Jacksonville District’s Deputy District Engineer Tim Murphy, along with personnel from the Antilles Area office, join Puerto Rico’s Gov. Roselló; Puerto Rico’s Resident Commissioner, Rep. Jenniffer González-Colón; and Tania Vazquez Rivera, Secretary of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources; during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Rio de La Plata flood control project, April 1, 2019, in Dorado, Puerto Rico. Photo: Richy Rosado
TEAM DIGS IN TO REDUCE STORM FLOOD RISKS
SUSAN JACKSON
The Corps’ Jacksonville District turned megatons of dirt and sand in the past year as it executed disaster recovery projects in Florida and Puerto Rico. And, by the end of this year, officials anticipate executing 60-plus contracts to keep the focus on reducing risk. Jacksonville District’s massive effort will make a significant difference in helping protect millions of people and their communities damaged by Hurricanes Maria and Irma. “This is an opportunity for us to make tomorrow better for many Americans, and we’re in warp drive to get the job done,” said Col. Drew Kelly, district commander. “From reducing risks to dozens of coastal communities in Florida, to massive inland flood damage reduction projects in storm-damaged Puerto Rico, these projects are improving the safety and quality of life for the citizens and communities that we serve, contributing to the economy, and putting people to work,” he said. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-123) and Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies (FCCE) funds are providing the district with roughly $4 billion 4
for disaster recovery work. The FCCE funds allowed teams to start repairs on federal risk reduction projects immediately. Six county shore projects are in various phases of work today and two more completed. The district completed the full restoration of the Duval County Shore Protection Project in January, placing sand on eight miles of critically eroded shoreline. The American Beach and Shore Association nationally recognized this project in May as one of the nation’s best-restored beaches for 2019. Outstanding teamwork led to finishing major back-to-back sand nourishments in the wake of two wicked hurricanes – Matthew in 2016 and Irma in 2017 – to ensure protection was in place before the following hurricane season. “The team’s emergency preparedness and response restored the beach in record time,” project manager Jason Harrah said. The team took advantage of existing beach construction contracts to cost-effectively make the repairs after Matthew, and again following Irma, he said. Innovation isn’t just a word; it’s a way of doing business to get extensive and challenging work done.
