Jacksonville, Fla. (Jan. 3, 2011) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District awarded a contract to remove Culvert 14 from the Herbert Hoover Dike in Palm Beach County. The Corps awarded the $2,990,000 contract Dec. 30 to Optimum Services, Inc. of Okeechobee, Fla.
Originally constructed in the 1930's to provide irrigation and drainage to adjacent lands near the lake, Corps officials determined that Culvert 14, located north of Sand Cut, is no longer in use and will be removed as part of the Herbert Hoover Dike (HHD) Major Rehabilitation Project. Construction will include using temporary cofferdams, removing the landside and lakeside headwalls, removing the culvert barrel, and reconstruction of the embankment.
The goal of the rehabilitation of the HHD is to reduce risk to public safety and health. From a structural integrity perspective, culverts present additional challenges and the Corps will only repair or replace culverts if deemed necessary. Jacksonville District is reviewing the use of all HHD culverts as part of the dike rehabilitation. Built in the 1930s, some culverts are no longer in use today. Culvert 14, a single-barrel, ten-foot diameter metal pipe culvert structure, is no longer in use, has no permitted use, and does not appear to offer any prospect for future use.
“We’re committed to ensuring drainage and water supply capabilities that are currently provided to permitted users of the culverts,” Project Manager Tim Willadsen said. “We’re working closely with federal and local agencies and with landowners to try to ensure we collect all the necessary information to make our determinations.”
The Corps will not take action on other culverts until the National Environmental Policy Act process is complete. The Corps did address Culvert 14, however, in a HHD Environmental Assessment dated December 2007.
Release no. 11-01