Activity at Army Corps Dredge Command Site Kicking into High Gear
The countdown to D-Day (dredging day) continues. Preparation for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Emergency Dredging Project on the West Fork is kicking into high gear. Here are some pics from the job site and the latest schedule for when various activities will start.
Schedule for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers West Fork Emergency Dredging Project
Dozens of trucks are delivering equipment to the mobilization site.
Traffic management at the site is a major concern, prompting the Corp to request the public stay a safe distance away.
Thousands of sections of dredge pipe have been delivered to a massive “pipe farm.”
Two Poseidan dredges are being delivered in sections and will be assembled on site. Shown here: some platforms being unloaded. Here’s a link to the Poseidon site that shows how the equipment is set up.
Contractor and Army Corps representatives review dredging plans at mobilization site headquarters.
Actual dredging should begin within the next two weeks. While staff and material are being organized for the dredging operation, clean up crews will remove more dead trees and other debris from the river and placement sites.
Example of debris removal from Lake Houston before dredging. This shot actually shows a city-contracted crew working on the East Fork during July. Corps crews will be conducting similar work.
Difference Between City Dredging and Corp Dredging
(NOTE: THIS POST HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH THE FOLLOWING INFO SINCE THE ORIGINAL POST) What is the difference between the city debris removal and the debris removal that the corps is doing? I went back into the contract requirements. Division 2, Section 02 41 01.01 45 stipulates, “General debris consists of trees and other vegetation within limits of dredging in the river, under the West Lake, Houston Parkway bridge, and upland areas that are to be dredged or excavated. General debris may also include, but is not limited to, metal bands, pallets, pieces of broken cable, rope, concrete rubble, construction materials, broken piles, etc. and may be encountered in the same area as above.”
So I see three main differences. The Corps subcontractor will: 1) only be working within the area to be dredged, 2) remove other types of materials that the city did not, 3) Also be responsible for cleaning up the placement areas, which the city did not.
Section 1.3.2 of the same document stipulates how they are being paid. Basically, it’s by the ton, but they are also being compensated for the cost of equipment, labor and material. The government is inspecting the scales. The complete contract requirements and plans are posted on the Reports page of this web site under Sedimentation/Dredging/Army Corps.
Additional Info About Army Corps West Fork Dredging Project
Below are some videos posted by the Corps that explain how we got to this point and how the project will progress.
The first explains how the Corps conducted the site survey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvQNwKOOmeA
The next shows an aerial tour of the project.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu4-cwsdFNc
And the final one explains their value engineering process.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2se5YdNRGdA
Posted by Bob Rehak on August 14, 2018
350 Days after Hurricane Harvey