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  • September

    Staff with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) release the rescued manatee back into the St. Lucie Canal on August 13 after it was nursed to health.

    Port Mayaca lock operators play key role in rescue and rehabilitation of injured manatee

    March 15 started like so many other days for Jon Fields, a veteran lock operator at the Port Mayaca Lock & Dam on the east side of Lake Okeechobee in south Florida. As he was performing his pre-operation checks to begin the day, he noticed a manatee along the shore of the lake.
  • During small group breakout sessions on the second day of the Everglades Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area Summit, members discuss and plan action items and strategies for the management of invasive plants and animals in the coming year.

    Everglades invasive species management summit provides a call to action

    Jacksonville District team members along with a diverse group of 143 members attended the 2014 Everglades Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (ECISMA) Summit, July 23- 24 in Davie, Fla. to learn about recent efforts and plan for the upcoming year.
  • A monument stands in downtown Punta Gorda paying homage to the resilience of the town in the face of Hurricane Charley. “The Spirit of Punta Gorda” consists of two palm trees made of metal—one is bent to show the power of hurricane winds; the other is standing tall to show the strength of the people to survive the storm. A sundial is also built into the structure, fixed on 4:29 p.m.—the moment when the downtown clock stopped as the storm struck.

    A look back at the 2004 hurricane season

    The 2004 hurricane season was unlike any other season in the past century. Since hurricane records started being kept in the 1850s, it was the only time that four storms hit the state of Florida. It was also the first time since 1886, when Texas was hit, that four hurricanes had made landfall in the same state in one year.
  • With Tampa in the distance, dike construction continues at 3-D to increase its capacity to 15-million cubic yards for use in disposing Tampa Harbor Project dredged materials.

    Corps 3-D island provides haven for birds

    Every year, hundreds of birds flock to two manmade islands at the edge of Tampa Harbor’s federal navigation channel in Hillsborough Bay. The birds have found the islands, which are posted and protected from trespassers, to provide ideal conditions to safely court, nest and raise their young.
  • With proper management and planning, human progress can co-exist with the nurturing of precious wildlife.

    This job is, literally, for the birds!

    The Caspian Tern is the world’s largest tern, and although distributed worldwide, Florida has only five documented nesting locations, one of which is DMPF- 3D! The excellent cooperation from all workers in strictly following the many management tools has given us glorious success.
  • Construction was completed on the first contract for the C-44 Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area project July 31. Once completed, the project will serve a vital role in storing and treating local basin run-off.

    Corps completes construction on first contract for Indian River Lagoon-South project

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District, completed construction on its first contract for a substantial Everglades restoration project in Martin County, Fla., July 31. The project, known as the C-44 Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) project, is the first component of the multi-billion dollar Indian River Lagoon-South project that will serve a vital role in storing and treating local basin run-off.

  • August

    Employees of Army Corps of Engineers contractor Gator Dredging of Clearwater, Florida, discovered a prisoner of war bracelet, belonging to Maj. Glenn H. Wilson, during dredging operations at Stevenson Creek and returned the bracelet to the late officer’s family.

    From a POW wristband, a journey surfaces with many twists

    It was an unusual treasure the Stevenson Creek dredging contractor found – a Vietnam-era prisoner of war (POW) wristband. Employees of Gator Dredging of Clearwater, Florida discovered the bracelet when their hydraulic barge’s hose sucked it from the creek during dredging operations.

  • July

    Eric Bush, chief of the Planning and Policy Division (left) and Col. Alan Dodd, district commander (right) present Patrice Morey with the 2014 Professional Analytical Employee of the Year award. “Patrice demonstrates the highest personal standards of quality and integrity,” said Bush.

    Morey’s ability to communicate through graphics provides invaluable service

    Behind the scenes at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, technical writer/editor Patrice Morey is busy working with her teammates to effectively communicate intricate plans through the informational products and graphics she creates and the edits she provides to technical reports.
  • Ellen Smith, gym and wellness teacher at Gove Elementary School in Belle Glade, Florida welcomes Bobber the Water Safety Dog to her class.

    Corps water safety volunteers save lives

    This is the first year Bill and Jamie Wagner have volunteered in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ water safety program, but they put on a show that leaves a lasting impression.
  • Water flows from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee River at the Moore Haven lock and dam. Flows during 2014 have been much closer to normal following heavy precipitation at the beginning of the 2013 wet season.

    Water managers prepare for wet season

    An early start to the wet season in 2013 kept the lake from dropping below 13 feet – its lowest point last year was 13.29 feet on May 27. The loss of water storage capacity became evident when the lake started rising, and the district was left with little choice but to discharge the water in case a tropical system developed that would result in additional heavy rains.

  • Congress authorizes eight Jacksonville District projects

    Eight U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District projects that will provide critical infrastructure to local ports and ecosystem restoration efforts in Florida received approval as part of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) of 2014, which was signed by President Barack Obama June 10.
  • The Florida II in port, as it awaits another mission.

    Florida II provides capability to perform important archaeological research

    The Florida II is a survey vessel, but it has the capability to provide much more information than just water depth. The design specifications and specialized equipment it carries make it possible to do many different types of surveys, and suitable for underwater archaeological research.
  • Acropora cervicornis (staghorn coral, an endangered species), relocated by CSA Ocean Sciences, Inc. scientific divers, seems to be adjusting. GPS coordinates will guide monitors directly to the relocation sites.

    Corps makes good progress on Miami Harbor project

    Progress is moving swiftly with the Miami Harbor deepening and widening project, including the successful construction of artificial reefs and relocation of about 1,000 healthy corals.

  • June

    Eight Jacksonville District projects received congressional authorization June 10.

    Eight Jacksonville District projects receive congressional authorization

    Eight U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District projects that will provide critical infrastructure to local ports and ecosystem restoration efforts in Florida received approval as part of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) of 2014, which was signed into law June 10.
  • Debbie Wegmann, chief of Regulatory Division’s Special Projects and Enforcement Branch, discusses mitigation banking at a two-day workshop in Jacksonville, hosted by the Florida Association of Mitigation Banking.

    Regulatory Division introduces new mitigation bank tools

    At a workshop hosted by the Florida Association of Mitigation Banking (FAMB) workshop, held April 24-25 in Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville District’s Regulatory Division provided information and introduced new Prospectus and Mitigation Banking Instrument (MBI) templates to nearly 50 banking representatives in attendance.
  • The Atlantic Beach Hotel and pier were devastated by the impacts of Hurricane Dora. The storm lingered off the Atlantic coast for nearly 24 hours, allowing winds to drive the storm surge to a point 10 feet above normal tide.

    Dora: A look back

    Finally, on Sept. 10, 1964, Hurricane Dora roared ashore, causing widespread damage in Jacksonville and becoming the only hurricane to strike northeast Florida in the 20th century.

  • District responds following Florida Panhandle storms

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District initiated emergency permitting procedures in response to conditions resulting from the April 2014 storm that affected the Florida Panhandle. The emergency permitting procedures will be in effect through October 2014.
  • As her school bus arrives at a project site at Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico, a first grade student from Antilles Elementary School views the solar panels that were installed by Fort Buchanan’s Environmental Division as an alternative energy source.

    Antilles students learn about harnessing nature’s power

    Antilles Elementary School students at Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico had the unique opportunity to make an up-close-and-personal visit to local U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project sites, in a follow up activity to a recent classroom presentation by members of the Antilles team (please see page 3 of the May issue of JaxStrong for more on the classroom presentation). The April 22 field trip was the second phase of a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) initiative, co-sponsored by Jacksonville District and the Department of Defense Education Activity, to encourage students to pursue education and eventual careers in those fields.
  • Mark Claudio serves the nation as a lock operator and the “face of the Corps” at the St. Lucie Lock and Dam on the Okeechobee Waterway.

    Corps team members live the Army Values

    One man grew up in a small town in Virginia and the other was raised near New York City. Despite the differences in their backgrounds, they became men of remarkably similar character. Each embodies the all-encompassing Army value of honor. Many say they live all of the Army values – loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage every day.
  • Jacksonville District’s Haiti Feeder Rural Road team performed a site assessment for Mahotiere Road, in the Kenscoff region of Haiti, outside Port-au-Prince. Pictured left to right are Tony Smith, Edwin Cuebas, Pierre Massena, Stephen Meyer, Crystal Markley and Edgardo Velez.

    Corps of Engineers takes the road less traveled to assist in rebuilding Haiti

    USAID called on the expertise of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, to assist in rehabilitating and improving more than 150 kilometers of rural roads in Haiti. Poorly designed, constructed and maintained feeder rural roads (FRR) are a major constraint to agriculture development in Haiti. High transport costs and significant spoilage due to the poor condition of roads in Haiti have reduced competitiveness in domestic and regional markets.