USACE Wilmington District --
For Immediate Release:
11 September 2019 Release
No. 19-002
Hurricane Dorian Preparation and Response
WILMINGTON, NC – Storm risk management is a year round effort with preparation not only days ahead of a storm, but months and years of resiliency planning. It takes partnerships at all levels and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is an integral member.
In preparation for Hurricane Dorian, USACE Wilmington District worked in partnership with the local, state, and federal response teams to develop potential courses of action. The Wilmington District activated their own Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and had representation at the State EOC for the duration of the storm.
The Wilmington District had Storm Assessment and Survey Teams staged to evaluate District Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) Projects once the storm passed. Based on pre storm assessments, all four constructed CSRM projects were ready to provide protection to adjacent infrastructure. All projects had been nourished in the past 18 months (Carolina Beach, NC (2019); Kure Beach, NC (2019); Wrightsville Beach, NC (2018); and Ocean Isle Beach, NC (2018).
The recent nourishment or placement of additional sand along these shorelines helped provide authorized storm risk reduction benefits to homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure as well as providing an outstanding recreational resource to the public.
Colonel Robert Clark, Commander of the Wilmington District stated, “I am extremely proud of the efficient and united response that was demonstrated by not only our district but USACE as a whole,” he said. “Disaster response works best when it is locally led and executed, state managed and federally supported. USACE Wilmington is honored to be part of a unified response.”
USACE Navigation Hydrographic Survey teams conducted channel surveys on shipping and ferry channels to verify any impacts from Hurricane Dorian conditions and to reestablish safe navigation. The navigation program is vital to the nation’s economy and NC has the Nation’s second largest Passenger Ferry system. Our nation’s coastal transportation system encompasses a network of navigable channels, ports, harbors, and infrastructure maintained by the Corps, as well as publicly and privately owned vessels, terminals, inter-modal connections, shipyards, and repair facilities.
Contact:
Dave Connolly (910) 251-4626
David.D.Connolly@usace.army.mil
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U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS –WILMINGTON DISTRICT
69 DARLINGTON AVE, WILMINGTON, N.C. 28403