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Riversidewww.mvn.usace.army.mil May - June 2004

New threat:Burrwood Bayou scour holeNew threat:Burrwood Bayou scour hole

3D visualization

2 Riverside May - June 2004

Carrollton Gage

RiversideMay - June 2004

Vol. 15 No. 3Commander

Col. Peter J. RowanPublic Affairs Chief

Jim AddisonEditor

Eric S. LincolnContributing Writers

Keisha McGee, John Hall, James Barr,JoAnn Rosenfeld, Rodney Greenup

Graphic ArtistElena Napolitano

Winner: The “J” Award, the highest Departmentof Army journalism honor, 2000 and 2003.

Authorization: The New Orleans DistrictRiverside is an unofficial publication authorizedunder the provisions of AR 360-1. Views andopinions expressed are not necessarily those ofthe Corps of Engineers or the Department of theArmy. Comics reprinted by permission of UnitedFeatures.

Submissions: Articles and story ideas arewelcome; publication depends on the generalinterest as judged by the editor. Direct queries tothe editor by calling (504) 862-2201 or [email protected].

Circulation: 2,150 copies per issue.

Riverside

It’s been a while since I’ve written mycolumn for Riverside. As a result,there are many things I haven’ttouched on in a while, so this mayseem rather random in its ramblings. Iwould call it diversity of ideas. I’ll

talk about several topics – then let you drawthe conclusion of whether or not they arerelated.

Hurricane Season and Safety: Wejust embarked on the next storm season. Dr.Gray’s forecast is for an above averagenumber of Atlantic basin tropical cyclonesand an above-average probability of U.S.hurricane landfall. This includes 14 namedstorms, eight hurricanes and three intensehurricanes. But it only takes one, if it’s theright one. Take the time now to review yourown preparations and plans for your safetyand the safety of your family. We have also just entered thehundred days of summer. Driving, exposure to water andboating activities, all those higher risk actions increase duringthe summer months. Please be alert, and be careful.

P2 Fielding: It’s finally here. After all this time and all thelead-up, I’m glad we’re moving forward at last. Will everythinggo perfectly? Probably not. Take the time. Learn the system.Like CEFMS, it’s here to stay. We have always needed the toolsto help us manage, at a project level, at a program level, and atthe corporate level. And we have always had a hard time fullymeshing resources, requirements over multiple programs, overmultiple years. P2 will enable us to anticipate the bottlenecksand program our needs and opportunities more effectively. Ifully expect some growing pains, but once we get used to it, itsgot to be an improvement.

IM/IT Competitive Sourcing: This is another activitythat has been talked about and rumored for quite some time. TheCorps has been working within the administration and Depart-

ment of Defense on how it would meet themandates of the President’s ManagementAgenda. On June 2nd, a formal public an-nouncement was made that the Corps wouldcompete the Information Management/Information Technology functions. Right nowthat represents about 1300 positions in theCorps. Over the next five years the Corps willbegin the competition of functions thatrepresent about 7500 positions. Futurecompetitions will be announced in the samedeliberate manner. Conceivably, we couldhave three or four functional areas undergoingsome phase of the competitive process at thesame time. As these long-term strategicdecisions are being made, the key for thedistrict is to keep our eye on the near-termexecution of our missions while we worktowards a more efficient and effective futureend state.

Workload and Related Budget Issues: As a nation, weare in the midst of a period of intense competition for limitedresources. This isn’t just the Civil Works program of the Corpsof Engineers. There are lots of national priorities that are notbeing met within current resource constraints. We have a teamof managers at the district trying to examine our practices andopportunities to utilize existing programs and funding moreefficiently. New Orleans District has a robust current programand an even stronger future program, with projects such as LCA,Morganza to the Gulf, Port of Iberia and Bayou Sorrel ready forauthorization in the near term. With the existing O&M, MR&Tand CG programs, this district is on solid ground. The short-termproblem is adjusting the contracts and workflow to meet thereality of current fiscal constraints, while ensuring we’re posi-tioned to execute our growing program. Needs and capabilitieshave to coincide with resources and commitments. With a littleinnovation, a little foresight and a lot of patience, we’ll be justfine.

Have a great summer. Essayons.

Col. Peter J. Rowan

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Building a rock dike atBurrwood Bayou in May.Insert: multibeam sonaroffers an underwater viewof the scour hole.


Blessing of the FleetBlessing of the FleetBlessing of the FleetBlessing of the FleetBlessing of the FleetThe district hosted its first “Blessing of the Fleet” ceremony on May 12. Eighteen vessels tookpart in the time-honored maritime tradition, observed annually around the globe to counter thedangers of the oceans and waterways. Corps of Engineers Chaplain (Col.) Mark E. Fentress gavethe benediction, and blessed 12 Corps vessels including the Wheeler, plus the Cajun Queenpaddleboat, commercial towboats and a Port of New Orleans fireboat.

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DredgeDredgeDredgeDredgeDredgeWheelerWheelerWheelerWheelerWheeleropen houseopen houseopen houseopen houseopen houseThe dredge Wheeler opened its doors tothe public for the third year in a row atWoldenberg Park on May 14 and 15. Theevent drew almost3,000 visitors from 48states and severalforeign countries. Afterpassing through asecurity check, visitorswent on a self-guidedtour of the vessel,assisted by dredge anddistrict personnel.

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As part of Earth Day on April 22, fourwood duck nesting boxes along thedistrict riverfront were inspected and

three new boxes installed.The four original boxes, installed three years

ago, all had nests. About 70 eggs were re-corded, with some evidence of “dump-nesting.”

Wood ducks are highly secretive in selectingnest sites due to nest predators and competi-tion from other wood ducks. Dump nestingresults when a hen follows another hen to ahidden nest and lays eggs in the same nest. Inthe wild, this impulse is kept in check becausewood ducks normally nest in isolated locations.But artificial nesting structures erected closetogether (less than 600 feet) or in highlyvisible locations can lead to dump nesting.

A hen whose nest has too many eggs—30instead of theusual 10 to 15, forexample—mayabandon it, result-

“Dump nests” found in duck boxesing in a very low success rate. Dump nests mayhatch 10 to 15 percent of the eggs rather thanthe 80 to 90 percent hatching rate of goodnests.

“Our nest boxes are either too close to-gether or too obvious,” says Mike Stout, Op-erations. “We’re working to provide moreboxes for the local population. Another optionmay be to paint the boxes different colors sothat hens can distinguish their selected nestbox.”

“Watch for young wood ducks hatching withinthe next couple of weeks, and please let one ofthe crew members know if you see any duck-lings in the river.”

The maintenance crew includes members ofOperations Technical Support Branch: MikeStout, Michael Saucier, Kirk Dietrich, Ronald

Olsen and Emily Mullet; andChris Brantley of ProjectManagement EnvironmentalRestoration Branch.

Below: Mike Stout,Operations, andChris Brantley,Environmental,inspect one of theduck boxes alongthe district riverfront.

Left: A “dump nest” found in one ofthe boxes. Below: “Most of the birdswould fly as soon as we opened thetop of the box,” said Stout. “Ithought this one was empty, thenfound this hen staring back at me. Ijust held the camera over the boxand shot a few pictures. She didn’tbudge.”

By Eric Lincoln

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Earth Day 2004Earth Day 2004

A show of wild animalsfor employees and Castle Kids

highlighted the second annual Earth Day celebra-tion in the DARM on April 22. Gib Owen and Sean Mickal,Environmental, arranged the day’s events, which includeddisplays on butterflies, coastal projects, presentationsfrom the Audubon Nature Institute and a show-and-tell fromwildlife handlers Debbie Pearson and Roy Firmin. Partici-pants planted an Earth Day tree and went early-morningbird watching on the district. Also, prizes were awarded forthe best hand-built birdhouse.


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Dike curtails Burrwood Bayouscour threat

At Mississippi River’s mouth, for once shallower is better

The current solution to thescour hole is this 2,400-foot-long rock dike built in May.


Ships have been confronting a novelhazard at the front door of the world’slargest port complex, the mouth of the

Misissippi River.Coastal erosion is aprime suspect.

The trouble is a deepscour hole atBurrwood Bayou, alittle-known outlet onthe 20-mile-long Southwest Pass, the river’smain entrance for the big, oceangoing ships.

“The scour hole could pose a long-term threat tonavigation, and the Army Corps of Engineers is work-ing to solve it,” said Col. Peter J. Rowan, districtcommander.

One of the Corps’ top jobs nationwide is to keepopen the five ocean ports on the Mississippi fromBaton Rouge to the Gulf of Mexico. They include fourof the 10 largest U.S. ports.

“Usually, the task is to keep the river from getting

By John Hall

“Burrwood Bayou is the river equivalent of ablack hole, trying to suck everything out of theriver,” says Channing Hayden, president of theSteamship Association of Louisiana.

too shallow, and to maintain the 45-foot authorizeddepth up to Baton Rouge,” Rowan said. “For the firsttime, shallower is better. This hole has been as muchas 130 feet deep.”

Ship pilots who guide big vessels at the Mississippi’smouth think the flowdiversion is so dangerousthey have limited thetraffic to one way.

Michael Lorino Jr.,president of the Associ-ated Branch Pilots, said

the suction created is so strong that it tries to pull shipstoward Burrwood Bayou.

Why did the scour hole, first identified as a potentialthreat in the late 1990s, develop?

“It was likely a combination of coastal erosion andthe force of water escaping from Southwest Pass,”said Del Britsch, district geologist. “We would still liketo know more about the timing. There’s no obviousanswer to, ‘Why now?’ ”

Coastal erosion has eaten away half of the distance

James Scarabin, who has30 years of service in theCorps, is project inspector

for the Venice Sub Office. He’sa great resource for the districtin dealing with the scour hole,particularly because of hisknowledge of Corps work in theVenice area.

Scarabin was born and raisedin Hollywood, La., a communitybelow Burrwood that was acompound for the Navy and theCorps. A gun tower still standsthat protected the mouth of theriver in case of German U-Boats. Hurricanes later wipedout the area, and Scarabin’sfamily moved to Venice wherehis dad worked as a commercialfisherman.

Scarabin contracted poliowhen he was five years old, and

he still wears a special shoe with abrace. It doesn’t keep him fromgetting around on the barges andperforming tasks, though, saysJerry Hutson, project engineer inthe Venice Sub Office.

“He knows every inch of theareas surrounding Venice, everyindividual that owns land from hereto the end of the jetties, and everylandowner knows him … and mostcontractors know him personally.He knows more about dredgingthan any individual that works forthe district … his office is called‘dredge central’ during the dredg-ing season.

“His knowledge and friendshiphas helped us partner with land-owners during the last 20 years ofprojects … to me, he is theepitome of the Corps of Engineersprofessional.”

Scarabin is “dredge central” in Venice

See Burrwood, next page

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from the river to the Gulf at Burrwood Bayousince the 1930s. Meanwhile, the outlet’s mouthhas become twice as wide.

Burrwood Bayou at the river is now about400 feet wide, compared with 200 feet in the1930s. Meanwhile, the land separating the riverand the Gulf of Mexico has eroded from aboutone mile to one-half mile wide.

When the bayou reached depths averaging130 feet in March 2003, the Corps actedquickly, said Joaquin Mujica, the Operationsmanager for navigation, Baton Rouge to the Gulf.

“We responded by placing 3.5 million cubic yards ofdredged material in the hole,” Mujica said.

Hauling this much material would require enough bigdump trucks to stretch bumper-to-bumper from NewOrleans to Kansas City – and back.

That reduced the scour hole’s depth to about 60feet, but did not solve the problem. Even so,Burrwood Bayou was capturing 37 percent of the flowof Southwest Passduring the spring 2004high water.

“The hole is muchshallower, but it’sbecome a movingtarget. This year for the first time the scour cut its wayright up to the edge of the navigation channel,” Mujicasaid.

As the Corps was preparing plans for a long-termsolution, a tragic ship collision underlined the impor-

tance of safe passage in Southwest Pass.On Feb. 23, the 178-foot offshore-oil boat Lee III

sank with the loss of all five crewmembers aftercolliding with a 534-foot container ship, the ZIMMexico III.

The Coast Guard was forced to close SouthwestPass to navigation for four days during the recoverywork, and considerable disruption followed. Cargo

movements stopped andcruise ships’ passengerswere stranded.

On March 5 theCorps committed to along-term solution,awarding a $2.7 million

contract to Creole Chief Inc. of Belle Chasse to builda 2,400-foot-long rock dike.

The dike is an arc of limestone chunks astrideBurrwood’s outflow, about 4,000 feet from the navi-

Coastal erosion has eaten away at Burrwood Bayousince the 1930s. Last year, the district acted to stopfurther damage by dumping 3.5 million cubic yards ofdredged material into the scour hole. A 2,400-foot-longrock dike was completed in May this year, as well, toalleviate the pull felt by passing ships and to slow thewater flow into the Gulf.

“3-D visualization ... capability made it easier todefine the problem and convey the need forimmediate action,” said Col. Rowan, commander.

Burrwood, from page 9


P2 instructor Mike Bowen

gation channel. It’s anchored to land at either end andhas a 200-foot navigation gap for oilfield and fishingboats. More than 140,000 tons of rocks were placed.

The dike, completed in May, has achieved its goal: asignificant reduction of the percentage of flow cap-tured by Burrwood Bayou, said Harley Winer, chief ofCoastal Engineering.

“This should alleviate the pull felt by passing ships,”Winer said. “And the dike will stop further scouring.”

Col. Rowan said, “It’s unclear why BurrwoodBayou became a much bigger problem – nothing isclear at the bottom of the Mississippi – but we have anew way to see underwater.”

“Our new eyes are multi-beam surveys using a kindof sonar. Through the work of our modelers, theenormous data thus created give us a 3-D visualiza-tion. This capability made it easier to define the prob-

lem and convey the need for immediate action. Thistechnology provides another tool that helps to makedecisions,” Rowan said.

Channing Hayden, president of the SteamshipAssociation of Louisiana, said taming BurrwoodBayou is crucial to passage of the roughly 6,000 oceanships that enter the river each year and their economiccontribution to the region.

“Burrwood Bayou is the river equivalent of a blackhole, trying to suck everything out of the river. If twobig ships collided in that area it would be very ugly.”

One-way traffic was an essential safety device butwith its attendant delays, dampens the financial vitalityof the steamship trade, he said, making the long-termsolution crucial. “The Corps has done a bang-up job,”Hayden said.

YYYYYou have entered the P2 worldou have entered the P2 worldou have entered the P2 worldou have entered the P2 worldou have entered the P2 world

P2 deployed at the district on May 17. Two hundredand twenty projects have been entered, and 160 peoplehave been trained.

Mike Bowen was the instructor who tied it all together byexplaining when our recon and feasibility studies occur. Hehelped us see the big picture of how P2 and PMBP cometogether for our new national approach to scheduling andresource management.

Our P2 deployment group was visited by Dan Hitchingsand Mike Rogers, two Senior Executive Service membersfrom MVD, on May 21.

“P2 is a tremendous effort, but we are delighted to see itimplemented, because it will be a powerful tool,” Hitchingssaid. “People have to stop thinking just about their area andrecognize that they are now a national resource … this is avehicle for doing our work, regionally and beyond.”

What’s the objective of P2?To manage resources, whether it is money or people.

When do we start using it?P2 consists of three major software packages: Primavera

Project Manager, Oracle Projects and Primavision. Thedistrict received those licenses on May 7 and project data isnow being entered into the system. PDT members will beginworking in the new system as soon as data is loaded andverified.

How and where was it developed?P2 is actually comprised of several software packages that

were linked by a Corps team from Huntsville, Ala. Primavera

Project Man-ager andPrimavision arethe softwareprograms thatwill replaceother schedul-ing tools suchas Open Planand MicrosoftProject. VariousOracle productswill replace ourbudget pro-grams such asABS, PRISM,PROMIS andthe GI data-base. The new systems are connected to CEFMS to providemore control over funding and schedules at the district.

How will it make us more efficient?For one thing, it should make us better at evaluating

impacts to several projects at one time because every projectwill be linked by one system. So when there’s an emer-gency, delay or funding increase/decrease, the impacts canbe evaluated across multiple projects using P2. That capabil-ity is not readily available today.

By JoAnn Rosenfeld and Rodney Greenup


James Barr, deputy of Contract-ing Division, sent us his impres-sions from Kabul, Afghanistan,where he has been deployed sincemid-April.

After being in-country for twoweeks, I concede that I amno expert on this area, but I

would like to share some observationsas a western “tourist.”

Upon arriving here I was strickenby the standard of living—it is belowpoverty level compared to the west.

Most homes do not have indoorplumbing, electricity, or other modernconveniences but rather are simpledwellings constructed from localmaterials. Those that do have elec-tricity find it available for only twohours per day. Given this situationone can only imagine the potential forall sorts of physical illness.

Kabul, the capital city, is much likeany large city. Although we go outonly of necessity, a large part of thecity is revealed as we go to and fro.Government seems to be activelyengaged. Police and militia arepresent, though not in large number.Automobiles and bicycles clog thestreets, along with the regular smat-tering of horse/donkey drawn carts.There are several large traffic circlesat major intersections—trafficorganization is bad and these reallytest your nerves. Apparently, thetraffic law here is whoever gets therefirst or has the biggest vehicle has theright-of-way.

There are a variety of localmarkets that offer fresh fruit, veg-etables, meats and grains. Thecommodities are all placed in opendisplay. The storekeepers have whatI call “pompons” on sticks to swat theflies away. I’m not sure how theymanage to keep the dust off—Kabulcan be a dusty place.

As you travel out to the country-side you are taken back centuries,literally. Nomads still tend theirflocks, live in tents and move acrossthe land seeking food for their flock.Mud and stone homes and fortressesscatter the landscape, their localmaterials blending with the nativebackground. Towering mountains,some snowcapped, surround the areaas the highways move from onevalley to another. Occasionally, thereis a well along the route. What few

In Kabul, Barr reflectson “good ‘ole USA”

Above: a roadside meat market. “There are a variety of localmarkets that offer fresh fruit, vegetables, meats and grains. Thecommodities are all placed in open display. The storekeepers ...I’m not sure how they manage to keep the dust off—Kabul can bea dusty place.” Top: Barr stands in front of the remains of “Tapa-iTajabke” (The Tajbak Hill), built in the early 1920s as a royalresidence and subsequently used as ministry office buildings.Right: Following the fall of the Taliban, civil war nearly destroyedThe Tajbak Hill.

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streams exist are mostly dry. Vistasare magnificent, and for a momentserenity abounds as one is drawn intoanother dimension of peace andbeauty, but reality returns when abreath is drawn and the pressure ofbody armor is felt resting upon thechest.

Afghanistan, in ancient times, wasthe crossroads of trade routes fromthe west to the east. With the adventof new transportation technology, itseems that this country is still caught

in a time rift of those days and can’tfind a way out. Situated between theeast and west, it has also been thetarget seemingly of every conquerorthat has ever had aspirations ofimperialism.

I have described what would seemas intolerable conditions, but theindigenous population is well able to

survive and even flourish. A smileand a cordial greeting is typical of themeeting of Afghans; to shake hands,a hand to the heart or head, hug oreven a kiss is as natural to them as amere nod is to us. Appreciative of theAmerican and coalition actions, weare greeted while driving by with“thumbs-up” and other expressions ofgratitude and affirmation.

As I look into the faces of theAfghans and hear some of theirstories of life experiences, I am

encouraged by theirtenacity and aspira-tions. The entrepre-neurial spirit is just nowbreaking through afteryears of suppression.And as I notice them

counting their blessings, I, too, reflecton mine. Too often, we Americansare complacent and unaware of therichness with which we are soblessed. But most of all, I thank Godthat I was blessed to be born andraised in a modern civilization,especially in the “good ‘ole USA.”

“It seems that this country is still caughtin a time rift ... and can’t find a way out.”

An innovative ambient airanalyzer, the first of its kind inuse in the Corps, has been

installed to monitor air quality atCalcasieu Lock in Lake Charles.

Workers raised concerns about theair quality during safety training lastyear. A wide variety of materials fromdifferent industries constantly passthrough the lock. While workers havenoticed no health problems, effectsfrom cumulative exposure could takemuch longer to appear.

“We have a unique work populationat the locks,” says Ed Bernard,certified industrial hygienist. “Theyraised a valid concern about the typesof materials they’re exposed to.Management made a very gutsydecision to buy into this technologyand make sure health concerns areaddressed.”

Steve Schinestky, Operations, andLockmaster Kevin Gally were instru-mental in having the device installed.“They were behind this 100 percent,”says Bernard.

Lock personnel installed the$179,000 machine and built a storageshed to hold the equipment last year.

The Fourier Transform Infra-RedAmbient Air Monitor works unat-tended around the clock. If a poten-tially hazardous chemical is detected inthe air, an alarm is sounded andmessages are sent to lock personnelcomputers. In addition, data can beviewed and the instrument can beremotely controlled and updated fromremote locations over the Internet.

No acute air quality problems havebeen discovered since the devicebegan operating in March 2003.

The data analysis portion of theproject has been funded for this year,after which the Safety Office willdetermine whether to continue to usethe monitor at Calcasieu or move it toanother lock.

Air monitorinstalled atCalcasieuby Eric Lincoln


Around the DistrictCongratulations

to Tim Totorico (ED) and his wifeTina, on the birth of their daughter,Nicolina, on April 22.

to Geri Robinson (PM), who receivedher juris doctorate degree in May fromLoyola University.

to James Little (OD) and his wifeJulie, on the birth of their first child,daughter Jenny Elizabeth on May 21.

to Mike Brown (OD) and his wifeGretchen, who were married on April 24.

to Darrell Barbara (OD) and his wifeStacy, on the birth of their first child, sonLuke Austin on May 21.

to Joseph Kustra (WCSC), whoreceived the first quarter 2004 PeerRecognition Award.

to Jeff Heap (IM), who receivedcertifications in Microsoft Professional,Microsoft Systems Administrator andMicrosoft Systems Engineer.

to Michael Dupuy (ED) on his promo-tion to assistant chief of Design ServicesBranch.

to Bobby J. Landry (OD) and MarshaHolley (RM), who married on Feb 14. Thebride is currently working for IMA-KOROin Seoul, Korea.

to Tim Black (CT) and his wife Kim,

on the birth of their 3rd child, MeredithElise, on April 8. Meredith is also thegreat-niece of Judy Richard (RE).

to Emile Jacobs (OD), who received aSuperior Civilian Service Award inJanuary for his service in Iraq fromSeptember 2003 to January 2004.

to Anthony Bertucci (ED), whoreceived an Achievement Medal forCivilian Service in September for servicein Iraq from June to October 2003.

Kudosto Pat Broussard (ED), whose

daughter, Bria, received straight “A”scores on her 3rd quarter report card.

to Audrey Tilden (CT), whose collie,Tia—one of 11 dogs Tilden owns—wonher last three championship points, a

gold medalion from American KennelClub and an invitation to compete inthe prestigious Eucanuba Classic inOrlando, Fl., in 2005. Tilden hascompeted since 1981. There wereseveral hundred dogs in the Aprilcompetition in Alabama.

to Kevin Rosier, son of SharonRicharme (PM) and brother ofMichelle Dalmado (CT), whograduated cum laude fromGeorgetown University on May 22.Kevin graduated from the School ofForeign Service with a bachelor’s ininternational economics, and earnedcertificates in both internationalbusiness diplomacy and Europeanstudies. After a summer internship atthe State Department, Kevin willattend graduate school at TuftsUniversity’s Fletcher School of Lawand Diplomacy as a PickeringForeign Affairs Fellow and thenpursue a career as a foreign serviceofficer with the U.S. State Depart-ment.

to Jonathan Stout, son of MichaelStout (OD), who graduated May 28 fromSt. Martin’s Episcopal School in the top

Kids at Work -- Guest speaker Jill Hezeau discusses her job as a traffic reporterfor WWL-TV news with participants of Take Our Daughters/Sons to Work Day onApril 22. The Federal Women’s Program Committee, along with other Corps volun-teers, sponsors the event to show employees’ children what their parents do duringa day at work.

Dredge WheelerCrewmember of the Year

McKinley Goins Jr.“As a cook aboard the Wheeler,Goins has excelled in his dutiesaboard, and has performedthroughout the year consistentlyabove his job requirements,” saidCaptain Ed Morehouse. “He hasimproved upon the quality of hiswork, cooking varied menus andtrying new ideas [and] has beendetermined, dedicated and upbeatthroughout the year, reflecting allthe qualities that go into theselection for this annual award.”

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10 percent of his class, with honors, formembership in the National HonorSociety and Cum Laude Society, as arecipient of the Alton Ochsner FuturePhysician Award, and the Michael JohnMoseley Memorial Award for outstand-ing achievement in athletics, academicsand service. After interning this summerat the Audubon Nature Institute,Jonathan will begin biology studies atAustin College in Sherman, Texas, wherehe received a state fellowship. Jonathanwas also selected to the football All-StateAcademic Team for Class 2A and as aNokia Sugar Bowl Scholar-Athlete.

Farewellto Roland Hargrave (CD-LAO), who

retired in May after 46 years of service. Asurprise crawfish boil was held April 29 inhis honor.

to Jerry Hudson (CD), who retired inMay after 40 years of service.

to Diane Pecoul (CT), who retired onJuly 2.

FEB Awards -- TheFederal Executive Boardpresented three Corpsemployees with Distin-guished Service awardson May 4 as part of PublicService RecognitionWeek. ThomasWaguespack (ED), Out-standing TechnicalSupport Employee; Rich-ard Pinner (ED), Outstand-ing Professional Em-ployee; and Charlie Rome(ED), Outstanding Commu-nity Volunteer.

to Howie Gonzales (PM), who waspromoted to GS-13 and transferred toAlbuquerque District on May 21.

Condolencesto the family of Stephen Johnson (30-

year CD-LAO member), who died of lungcancer on May 25.

to Tom Tobin (ED), whose mother,Jacqueline Tobin, passed away on May27.

to Charmaine Allen Small (IM),whose husband, William Small Jr., diedon Apr. 13

to Lane Lefort (IM), whose father,Julien Lefort, passed away on May 30.Julien was also grandfather to JenniferLefort (PM) and Kelley Lefort (ED).

to Jeffrey Richie (ED), whose father,Dr. Michael M. Richie, died on May 31.

to Gerald Collins (LMO), whosefather, Carlton Collins, passed away onMay 31.

Build it, they willcome -- FreshwaterBayou Lock personnelfinished building theirown conference room inJanuary. Starting out withonly the shell of a build-ing, they completed therest voluntarily, using aprofessional only to installair conditioning. “Thisteam saved taxpayerdollars while proving thatpersonnel can come

together to build a better work environment,” said Jerry Stoute, lockmechanic and one of the builders. “Freshwater Bayou Lock can now offera state-of-the-art classroom.” Employees contributing: Casey Choate, JerryStoute, Craig Morgan, Richard Bagwell, Robert Harrington, Toby Toups,Terry Langlinais, Daniel Faulk, Karl Nunez and Ralph Marchese.

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First Class MailPostage & Fees Paid

U. S. Army Corps of EngineersNew Orleans District

Permit No. 80

Department of the ArmyNew Orleans District, Corps of EngineersP.O. Box 60267New Orleans, LA 70160-0267

Office: Public Affairs OfficeOfficial Business

MVN at WorkInformation ManagementOUTSOURCE COMPETITION — The Department ofDefense began a standard competition for Corps Informa-tion Management/Information Technology functions onJune 2. This nationwide competition will include more than1,300 positions throughout the Corps, including 60 posi-tions in New Orleans District. The IMO staff currentlyperforming the work will be allowed to compete against theprivate sector and other public reimbursable serviceproviders for the referenced work. The competition isscheduled to end on Nov. 29, 2005.

OperationsATCHAFALAYA “STEP OUTSIDE” DAY — Anoutdoor program by the National Shooting Sports Founda-tion to increase participation in traditional outdoor sports, withspecific emphasis on individuals with special needs, was held onMay 22 at the Sherburne Wildlife Management Complex nearKrotz Springs. Events included fishing, archery, pontoon boatrides and decoy painting, with hands-on exhibits and watersafety information. Sponsors included the Corps, Paralyzed

D-Day Volunteers– Ralph Schied,Engineering, andCapt. Dan Hibner,Construction, work atable at the NationalD-Day Museum onMay 12 in honor ofArmed Forces Day.Also volunteeringwere John Hall,Public Affairs, andCol. Peter Rowan,commander, who wasa speaker at theevent.

Veterans of America, Louisiana Department of Wildlife andFisheries and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

HURRICANE INSPECTIONS – A joint inspection of thehurricane system by the Orleans Levee District and the Corpswas held on May 28. The Louisiana Department of Transporta-tion and Development and City of New Orleans participated withdistrict personnel in viewing flood gates, levees and controlstructures for the Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity and WestBank and Vicinity hurricane projects.

Myette Point Signing – The Myette Point BoatLaunch Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA) is signedon May 18 in Morgan City. The project will provide apublic access area into the Atchafalaya Basin Flood-way. “It’s a monumental date in advancing the programand cooperation between agencies,” said CurtisDelaune, project manager. The district will seek modelstatus for the PCA to aid in future design agreements inthe basin. Pictured: Curtis Delaune, project manager;Col. Peter Rowan, commander; Bill Cefalu, president ofSt. Mary Parish; and Sandra Thompson, Department ofNatural Resources.C

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Riverside June - July 2004

The Corps has critical jobs to doduring an emergency, includingrepairing levees and working for

FEMA. These two pages describe what wedo and lists contacts during an emergency.

What We Do:Assist levee boards and emergency offi-

cials before, during, and after a storm. Ex-amples include supplying technical assistance,pumps, rock and sandbags. The Corps wouldhelp shore up or repair levees, and so on.

Restore construction projects to pre-construction levels of protection before astorm arrives. We will tell contractors whento carry out the hurricane plans written intotheir contracts, specifying how to restoreprotection to the pre-construction level.Contractors pre-position materials, such assheet-steel piling, to close any gaps. Hurri-cane plans limit these gaps to those that maybe closed within 24 to 36 hours.

Act to maximize safety of Corps personneland protection of federal facilities, includinglocks, floodgates, vessels, and headquartersand other offices.

Support the Federal Emergency Manage-ment Agency after a storm. If the presidentdeclares a national disaster area, FEMAassigns the Corps various missions, includingclearing and removing debris from streets andhighways (public rights of way), and providingice and fresh water.

What We Do NOT Do:Provide individuals or private interests with

sandbags.Close hurricane floodgates on land. Levee

districts have the responsibility of decidingwhen to close gates that block roadways andrailroads - and for carrying out the closuresand placing sandbags if necessary.

Hurricane Emergencycontact reference

Our responsibilities

Responsibility for district operations during an emergency isdelegated to different teams. These teams will manage ouroperations from remote locations and help us get back in

business in New Orleans.

Emergency Operations Center (EOC)This is the dedicated focal point of emergency operations at the district.Located in Room 292 and initially staffed 24-hours, this team collectsdata, analyzes situations, allocates resources, disseminates operationaldirectives, furnishes reports and provides overall management of alldistrict activities in response to and throughout an emergency. Crisis Management Team (CMT)

This team consists of senior leaders and relocates to Vicksburg prior tothe disaster. It provides strategic planning for the district, advises thecommander in response to crisis situations, assesses situations anddetermines the district’s capability to execute missions. The team alsoinitiates re-establishment of district headquarters and personnel. Crisis Action Team (CAT)

This is the support and execution team for emergency operations. Leadby the deputy district engineer, the team relocates to Vicksburg beforethe emergency, and provides requested technical expertise to FEMA,oversees the DRT and DRST, provides technical expertise to the EOCand re-establishes the district’s Civil Works functions after the event. District Reconstitution Team (DRT)

Along with the District Reconstitution Survey Team (DRST), this teamrelocates to the Port Allen Lock before the event and returns to assessthe integrity and safe operation of district buildings after an emergency. Emergency Response and Recovery Office Team (ERRO)

If the district is declared a victim district then Memphis will support it byexecuting FEMA missions with the aid of the Planning and ResponseTeams, until MVN is able to take over. Planning and Response Teams (PRT)

These are specially trained teams that manage specific missions such aswater, ice, debris, temporary roofing and housing, and emergency power.Each district has at least one PRT that is assigned on a rotational basis toemergencies. This district has a Debris Team, which organizes contrac-tors for debris cleanup missions. Damage Assessment Teams (DAT)

These teams report district-wide damage data to the EOC and CAT. Personnel Administration Team

This team is headed by Human Resources, supported by Logistic Man-agement as part of the CAT, and relocates to Vicksburg before anemergency. It processes and organizes deployed personnel, and handlestime and attendance. It is responsible for acquiring lodging and vehiclesfor deployed personnel as well as work schedules and pay information.

Our teams

Riverside June - July 2004

Emergency Contacts

If the district is rendered inoperable, aninformation center in Vicksburg will handlecommunication between the Crisis Manage-

ment Team and employees.The first regularly scheduled workday follow-

ing the event, employees unable to report towork must contact their office by telephone. Ifoutside of the local area, employees may call1-800-362-3412.

If unable to contact the office, employeesmust call Vicksburg at 601-634-7337 or 1-800-435-9381 (wait for the automated operator,then dial 7337) and identify themselves asmembers of the New Orleans Districtworkforce.

To find out the district’s status after an emer-gency, call 1-877-533-5224.

Vicksburg Points of Contact:Public Affairs: 601-631-5052Office status: 1-877-533-5224Outside the local area: 1-800-362-3412As a precaution, 72 hours prior to a threat-ening hurricane, the commander will order a40-person team to establish alternate head-quarters at Vicksburg.

Local parish hurricane structuresThese structures were built by the Corps, butare locally maintained and operated. Bayou Bienvenue

Orleans Levee District, 504-243-4000 Bayou Dupre

Lake Borgne Basin Levee District, 504-682-5941 Empire Floodgate

Plaquemines Parish, 504-682-0081 Golden Meadow Floodgate

South Lafourche Levee District, 985-632-7554 Larose Floodgate

South Lafourche Levee District, 985-632-7554

24-hour recorder: 504-862-2358

Parish emergency officesAscension, Gonzales 225-621-8360Bossier, Shreveport 985-425-5351Calcasieu, Lake Charles 337-437-3512East Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge 225-389-2100Iberia, New Iberia 337-369-4427Iberville, Plaquemine 225-687-5140Jefferson, Marrero 504-349-5360Lafayette, Lafayette 337-291-5075Lafourche, Thibodaux 985-446-8427Orleans, New Orleans 504-521-5618Pointe Coupee, New Roads 225-694-9014St. Bernard, Chalmette 504-278-4267St. Charles, Hahnville 985-783-5050St. James, Convent 225-562-2364St. John 985-652-2222St. Tammany, Covington 985-847-1223Terrebonne, Houma 985-873-6357West Baton Rouge, Port Allen 225-346-1577West Feliciana, St. Francisville 225-635-6428

Federal Emergency Management AgencyThe lead federal agency that handles response and recovery to the statefollowing an emergency, 1-800-621-3362.U. S. Coast GuardNew Orleans, 504-589-6225National Weather ServiceSlidell, 504-522-7330La. Office of Homeland Security and Emergency PreparednessThe state’s coordinating agency during emergencies, 225-925-7500.

Hurricane tracking Web linksNew Orleans District - hurricane and emergency informationhttp://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/pao/response/index.aspNational Hurricane Center - tropical storm tracking and predictionshttp://www.nhc.noaa.gov/National Data Buoy Center - Gulf of Mexico weather informationhttp://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/rmd.shtmlUniversity of Hawaii - worldwide tropical storm trackinghttp://www.solar.ifa.hawaii.edu/Tropical/tropical.htmlWeather Underground - tropical weather maphttp://www.wunderground.com/tropical/

Key levee districtsAtchafalaya Basin 225-387-2249East Jefferson 504-733-0087Grand Isle Independent 985-787-3196Lafourche Basin 225-265-7545Lake Borgne Basin 504-682-5941Orleans 504-243-4000Plaquemines 504-682-0081Pontchartrain 225-869-9721St. Mary Parish 337-828-4100South Lafourche 985-632-7554Terrebonne 985-594-4104West Jefferson 504-340-0318

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