17 Mar 2020

Memo from the Director of Contracting re: COVID-19

For USACE Contractors, As the Director of Contracting for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, I wanted to personally reach out to all of you and let you know that we are actively monitoring the situation in regards to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Attached is the guidance we received on planning for potential Novel Coronavirus Contract Impacts.

12 Mar 2020

USACE continues work on LORS deviation

After he took charge of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District in 2018, Col. Andrew Kelly charged his team to look for tools that would offer different options for the management of water in Lake Okeechobee during times when harmful algal blooms (HABs) were present. Significant HAB events affected Lake Okeechobee and the coastal estuaries in 2016 and 2018. Jacksonville District engineers and biologists reviewed the Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule (LORS) and looked for potential tools to adjust operations in anticipation of possible future HAB events. Last summer, Jacksonville District rolled out a proposed deviation to LORS that would provide greater flexibility in the management of water with the goal of reducing the health risk to the public associated with HABs.

19 Dec 2019

USACE updates dry-season approach for Lake Okeechobee

The water management team at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is now focused on the year ahead and the challenges that we face. Unlike last year, our focus this year will be on retaining water during the dry season.

27 Nov 2019

A successful year for Lake Okeechobee

At this time last year, Jacksonville District was a month into executing operational flexibility for Lake Okeechobee aimed at drawing the lake down. What a difference a year makes.

26 Jul 2019

La limpieza de municiones en Culebra avanza, aumentando la seguridad para su uso recreativo

Culebra, una isla ubicada a 17 millas al este de la isla principal de Puerto Rico, es conocida por sus arenas blancas y suaves, lo que la convierte en un lugar de vacaciones favorito para los turistas que buscan bucear y encontrar tesoros en sus aguas. Desafortunadamente, algunos de esos tesoros pueden ser en realidad municiones sin explotar debido a la historia de la isla. El Cuerpo de Ingenieros del Ejército de los EE. UU. (USACE) Ejecuta el programa FUDS en nombre del Ejército y el Departamento de Defensa. La isla Culebra es parte del inventario de FUDS y el Distrito de Jacksonville de USACE es responsable de la gestión diaria y la limpieza de municiones en las partes de la isla donde está autorizado.

25 Jul 2019

Munitions cleanup on Culebra advances, increasing safety for public recreational use

Culebra Island, located 17 miles east of Puerto Rico’s main island, is known for its white, soft sands, which makes it a favorite vacationing spot for tourists seeking to snorkel and find treasures in its waters. Unfortunately, some of those treasures may actually be unexploded ordnance due to the island’s history. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers executes the FUDS program on behalf of the U.S. Army and Department of Defense. Culebra Island is part of the FUDS inventory and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District is responsible for the day to day management and clean-up of munitions on the portions of the island where authorized.

31 May 2019

Los trabajos a la Represa Guajataca, ejemplo de multiples agencias trabajando en equipo

En Septiembre del 2017, el Huracán María azotó a todo Puerto Rico causando destrucción y daños significativos a través de la Isla. Tras su paso devastador, la Agencia Federal de Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA por sus siglas en inglés) activó de inmediato al Cuerpo de Ingenieros del Ejército de los Estados Unidos (USACE por sus siglas en inglés) para iniciar sus funciones establecidas por ley como coordinador de FEMA para el sector de Obras Públicas e Ingeniería. "Más de diez agencias locales y federales, así como personal militar, apoyaron la misión de emergencia para estabilizar el aliviadero, el éxito de la operación se debió a su rápida respuesta y su voluntad de colaborar para lograr el objetivo en común", dijo la Ingeniera de Área de USACE para las Antillas, Ing. Maricarmen Crespo. “La rápida acción de USACE al solicitar apoyo de las Fuerzas Armadas de los Estados Unidos y la respuesta inmediata de ellos para entregar material a la represa evitó una posible catástrofe".

13 May 2019

Guajataca Dam repairs, a successful interagency team effort

The devastating path of Hurricane Maria in 2017 affected all of Puerto Rico in one way or another. As a result the Federal Emergency Management Agency immediately activated the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to serve as part of the post-Hurricane María Response Team. Only four days after the hurricane overwhelmed the island, a team of over 40 USACE volunteers from different parts of the United States arrived in Puerto Rico to respond to this emergency. The team augmented the local USACE Antilles Area Office staff in the efforts to visually inspect 17 dams determined to be high hazard, or thought to have incurred damage during the hurricane.

26 Mar 2019

Public meeting held for Rio Grande de Manatí flood risk management study

San Juan, Puerto Rico – Close to a hundred citizens of the Ciales area attended a Rio Grande de Manatí flood risk feasibility study public scoping meeting Sunday, hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The meeting organized by Puerto Rico’s District 13 Representative Gabriel Rodriguez-Aguiló was an opportunity for the community to not only learn about the scope and process of the study being conducted by the Corps, but to express their concerns, ask questions and provide input on the considered flood risk management alternatives that were presented.

14 Feb 2019

With interagency meetings, Antilles regulatory office aims to accelerate permitting process

Every year the Antilles office receives dozens of requests for permits from individuals and businesses intending to either build infrastructure or implement innovations for issues affecting the islands’ ecosystems. In order to assist applicants navigate the permitting process, Regulatory Section Chief Sindulfo Castillo hosts inter-agency meetings which allows applicants the opportunity to present their proposals and interact with federal and local representatives.

9 Aug 2018

Progress through working together

The nation is at its best when we work together to tackle challenges that we face. We understand the frustration that many feel but do not lose sight of the fact that we are making tangible progress. With your continued valuable input, we will maintain the increasing momentum towards success. Working together, we can restore America’s Everglades and build an improved water management system that better meets the multiple water needs of Floridians in the 21st Century and beyond.

15 Jun 2018

Why we release water

One of the primary reasons we release water is to reduce flood risk for people living and working around the lake, in which the potential for inflows far exceeds (six times greater) our capacity for outflow.

18 Apr 2018

Corps of Engineers: Protecting and preserving the environment on numerous fronts

On April 22, we celebrate Earth Day. The Army’s theme for Earth Day 2018 is “Sustain the Mission/Secure the Future.” This theme is emboldened by Jacksonville District's on-the-ground efforts to protect and preserve our environment on numerous fronts.

14 Feb 2018

Small Business in Action

Small Business in Action Slideshow

10 Jan 2018

Additional progress on Everglades restoration expected in 2018

Jacksonville District Commander Col. Jason Kirk provides an update on ecosystem restoration activities in south Florida.

6 Dec 2017

It hit its peak “… well above the 30,000 cfs max.”

When an unprecedented flood destroyed a levee and isolated a small town in southwestern Puerto Rico, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers devised a plan and hired local businesses to build a new one.

10 Oct 2017

Governor Scott tours Herbert Hoover Dike at Lake Okeechobee

CLEWISTON, Fla. (Oct. 9, 2017) – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District commander, Col. Jason Kirk welcomed Florida Governor Rick Scott to the Herbert Hoover Dike at Lake Okeechobee today for an update on current water levels and to see the project at the dike.

11 Sep 2017

USACE South Florida Operations staff inspects Herbert Hoover Dike and Okeechobee Waterway

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District’s South Florida Operations staff has the monumental task or inspecting the Herbert Hoover Dike and reopening Okeechobee Waterway post Hurricane Irma, a task that is essential to recovery operations across Southern Florida.

20 Jul 2017

Corps continues to advance efforts in south Florida

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- This time last year the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District was managing a challenging scenario fueled by heavy rains during the dry season and early part of the wet season, forcing us to release billions of gallons of water from Lake Okeechobee to protect the Herbert Hoover Dike. One year later, I‘d like to highlight the progress we have made and how we intend to address challenges that remain.

8 Jun 2017

Corps constructs artificial reef in Brevard County

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and its contractor, Shoreline Foundation, Inc., started constructing artificial mitigation reef mats for placement at ten nearshore sites from Satellite Beach to Indialantic in Brevard County. The first placement may occur as soon as next week east of Pelican Beach Park.