On Friday, September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene severely impacted the J. Strom Thurmond Project causing incapacitating damage resulting in the closure of 51 Corps of Engineers-operated recreation areas. Although staff and contractors have managed to render some areas safe, many remain closed due to debris, safety concerns, and infrastructure damage.

In our continued efforts to reopen all areas, 213,796 cubic yards of vegetative debris (5,959 truckloads) have been removed using Federal Highway Administration (FHA) Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO) funds. Now that debris is cleared, project staff are inspecting damage to park facilities and amenities to determine needed repairs. Using available funding, which includes ERFO funds for transportation infrastructure repairs and Thurmond’s routine operating budget for the recreation program, project staff and contractors continue to work on repairs in an effort to reopen recreation areas for the 2026 season.

The below infographics explain the Thurmond Project’s two processes that must be completed to reopen areas once they are deemed safe. The Debris Removal Process steps must be completed before the Storm Recovery Process steps, as the debris must be removed before any infrastructure repairs are made. The last step of the Storm Recovery Process allows us to open areas safely.