This Review Plan defines the scope and level of review activities for the Jones/Oysterbed Island Dike Improvements Project, Savannah Harbor, Jasper County South Carolina. Jones/Oysterbed Island is a major disposal area for placing dredged material resulting from maintenance dredging for the Savannah Harbor. Improvements needed included raising the dike along the river-side of the island, placing stone along washed out areas to prevent undermining of the dike, and repairing weirs. READ MORE...

A Draft Environmental Assessment and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact for proposed operations during Level 4 drought conditions on the Savannah River have been prepared. The documents are available for a review and comment period until 14 July 2011.

A copy of the Joint Public Notice, Draft EA and FONSI, and appendices can be found at the links below:

• Joint Public Notice
• Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
• Appendices

Savannah District sought, obtained, and used funds from the American Resource and Recovery Act (ARRA) to answer some long-standing environmental and water resource questions on the Savannah River. The District contracted with regional organizations to perform the work. The reports of those organizations can be viewed below:

Evaluation of Shortnose Sturgeon Spawning Habitat in the Savannah River. This investigation was conducted by the firm Dial Cordy and Associates. The study consisted of (1) Measuring and documenting the river depths, (2) Characterizing and quantifying the bottom substrate, (3) Measuring and characterizing flow velocities, (4) Using that information to assess the suitability of the bottom substrates as spawning habitats for Shortnose sturgeon, and (5) Characterizing the bottom substrate at the Augusta Shoals. This work is the first quantitative assessment of Shortnose sturgeon spawning habitat in the Savannah River in many years and it used published NOAA guidance that define acceptable spawning habitat.  READ MORE…

Evaluation of Sediment Dynamics at Gravel Bars Used for Spawning in the Savannah River. This investigation was conducted by the University of Georgia, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. The study was identified changes in sedimentation of gravel bars over the course of a year, and short term changes that occur in response to specific flow events. The Corps sought this information to assess the likely effectiveness of using a pulsed release prior to the fish spawning season to clean the gravel bars to expand the quantity of suitable spawning habitat. The investigation also provided information on the likely duration of effect of a cleaned spawning site.  READ MORE…

Evaluation of Preferential Fish Use of Cleaned Gravel Bars in the Savannah River. This investigation was conducted by the South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. This investigation assessed the feasibility of cleaning two gravel bars located downstream of the Corps dams and the preferential use of the cleaned areas for fish spawning. This information would be used to assess the technical feasibility of cleaning gravel bars, the effectiveness of that procedure to enhance the value of a spawning site for fish, and the costs of such an operation on a larger scale.  READ MORE…

The Corps oversees the Levee Safety Program to assess the integrity and viability of the levees and to make sure that levee systems do not present unacceptable risks to the public, property and environment. The basic objectives of the program are to:

• Develop balanced and informed assessments of levees within the program
• Evaluate, prioritize and justify levee safety decisions, and
• Make recommendations to improve public safety associated with levee systems

By law the Corps oversees the Rehabilitation and Inspection Program to ensure continuation of reliable flood damage reduction and to help protect human life, communities and public property.

Augusta Levee Periodic Inspection Report

The Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP) is located in Chatham County, Georgia, and Jasper County, South Carolina. This is an existing single purpose deep draft federal navigation project that is currently maintained at a depth of 42 feet. The United States Congress conditionally authorized deepening the channel to a maximum of 48 feet contingent upon the completion of a General Reevaluation Report (GRR) and Tier II Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), a final mitigation plan, and an incremental analysis of the channel depths from 42 to 48 feet. The Review Plan (RP) was developed in accordance with technical and policy requirements of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The plan meets the guidance provided in Engineer Circular (EC) 1165-2-209, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2007, Engineering Regulation (ER) 1105-2-100, Engineer Circular (EC) 1105-2-408, CECW-CP Memorandum dated 8 November 2006, and CECW-CP Memorandum, Subject: Peer Review Process dated 30 March 2006.

Note: The project review schedule and other information in this plan were accurate at the time the report was produced. As with all projects of this kind, some information may change as the project moves forward.

View the full report.