Project Managers Jason Dickard, P.E., and Jase Ray, E.I. and their project delivery team successfully completed the Island 8 Parcel 2, Seepage Remediation Project in partnership with Fulton County, Kentucky Board of Levee Commissioners, and contractor Jerry B. Young Construction, May 30, 2025.
The Island 8 Parcel 2, Seepage Remediation Project ensures the integrity of the Mississippi River levee embankment during flood events, reducing the risks to both life safety and property in Fulton County, Kentucky, as well as surrounding communities, including Lake County, Obion County and Dyer County, Tennessee.
The project installed 79 relief wells discharging into 12,000 linear feet of subsurface piping, 1900 linear feet of new drainage ditches, five culvert replacements, and executed 1.6 miles of clearing along Running Slough. The newly installed relief wells prevent levee under seepage and sand boils by collecting and draining the water in a safe, controlled manner.
Sand boils, which typically occur on the landside of a levee, are a sign that water pressure is building up beneath the levee, and that water is finding a weak spot to seep up through the soil. This seepage through the levee foundation which can look like bubbling or boiling on the surface, hence the name "sand boil", can progress to a levee breach.
As we continually and proudly emphasize, the Memphis District does not WIN at successful project delivery on its own. We rely heavily on our great partners like the Fulton County, Kentucky Board of Levee Commissioners, and contractor Jerry B. Young Construction to deliver great projects like this one.
As Engineers for the Region and Nation, the Memphis District is always part of a larger team of partners. "Winning with our partners" is a core Memphis District approach that’s centered on cultivating mutually beneficial partnerships characterized by shared success, collaborative relationships, and long-term value creation for America.