New today: the latest updates to the Francis Scott Key Bridge response. 🏰 This salvage operations plan is part of a dynamic situation, and both the plan and graphic will be updated as engineering data becomes known.
#FSKBridge
@USACEHQ
📷 JUST RELEASED: This imagery, supplied by the
@USNavy
Naval Sea System Command (NAVSEA)
Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), shows the wreckage resting at the bottom of the river where the Francis Scott Key Bridge once stood.
#FSKBridge
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More views of Sunday’s 440-ton lift 🏗️ The Chesapeake 1000 is the largest floating crane on the Eastern Seaboard, and removing these large pieces will help open a Limited Access Channel that allows one-way ship traffic to the
@portofbalt
.
#FSKBridge
A Unified Command longshoreman stands next to a massive 200-ton hydraulic salvage grab that arrived this weekend at Sparrows Point after a weeklong barge journey from Galveston, Texas. 🏗
In this 6x speed timelapse from Friday afternoon, Unified Command salvors use the crane barge Chesapeake 1000 to move a large piece of supporting steel at the
#FSKBridge
site. 🏗️ Wreckage removal is ongoing to safely and efficiently open the Fort McHenry channel.
NEW TODAY: Unified Command salvors use the crane barge Chesapeake 1000 to move a large piece of supporting steel from the collapsed
#FSKBridge
on Sunday.
The first commercial vessel transited through the Limited Access Channel at the
#FSKBridge
site Thursday, part of scheduled passages for a limited number of commercial vessels into the
@portofbalt
and a departure opportunity for deep draft vessels unable to leave the harbor.
NEW TODAY: These sonar CODA images, provided by
@USNavy
’s Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), show bridge wreckage in the deepest part of the federal shipping channel and one of the Francis Scott Key Bridge main supports.
Take a more detailed look at our Salvage Operations Plan (including efforts to establish a limited access channel) in this updated animation. 🏗 The Unified Command is undertaking this work with care and precision to restore full service to the
@portofbalt
.
#FSKBridge
Just released: In new video from one of the dive barges in the
#FSKBridge
response, we can see and hear the dive supervisor giving directional and work instructions to the diver due to very low visibility in the water (who is reporting back inspection results) — 1/3
Updated
#FSKBridge
salvage operations plan includes concurrent priority of establishing a limited access channel on the opposite side of federal channel from DALI. ⚓ Our commitment to supporting the Unified Command in recovery of the missing victims remains our top priority.
Debris and wreckage removal continues to safely and efficiently open the Fort McHenry channel. 🏗 In this photo from Wednesday, the scale of the effort is evident as salvors on a barge examine wreckage from the
#FSKBridge
collapse removed from the Patapsco River.
This updated infographic shows the two Temporary Alternate Channels surveyed and opened by the
@USCG
in the week following the
#FSKBridge
collapse, as well as details about our ongoing efforts to open a 35' deep limited access channel within the federal channel span.
By the numbers: an estimated 50,000 tons of steel & concrete make up the wreckage of the total collapsed span of the
#FSKBridge
🏗 For comparison, that's about equal to the weight of 3,800 fully loaded dump trucks — a helpful way of understanding the scale of the task at hand.
The Captain of the Port on Friday established the Fort Carroll Temporary Alternate Channel, a third alternate channel on the northeast side of the main channel to provide limited access for commercially essential vessels. ⚓️
The Unified Command salvage operations remain ongoing at the site of the Key Bridge incident this weekend. 🏗 The scale of this effort is well demonstrated in these photos from Saturday, where salvage operators can be seen assessing debris from the collapse.
#FSKBridge
The latest update to our
#FSKBridge
Salvage Operations Plan includes a better visual scale for understanding our efforts to open a limited access channel within the federal channel span.
Divers are working in virtual darkness because when lit their view is similar to driving through a heavy snowfall at night with high-beam headlights on -- divers must be guided via detailed verbal directions from operators in vessels topside viewing real-time CODA imagery. 3/3
NEW TODAY: With the removal of a 560-ton section of structural steel on April 22, USACE has cleared enough wreckage from a 35-foot-deep Limited Access Channel, in accordance with our commitment to deliver it by the end of April.
The underwater sonar imaging tool, known as CODA Octopus, is the primary survey tool used by divers, with visibility clouded to just one to two feet because of the four to five feet of mud and loose bottom of the Patapsco River.
#FSKBridge
2/3
🏰 “Priority 1" remains clearing the 50’ deep federal navigation channel. This plan also includes "Priority 1A," a concurrent effort to establish a Limited Access Channel 280' wide by 35' deep (shown in yellow).
#FSKBridge
1/3
📣 Watch now:
@USACEHQ
Commander and Chief of Engineers Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon explains the multi-phased approach to our efforts to reopen this vital Baltimore waterway as safely and quickly as possible.
Full
#FSKBridge
interview:
The Unified Command on Sunday began removing containers onboard DALI at the
#FSKBridge
site in an effort to gain access to the portion of the Key Bridge that lies atop the ship. 🏗
The container/feeder barge Columbia Freedom, the first inbound commercial vessel through the
#FSKBridge
Limited Access Channel, transited early Thursday evening.
A
#snowyowl
was caught on camera recently at
#PoplarIsland
, which has been identified by
@USFWS
,
@MarylandDNR
& many other resource management agencies as a valuable nesting & nursery area for many species of birds like the snowy owl, including eagles, osprey, heron, and egret.
"This is our home, that's our bridge." ⚓ In the earliest hours after the collapse, Jacob and his teammates aboard the CATLETT were on site to help, and they have since provided sonar capabilities and serve as a work platform for partners from the Unified Command.
#FSKBridge
A busy weekend for the
#FSKBridge
35' Limited Access Channel and our partners at the
@portofbalt
as the first container ship at Seagirt arrived Sunday:
Another milestone today! First container ship to arrive at Seagirt Terminal since the crisis began.
@MSCCargo
Passion III came through 35-foot-deep temporary channel. Nearly 1,000 containers handled by about 80
@ILALocal333
workers. We're getting there...
@portsamericahq
Latest update: Unified Command prepares for opening of temporary alternate channel around Key Bridge wreckage for commercially essential vessels. 🤝 This action is part of a phased approach to opening the main channel.
Our engineers are now placing devices on each beam to understand how much force each beam is under — either how much it's holding or how much it's placing on another beam.
#FKSBridge
1/3
Thank you to M&T Bank Stadium—home of the
@Ravens
— for hosting our service members as they underwent their
@USArmy
Physical Fitness Test on Apr 6! Participants tested their physical fitness by completing two minutes of push-ups, sit-ups and a timed two-mile run.
🏰 Baltimore District is ready to leverage nearly two centuries of engineering expertise in Baltimore Harbor and across Maryland to work alongside
@GovWesMoore
and our local, state, and federal partners as we begin to clear debris and prepare to reopen this vital waterway.
Latest update: First vessel passes through temporary alternate channel around Key Bridge wreckage 📣 The barge, which transited Monday afternoon, is used to supply jet fuel to the Department of Defense and was en route to Dover Air Force Base.
🏗️ The Chesapeake 1000 is the largest floating crane on the Eastern Seaboard, and removing these large pieces will help open a Limited Access Channel that allows one-way ship traffic to the
@portofbalt
.
The intentional resemblance of the
#Washington
Aqueduct's Castle Gatehouse to the Army Corps of Engineers insignia allows the building to serve as a symbol of the Army Corps’ contributions to
#DC
’s public health.
"I consider it a privilege to have responded during the 9/11 World Trade Center recovery efforts--I'm happy I had the opportunity to help others on such a basic human level," said Maria de la Torre, USACE, Baltimore District Real Property Services Field Office program manager.
USACE completed the acquisition of lands & executed a relocation agreement for Arlington National Cemetery Southern Expansion. This project will enable the
@USArmy
to continue the honored tradition of laying to rest our veterans well into the future.
#PeopleFirst
|
#MissionAlways
“Mission first, people always.” 🤝 As Col. Pinchasin explained in a press conference with
@GovWesMoore
, this joint salvage & recovery mission means our engineers & operators know the care required to balance our efforts with the search for those lost in the
#FSKBridge
wreckage.
✅ 3 main steps in this response: 1) survey & map underwater hazards; 2) develop & execute the salvage plan; 3) safely execute the salvage work. We are undertaking this mission with care and precision; it is an iterative process repeated after each piece of wreckage is removed.
The latest update to our Navigation Capabilities infographic shows the three Temporary Alternate Channels surveyed & opened by the
@USCG
since the
#FSKBridge
collapse, plus details about ongoing efforts to open a 35' deep limited access channel within the federal channel span.
#USACE
drift removal crews pulled a small alien spacecraft out of waters at the confluence of the Anacostia & Potomac rivers early this morning as part of their day-to-day mission of clearing debris from channels that could be hazardous to navigation.
The metal framework extending above the waterline (the blue line in some images) is currently slated to be removed by the end of April, making way for a 35-foot-deep by 280-foot-wide Limited Access Channel within the federal channel span.
Baltimore District Flood Risk Management projects helped prevent major
#SusquehannaRiver
flooding to communities across
#PA
and southern
#NY
during the recent high-water event that occurred over the Christmas holiday.
🚨 50 years after the Storm 🌀
50 years ago, Hurricane Agnes’ damage across the Mid-Atlantic region tragically took 128 lives across 8 states.
Entering Atlantic hurricane season, we encourage everyone to learn more about their flood risk and actions to prepare for events.
🤝 The underwater salvage response is a joint effort of
@USACEHQ
and the
@USNavy
’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving, overseeing the commercial dive company (
@DonjonMarine
) conducting the work happening in and around the federal channel — 2/3
Our crew onboard Survey Vessel CATLETT recently captured this image of the
#shipwrecked
Herbert D. Maxwell while surveying channels in the Chesapeake Channel. The schooner sank in 1912 & now sits mostly intact off the western shore of
#KentIsland
.
#ChesapeakeBay
#Marylandhistory
The Limited Access Channel will permit larger ships in and out of the
@portofbalt
, such as marine tugs, Maritime Administration (MARAD) vessels, and those used for Roll-on/Roll-off shipping. The numbers in this image indicate depth & clearances from the wreckage to the surface.
In approx. 23 yrs,
@ArlingtonNatl
will run out of space & no longer be an active cemetery. ANC encourages the public & its various stakeholders to continue to share their thoughts on an important issue - the future of ANC:
Today is
#NationalKoreanAmericanDay
! Korean American Day commemorates the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the U.S., January 13, 1903, & honors the significant contributions that Korean Americans have made throughout history.
Photo: Korean War Veterans Memorial in D.C.
Boasting a 1,000-metric-ton capacity, the grab will be used to recover a significant portion of the 50,000 tons of wreckage from the
#FSKBridge
collapse site.
Aug. 14 is
#NavajoCodeTalkersDay
. We recognize & celebrate the service & sacrifice of the 29 men that developed an unbreakable code that would be used across the Pacific during
#WWII
. 📸: Navajo
@USMC
Code-Talker Recruits being Sworn in at Fort Wingate, NM.
@USNatArchives
Despite the brutal heat index, the District of Columbia Debris Unit team replaced the entire surface decking on the floating docks at their facilities adjacent to
#DC
's Navy Yard in late July. Looking good, team!
#MasksOn
(1/2)
#OnThisDay
in 1814, the British forces began bombarding
#FortMcHenry
, in Baltimore.
#DYK
from 1836 to 1839 USACE repaired & renovated Fort McHenry? Over the next 90 years, it served various military functions—infantry garrison, prisoner of war camp, training facility & hospital.
During the Pentagon's construction, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built in excess strength and structural redundancies that would end up saving hundreds and potentially thousands of lives on 9/11.
#NeverForget
#USArmy
Happy
#PresidentsDay
! Soon after assuming command of the Continental Army in July 1775, General George Washington acknowledged the critical shortage of officers with technical skills and made the first of several appeals for more
#engineers
.
A
#USACE
Emergency Operations Vehicle is parked outside Baltimore District HQ in support of
#COVID19
emergency operations, Mar. 30. The District's Emergency Ops Center has been activated to assist
@FEMAregion3
in converting large spaces to medical response care sites.
USACE, Baltimore District, received $22 million from the Fiscal Year 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which will provide necessary funding for operations and maintenance work across our flood risk management dams in New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland.
💥 But just like in a game of Jenga, when you pull one piece away, you can change the math on the rest of the puzzle — and the kinds of pressure can shift beam to beam with each cut. 3/3
“I am so thrilled to be joined alongside MDOT Secretary James Ports, Jr. to solidify this major milestone - the partnership signing agreement to commence the historic $4 billion Mid-Chesapeake Bay ecosystem restoration project.” -Estee S. Pinchasin, NAB Commander
#RaystownLake
Natural Resource Specialist Alicia Palmer examines a male wood
#turtle
caught by
@juniatacollege
researchers, Oct. 28, 2020. The Raystown Field Station was established in 1974 to provide special opportunities for environmental research and education.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, has announced the selection of Jude T. Harrington as the new operations manager for the
#RaystownLake
Project.
News release:
The early stages of decommissioning the Army’s first nuclear reactor is underway! The rest of '21 & majority of '22 will focus on site preparation. This will continue for 2-3 yrs before the start of site restoration & final documentation. The project is est. to be complete in '25
Happy Halloween to all the ghouls and goblins out there 👻 from all of us here at Baltimore District!
Hopefully we'll see some STEM costumes on our future engineers during trick or treating tonight!
Almost everything Americans use moves through waterways we maintain!
#DYK
@portofbalt
is one of the nation's top ports for total cargo tonnage and overall dollar value of cargo? ⚓️
Please stay safe from
#flashflooding
if you are in the
#DC
area! We are monitoring for additional rainfall in the area and receiving updates from state & local emergency managers.
We hope each and every 4-legged resident at the new
@SecretService
Maloney Canine Training Center is just as pleased as this handsome guy! The Baltimore District designed and managed the construction of this state-of-the-art facility in Laurel, Maryland.🐕
Craig Thomas, Baltimore District regional technical specialist for floodplain management, conducts bridge and culvert surveys as part of a flood study to update Flood Insurance Rate Maps for Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, in Halifax, April 1, 2020.
April is Maryland Flood Awareness Month! 🌊⛈️💦
Join us throughout the month to learn how to reduce your flood risk! ⬇️
👥 Public Awareness: April 1-7
📞 Community Connections: April 8-14
🏠 First-Time Home Buyers: April 15-21
🏢 Businesses: April 22-29
#FloodAwareMD
Col. Ed Chamberlayne, commander, Baltimore District, joined
@MDMEMA
on June 14 for the launch of “Know Your Zone”, Maryland's NEW hurricane preparedness campaign.
#KnowYourZoneMD
🏗️ This information will allow us to begin safely and efficiently cutting the metal into "bite-sized" pieces light enough for Navy cranes to lift out of the water and take away. 2/3
The floods of Hurricane Agnes 50 years ago were unprecedented & unforgettable. In remembrance of
#Agnes50
, former chief of Baltimore District’s Operations Division, John O’Hagan, shares USACE’s recovery efforts & the stories of his former colleagues.
#BaltimoreHarbor
’s Debris Unit patrols within the
#PatapscoRiver
in an area covering 24 sq mi. Clearing debris is especially important on foggy mornings. Less debris = less safety hazards for both commercial & recreational vessels, thereby reducing damages & financial losses. 🚢
#USACE
crews are currently dredging roughly 950k cubic yards of material from the Brewerton Channel Eastern Extension, ensuring continued safe navigation for vessels going in and out of
@portofbalt
, many of which are delivering essential goods during the
#COVID19
pandemic.
The Baltimore District regulates 17
#dams
and
#reservoirs
throughout MD, WV, PA and NY. This week we will highlight a few of these projects. Our feature for the day is Indian Rock Dam, located about three miles upstream from
#York
, Pa.
#FloodRiskManagement
📣 NEWS RELEASE: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, awarded a $15.7 million contract on August 2, 2021, for berm reconstruction in Ocean City, to
@WeeksMarineInc
, based in Cranford, New Jersey.
Read the full news release here:
Thank you
@MayorBMScott
&
@SenatorCardin
for stopping by at the
@MDCounties
conference! We’re proud to serve the region & the state’s needs from ecosystem restoration to flood risk management & much more! Thank you for your support—we look forward to continuing to work with you!
#TBT
to when
#oysters
in the
#ChesapeakeBay
were so abundant that the oysters were filtering the entire bay's waters once a week. ⏩Fast forward to today where we're part of a large-scale, sanctuary-based oyster restoration plan throughout the Bay and its tributaries in Maryland.
“This is the largest infrastructure bill that has happened in the country—
@portofbalt
is the largest e-commerce port in the country & it’s important to make this possible and restore landmass that has deteriated. This project will create jobs, improve the economy & restore land.”
This morning we celebrated the grand opening of the
@DCNationalGuard
first-ever Storefront Recruiting Office.
Our Military Installation Support Real Estate team worked the real estate acquisition process to secure this lease and we are proud to partner with the DCARNG.
@USArmy
Debris Vessel REYNOLDS has been working hard! The REYNOLDS' crew works to dispose of a large log found at the mouth of the Patapsco River. The REYNOLDS' job is to collect large debris, such as this, within the Patapsco River and its tributaries.
📷 by Jeffrey Peacock
We would like to highlight Juan Baret, USACE, Baltimore District office engineer. Baret is not only Hispanic, he is also an Air Force veteran and has a love of baseball. Keep an eye out for a video featuring Baret's passions for STEM & baseball!
#NationalHispanicHeritageMonth
At a controlling depth of 20 feet, a 300-foot horizontal clearance, and a vertical clearance of 135 feet, it brings transit estimates to approximately 15% of pre-collapse commercial activity.
Atterberg Limits Testing-Soils intended to support structures, pavements, or other loads must be eval. by
#geotechnicalengineers
to predict their behavior under applied forces & variable moisture conditions. Results have direct applications in the foundation design of structures.