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  • August

    Frederick A. Hinman was the third officer in charge of what would later become the Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He became the officer in charge of the United States Engineer Office in Norfolk on March 16, 1884. During that time, he improved the approach to Norfolk Harbor and the navy yard between Lambert’s Point and Fort Norfolk and cleared sunken vessels that obstructed navigation in Virginia and North Carolina. Hinman left the Norfolk office in June of 1887. (U.S. Army photo)

    Norfolk District 135: Frederick A. Hinman

    Frederick A. Hinman removed sunken vessels “obstructing or endangering navigation,” including the barge Albemarle near Hog Island lighthouse in Virginia, the schooner Maria and Elizabeth near Cape Charles lighthouse in Virginia, the schooner Tarry Not near Craney Island near the mouth of the Nansemond River, the schooner Anthea Godfrey in “Lynn Haven Roads, Virginia” [sic] (which was destroyed by explosives after having shown the wreck and cargo were valueless), and the steamer Concord, which was burned and sunk in the Pamplico River near Washington, North Carolina.

  • July

    Craney Island Dredged Material Management Area (CIDMMA), also known as Craney Island, is the “Jewel in the Port of Hampton Roads.” Since its construction in 1957, Craney Island’s centralized location provides a low-cost placement option for material dredged from Hampton Roads navigation channels, as well as from private dredging projects.

    Craney Island safety program reaches pinnacle, earns VPP Star status

    After five years of building a world-class safety and health management program, the staff of the Craney Island Dredged Material Management Area has earned the coveted VPP Star recognition.
  • The crew of the Cottrell Contracting Corporation Dredge Marion works to remove shoals from the James River federal navigation channel just off shore from James City County, Va., Nov. 6 2013. The river plays a role in the economies of Richmond and Hopewell, providing a navigation channel of 25 feet deep for ships to move goods to and from the inland ports. (U.S. Army photo/Patrick Bloodgood)

    District continues commitment to James; issues order to dredge

    As part of the three year, $12 million indefinite delivery/indefinite quality contract with Cottrell Contracting Corporation, the district issued a $3.2 million task order to dredge 475,000 cubic yards of sediment causing shoals in the James River at Dancing Point and Jordan Point on June 17.
  • NORFOLK, Va. -- James Mercur was the second officer in charge of what would later become the Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He took command as the Engineer in Charge of the United States Engineer Office in Norfolk on June 15, 1881, after the first commander, Capt. Charles B. Phillips, died while still in command. He served at the Norfolk office until March 15, 1884, after which he returned the the military academy to teach civil and military engineering until he died in 1896. (U.S. Army photo)

    Norfolk District 135: James Mercur

    On June 15, 1881, Capt. James Mercur took command as the second engineer in charge of the Norfolk office after Capt. Charles B. Phillips, the first engineer in charge, died while still in command. He was in charge of improving the Norfolk, Virginia and Beaufort and Edenton, North Carolina harbors; Cape Fear River and Currituck Sound
  • Craney Island Dredged Material Management Area (CIDMMA), also known as Craney Island, is the “Jewel in the Port of Hampton Roads.” Since its construction in 1957, Craney Island’s centralized location provides a low-cost placement option for material dredged from Hampton Roads navigation channels, as well as from private dredging projects.

    Craney Island mosquito spraying set for July 28

    The Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the city of Portsmouth, Va., will conduct joint aerial mosquito spraying Monday, July 28, at federal properties on Craney Island and adjacent city properties.
  • A wide-angle view of an inert Minotaur V launch vehicle is erected on the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport's pad 0B at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia during a pathfinder exercise for NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) Mission.

    Sandy restoration work for NASA’s Wallops Island commences

    Construction work to restore the beach and dunes protecting NASA’s Wallops Island Flight Facility damaged by super storm Sandy began here July 18. Dredges from New Jersey-based Weeks Marine, Inc. are on-site, pumping sand from an off-shore borrow site and placing the sand along the beach restoring berm and dune elevations to levels that will protect NASA and Mid-Atlantic Spaceport infrastructure from strong, storm-generated wave damage from the Atlantic Ocean.
  • WACHAPREAGUE, Va. – Stakeholders meet with representatives from the Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers here May 21, 2014. The meeting was an opportunity for Norfolk District experts to talk about and answer questions regarding the upcoming maintenance dredging project, which will dredge Finney Creek and Bradford Bay near Wachapreague in August 2014. (U.S. Army photo/Kerry L. Solan)

    Norfolk District prepares to dredge near Wachapreague

    On the Eastern Shore’s lacey, Atlantic-facing coast, two main channels in Finney Creek and Bradford Bay cut their way inland toward the Victorian-era town of Wachapreague, Virginia. The channels, which provide tourism and commerce to Wachapreague and navigation abilities to the U.S. Coast Guard, have naturally silted over since routine dredging in early 2013, but the process was given a significant nudge by Hurricane Sandy. For several months, the Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has prepared and begun to implement plans to dredge the channels.
  • NORFOLK, Va. -- Charles B. Phillips was the first officer in charge of what would later become the Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He took command on July 1, 1879, and as the Engineer in Charge of the United States Engineer Office in Norfolk, he supervised improvements of the Norfolk Harbor and its approaches, which are known collectively today as the Port of Virginia. The Norfolk Office at that time was located in Room #2 of the Custom House in Norfolk. He died on June 14, 1881, at the age of 41, while still in command of the Norfolk office. (U.S. Army photo)

    Norfolk District 135: Charles B. Phillips

    Editor’s note: Beginning July 1, 2014, Norfolk District celebrates its 135 Anniversary. Stay with us throughout the year as we look back at our former commanders, completed projects and distinguished employees. On July 1, 1879, Capt. Charles B. Phillips became the Engineer in Charge of the United States Engineer Office in Norfolk, which was the predecessor to the Norfolk District.
  • The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will hold its 2015 FNOD quarterly restoration advisory board meeting March 25, 6-8 p.m., at the Courtyard Marriott, located at 8060 Harbour View Boulevard, Suffolk, Virginia.

    Corps to host FNOD public meeting July 10; receive public comments through July 30

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will hold a public meeting July 10, 6-8 p.m., to discuss proposed clean-up plans for three sites at the Former Nansemond Ordnance Depot in Suffolk, Va.

  • June

    Old Dominion University seniors, Chance Rabun, Michael Chatman and Amanda Downs, brief ODU faculty and Corps advisory team on their final senior design report: the Emergency Power Needs for Critical Facilities project. David Gary, Norfolk District’s Mechanical and Electrical Section chief, said the final report was complete and comprehensive.

    Hampton Roads communities use student ingenuity, benefit from emergency power assessments

    With the 2014 hurricane season upon us, 10 critical facilities throughout Chesapeake, Gloucester County and James City County can rest easier knowing their emergency power needs have been accurately documented.
  • FORT LEE, Va. – Contractors upgrade interior spaces and rooms at the Fort Lee Building 3004 with new fixtures, improved structural support and modern heating and cooling systems, June 6, 2014. The $14.8 million Building 3004 renovation project upgrades a 50-year-old facility with modern technology and force protection features, which update the facility for a cost much less than if it was torn down and rebuilt. (U.S. Army photo/Patrick Bloodgood)

    District continues Fort Lee transformation; delivers world-class support to warfighter

    Four years after Fort Lee became the central hub for Army logistics training due to the Base Realignment and Closure 2005 decision, the Norfolk District continues to help the installation and its major tenants continue to evolve.
  • COVINGTON, Va. -- Gathright Dam's intake tower casts a shadow over Lake Moomaw. The earthen and rolled rock-fill dam, pictured in the upper right-hand corner of the photo, impounds the flow of the Jackson River and creates Lake Moomaw, serving both flood control and recreational purposes. (U.S. Army photo/Kerry Solan)

    Officials announce change to Gathright Dam pulse release dates

    The Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced a change to two pulse release dates scheduled in August and early September. The six pulses, and the amended dates, are scheduled for the following Wednesdays: June 25 July 23 Aug. 20 Sept. 10 Sept. 24 Oct. 15
  • COVINGTON, Va. -- Gathright Dam's intake tower rises out of Lake Moomaw Dec. 12, 2012. The earthen and rolled rock-fill dam impounds the flow of the Jackson River and creates Lake Moomaw, serving both flood control and recreational purposes. (U.S. Army photo/Kerry Solan)

    Corps and commonweath announce Gathright Dam pulse release dates

    The Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will deviate from Gathright Dam’s existing water control plan in order to conduct six pulse releases from June through October 2014.
  • More than 70 volunteers participated in this year’s Clean the Bay Day with the Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The location: the Craney Island Dredged Material Management Area here June 7, 2014. Volunteers from Williamsburg, James City County, Yorktown, Newport News, Poquoson, Hampton, Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Plymouth, Minnesota participated. Organizations represented included not only the Norfolk District but also members from Lafayette, Woodside, I.C. Norcom and Churchland High Schools, Girls Scout Troup 1381, Bayside Area Boy Scouts, Boy Scout Troup 6, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, Army, Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, the Society of Military Engineers and other organizations not captured. A total of 68 bags of trash - 1,410 pounds of bagged trash and approximately 590 pounds of bulk non-bagged items – were collected. The most unusual items included a sledge hammer, a dog carcass, a kayak paddle, one dead turtle, a respirator, an arrow and one big red ball. The majority of debris was cigarette butts, plastic bottles and Styrofoam from buoys.

    Corps, volunteers collect more than 2,000 pounds of shoreline debris

    PORTSMOUTH, Virginia – Sunglasses. Check! Bug spray. Check! Bottled water. Check! Trash bags. Check!
  • NORFOLK, Va. -- Norfolk District leadership gathered May 19, 2014 for hurricane contingency planning in the case the district's headquarters, the Waterfield Building, was heavily damaged during a storm. The Continuity of Operations meeting anticipated needs, abilities and work-arounds for the more than 300 Norfolk District employees. (U.S. Army photo/Patrick Bloodgood)

    Worst-case scenario forecasting helps district plan for hurricane season

    Six feet of murky river water swirls around desks, seeps through walls and begins corroding wires. It’s a scenario that would put Norfolk District out for six months and cause $10 million or more in damage. “All it would take is a hurricane catching us at high tide and that could be a reality for us,” said Stan Ballard, district emergency management services chief. Ballard gathered leadership for Continuity of Operations meeting, or COOP, to anticipate needs, abilities and work-arounds for the more than 300 Norfolk District employees in such a scenario.

  • May

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will hold its 2015 FNOD quarterly restoration advisory board meeting March 25, 6-8 p.m., at the Courtyard Marriott, located at 8060 Harbour View Boulevard, Suffolk, Virginia.

    FNOD Restoration Advisory Board meets June 5

    Community members can learn more about the Formerly Used Defense Site here and latest clean-up progress during the project’s quarterly Restoration Advisory Board meeting on Thursday, June 5, from 6:15 to 8:15 p.m.
  • NEW JERSEY -- Damage on the Jersey Shore is visible Nov. 2, 2012 after Hurricane Sandy struck New Jersey and New York.

    It's not too late to prepare

    Time to dust off your preparedness plans and refresh your supplies! Hold on, you say? The latest outlook is “quiet,” -- why should I prepare? The seasonal outlook only provides insight as to the potential number of tropical storms and hurricanes, based upon current atmospheric and ocean conditions. Unfortunately, it only takes one storm to cause horrific destruction.

  • Gathright Dam to conduct a routine, controlled flood release

    The Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun a controlled flood release at Gathright Dam near Covington, Va., at 9:00 a.m.
  • Historic Fort Norfolk, Va.

    Historic Fort Norfolk reopens ahead of schedule

    Fort Norfolk reopened to the public today, four weeks ahead of schedule, after contractors replaced the roof on the circa-1855 magazine building here.
  • SOUTH MILLS, NORTH CAROLINA -- Paddlers come from as far away as California to participate in the annual Paddle for the Border event. This year 340 people met at the South Mills, N.C. welcome center and paddled 11 miles - and across the Virginia state line - to a picnic area for lunch.

    350 participate in 11th annual Paddle for the Border

    Paddlers came from as far away as California to participate in this year's Paddle for the Border event May 3, 2014. More than 340 people met at the South Mills, N.C. welcome center and paddled 11 miles - and across the Virginia state line - to a picnic area for lunch.