 152 years, America has set aside a day to pay tribute to our Patriots who gave their last full measure of devotion for this country. This Memorial Day, we remember three Memphis District employees who were among the 405,399 who made the ultimate sacrifice while fighting in World War II. 1st Lt. Reeves S. Carper, 2nd Lt. John F. McIntyre, and 1st Lt. Arch R. Ponder left their jobs, co-workers, families, and friends here in Memphis to train and travel overseas to join the fight.

22 May 2020

Virtual PDT reaches Contract Award milestone ahead of schedule

When the COVID-19 pandemic required the Memphis District to mass telework, our Project Delivery Teams (PDT) suddenly became virtual teams. With the sudden pivot to virtual teamwork, you might expect a lag in PDT performance. However, despite their lack of experience as a virtual team, the Mellwood Seepage Remediation PDT quickly adjusted to remote teamwork and reached their Contract Award milestone, on May 19, ahead of schedule.