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  • 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.
  • 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.”

  • May

    Memphis District Biologist Andrea Carpenter Crowther collecting samples.

    Carpenter Crowther promoted to Project Management Branch Project Manager Supervisor

    Congratulations to Ms. Andrea Carpenter Crowther on her promotion to the Project Manager Supervisor position (Planning Team) in the Project Management Branch. 
  • Recognized by USAToday as the “Most Prestigious Barbecue Contest,” the four-day Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (WCBCC) took place from May 12th through the 14th this year. The Memphis District has been competing in this barbeque contest for years, with the Castle Cookers first participating in the WCBCC in 1991 as the Pork Barrel Barbecuers. This year made year 31, with the team for the Memphis District Corps of Engineers comprising of workers from all parts of the district. Memphis District Castle Cookers this year were: Program Analysis Officer Jennifer Thomas, Program Analyst Sara Waterbury, Program Analyst David Alverez, Outreach Coordinator Brian Schneider (Tomato Sauce and Poultry entries), Work for Others Technical Manager Jordan Bledsoe, Civil Engineer Morgan Cowles (Seafood entry), and Survey Boat Operator Brian Schafer (Crawfish).

    Castle Cookers serve up fellowship, camaraderie with BBQ at Memphis in May

    The Memphis District has been competing in this barbeque contest for years, with the Castle Cookers first participating in the WCBCC in 1991 as the Pork Barrel Barbecuers. This year made year 31, with the team for the Memphis District Corps of Engineers comprising of workers from all parts of the district. “We’re a ‘for us by us’ team, which plans, fundraises, cooks, serves, and competes in the Memphis in May (MIM) event every year,” Outreach Coordinator Brian Schneider explained.

  • April

    The West Tennessee River Basin Authority and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Memphis District recently held a Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement Signing Ceremony to initiate a cost-shared feasibility study. The study aims to identify and evaluate alternatives and the preparation of a decision document that, as appropriate, recommends a coordinated and implementable solution for restoring aquatic and floodplain habitat along a 20-mile corridor from Reelfoot Lake and Lake Isom National Wildlife Refuge to the Obion River. (USACE photo by Vance Harris)

    NOTICE OF PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Memphis District (USACE) and the West Tennessee River Basin Authority (WTRBA) will host a general scoping meeting to solicit comments and information from the public regarding the Running Reelfoot Bayou, TN feasibility study. The study investigates National Ecosystem Restoration benefits related to restoring aquatic and floodplain habitat along the Running Reelfoot Bayou in Lake, Obion, and Dyer Counties, Tennessee. The meeting will be held on Thursday April 21, 2022, from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Lake County Circuit Court in Tiptonville, TN.