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Category: Memphis District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
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  • July

    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.”