The Commander and District Engineer of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Jacksonville District, Colonel Andrew Kelly, and other Jacksonville District officials conducted a site assessment recently at Herbert Hoover Dike (HHD) to discuss preparations for the 2019 hurricane season.
During the visit, geotechnical engineers and the Dam Safety Program Managers inspected the 143 miles of HHD embankment to identify potential areas of concern and deficiencies as part of the annual inspection.
HHD is a 143-mile earthen dam that surrounds Lake Okeechobee, the heart of the Kissimmee-Okeechobee-Everglades system. The project reduces impacts from flooding as a result of high lake levels for a large area of south Florida.
The HHD Project team maintains close coordination and communication with other internal Jacksonville technical offices such as Engineering, Planning, Contracting, Corporate Communication, Construction and Operations while maintaining a presence (HHD Project Manager forward) in the local project area to communicate regularly with local communities and the construction field offices regarding project updates and problem solving.
The dike system consists of 143 miles of levee, hurricane gates and other water control structures.