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Tag: Mississippi River
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  • May

    New Orleans to Venice by way of Memphis

    In line with USACE’s top priority, public safety, the Memphis District is part of a huge undertaking to design, procure, and construct hurricane and storm risk reduction features and ensure the Mississippi River remains viable from New Orleans to Venice, Louisiana.
  • April

    Contract awarded for Mississippi River dike construction near Helena, Arkansas

    Congratulations to the Memphis District for reaching a major project milestone on March 8, 2023, and for awarding a task order for dike construction at Below Walnut Bend and Shoofly Bar near Helena, Arkansas. The project delivery team awarded the task order via the Mississippi River Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC), with $6,055,440 going to contractor Pine Bluff Sand and Gravel Company from Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Contract funding came from the Disaster Relief Supplemental Act of 2022 (DRSAA) provided by Congress in late 2021. “This work is critical to helping maintain the navigation channel crossing in this reach of the river and we are thankful for the continued investment being made by Congress in our river infrastructure,” Memphis District Channel Improvement Project Manager Zach Cook said.   
  • February

    Memphis District's Dredge Hurley returns home ending most productive, longest season on record

    The Memphis District’s Dredge Hurley returned to its home port, Ensley Engineer Yard in Memphis Harbor on Jan. 13, 2023, after finishing a record-breaking 273-day season, which began Apr. 26, 2022. In those eight and a half months, the 36-person crew dredged 14.5 million cubic yards of material, which is the most the Dredge Hurley has ever removed in a single season.
  • Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds awarded for vital New Madrid boat ramp repairs

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Memphis District awarded Graylee Construction and Demolition from Ward, Arkansas, a contract to rehabilitate and repair the New Madrid City Front Boat Ramp located on the Mississippi River at approximate River Mile 889. The city of New Madrid, Missouri, and St. John's Levee and Drainage District are partners on this vital project.
  • December

    Employee of the Month: Congrats, Tommy!

    Congratulations to Machinist Tommy Reed on his selection as the November Memphis District Employee of the Month!
  • November

    Piney Creek: Feasibility study complete, construction on horizon

    The Memphis District recently finalized the feasibility study phase of the Piney Creek Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Project. The study, conducted in accordance with Section 206 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996, identified and evaluated alternatives in a decision document that recommended a coordinated and implementable solution for restoring aquatic ecosystem of Piney Creek.
  • September

    $6.8M awarded for dike construction, river navigation improvements

    Luhr Bros., Inc. of Columbia, Illinois, was awarded a construction contract on Sept. 9 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis District, to perform dike construction and maintenance along the Mississippi River near Memphis, Tennessee.
  • Contract awarded, $6 million IIJA funds towards addt'l Miss River revetment repairs

    The Memphis District recently awarded a contract, Aug. 10,  to perform revetment stone repairs at Below Knowlton, near Crumrod, Arkansas, (River Mile 619).  Through this contract, the Corps will partner with Commercial Towing Interests, represented by the Lower Mississippi River Committee (LOMRC), to complete a $6,084,400 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)-funded project.
  • Memphis District’s first IIJA-funded project complete

    The Memphis District recently finished the first Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funded construction project on the Mississippi River near Caruthersville, Missouri. The Corps partnered with the Lower Mississippi River Committee (LOMRC) and commercial towing industry to complete the $1.15 million revetment maintenance project at Little Cypress near Mississippi River Mile 863. “Work consisted of placing approximately 43 thousand tons of “Graded Stone C (400 pound maximum stone size)” to repair seven riverbank failures along an approximate 4-mile reach of the existing revetted riverbank,” Project Manager Zach Cook added. “Work started on August 13 and was completed in two weeks."
  • Teamwork protects land, “helps ensure Mississippi River does not try to change course”

    The Memphis District's Revetment Branch and Metals Units recently finalized a flapgate repair on what’s called the “Fritz Landing Culvert” in Lake County, Tennessee, in August 2022. Their hard work and collaboration will undoubtedly result in the extended protection of almost 7 thousand acres of land. Additionally, this project will contribute to decreasing the Mississippi River’s meandering ways, and thus safeguard many surrounding localities for many, many years to come.
  • August

    $1.8M contract awarded, add’ l protection for agriculture, communities

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Memphis District recently awarded a construction contract for a Seepage Remediation Project in Coahoma County, Sherard, Mississippi. The project will be accomplished in partnership with the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Levee Board of Mississippi and will address four miles of the Yazoo-Delta Levee system’s System 21 – Segment 26.
  • June

    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.
  • 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.
  • 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

    Completed Below Island 9 Project to benefit navigation industry, public

    Congratulations to the Memphis District Below Island 9 Project Delivery Team for achieving total project completion on May 6, 2022. The project area, located in Lake County, Tennessee, was identified as a low water problem spot by local partners in the navigation industry. This area has been dredged by the Memphis District’s Dredge Hurley in 2020 and 2021, yet the problem spot persisted. To come up with a long term solve, a project delivery team came together to complete a dike construction project.
  • February

    Sam Tucker: A 1927 Mississippi River Flood Hero

    The Great Mississippi River Flood of 1927 has its related stories of heroism. Sam Tucker was one of those heroes, but his story of bravery went left untold for many years. While he became a contemporary hero among his fellow Blacks, his acts were never made public until 1972, when a history book author began picking up bits and pieces of it. Tucker, now retired from the Memphis District, had been working on the levee just above Laconia Circle. On the evening of April 21, Tucker was the only man willing to risk his life trying to save others. This is his story.
  • November

    Dredge Hurley returns after completing impressive season

    The Memphis District’s Dredge Hurley was welcomed home after returning to its home port, Ensley Engineer Yard in Memphis Harbor, Sunday morning, Nov. 21. Their homecoming signifies the end of yet another highly productive dredging season. The Hurley started this season May 3. And in just over six months’ time, the crew dredged several hundred miles of the Lower Mississippi River.     
  • June

    Memphis District employee proud of Valedictorian daughter

    The Memphis District prides itself on the many achievements made by our employees throughout the year. Not only that, but we consider it especially valuable when employees and their family members experience greatness for their hard work outside of the district. Recently the district had a very special reason to celebrate. Erika Wallace, daughter of M/V Mississippi Machinery Mechanic Ervin Wallace, just graduated from Frederick Douglass Public High School as Valedictorian, with an astounding 4.4 GPA.
  • May

    Remembering a Memphis District hero, brother

    The Memphis District and Chasteen family recently lost a beloved member to a hard-fought battle with cancer. Darian Chasteen, who most recently held the Hydraulics and Hydrology Branch Deputy Chief title, passed away on May 7, 2021. While no longer physically with us, his legacy will forever live on. Chasteen served more than 30 years with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis District. During that time, he made many friends and touched numerous lives. In honor of his life and the contributions he made, we take a look back at his life, happy and thankful to have known such a person.
  • Forked Deer Hard Points repair construction complete

    "The Memphis District is responsible for maintaining a safe and dependable Mississippi River navigation channel to a minimum of 9 feet deep and 300 feet wide at all times and at all river stages," Project Manager Mark Mazzone said. That's why projects like this, the Mississippi River Channel Improvement Stone Repairs Task Order – Forked Deer Hard Points Repair, are so essential to execute as needed.