Posted on July 19, 2023
By Judith Powers
LTC Kevin Arnett, Deputy Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers South Pacific Division, opened the Western Dredging Association ( WEDA) 2023 Conference with a presentation stresssing, Chief of Engineers LTG Spellman’s goal of achieving 70 percent beneficial (BU) of dredged material by 2030. He described the Corps of Engineers (COE) commanders from Headquarters to Division to District, and the role each plays in achieving the mission of The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
There is a $91 billion Civil Works program to enable the Corps of fulfill its mission, with 37,891 civilian employees and 800 uniformed military, he said.
The COE mission ls “to deliver vital engineering solutions in collaboration with our partners to secure the water, energize our economy and reduce disaster risk” Col. Arnett gave WEDA members examples of how the Corps is fulfilling this mission today.
“We are looking at how we can accomplish our objectives in a sustainable way, using new techniques that will help us get there”, he said.
The Mississippi River is experiencing low water and there are 17 dredges working to restore depth to the channelss, he said. Ten are contract dredges and seven are Corps dredges.
In the category of water safety in Corps-managed lakes, it is important to focus on safety and can and can do the job while making sure everyone goes home safely, he said. Safety regulations and a public relations program to inform the public of the importance of wearing life jackets while boating help in this goal. There are more than 200 deaths annually on Corps-managed lakes.
LTC Arnett was appointed deputy commander of the South Pacific Division in June, following a tour as San Francisco District Engineer from June 2021 to June 2023.
