SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District awarded a $1.68 million emergency contract to construct a temporary levee in Yauco, Puerto Rico Monday as part of its recovery efforts associated with Hurricane Maria.
The contract was awarded to BIM Contractors, LLC of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. It calls for construction of a temporary levee along a portion of the Yauco River to reduce flood risk for people living and working around the municipality of Yauco. Communities and farmlands near the river, including roadways, a police station and recreational facilities, were severely damaged by flooding caused by Hurricane Maria in September.
USACE anticipates the levee construction to be completed within three weeks.
“This is important work for the people of Yauco,” said Maj. Alexander Walker-Rodriguez, Jacksonville District Deputy Commander for the Antilles. “The contract calls for constructing a temporary levee in a portion of the south bank of the river that had eroded away. This will help reduce flood risk in the area.”
USACE currently has 25 mission assignments from FEMA to provide assistance in Puerto Rico, including Temporary Power, Power Repair, Temporary Roofing, Debris Removal/Technical Assistance, Infrastructure Assessment, among others. USACE subject matter experts have inspected 17 priority dams. While this levee construction is not a FEMA-assigned mission, the project will help in the overall effort to restore critical infrastructure on the Island.
For more information on USACE’s response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria, please visit this website: http://www.sad.usace.army.mil/Missions/Readiness-and-Contingency-Operations/.
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Release no. 17-066