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.

Before safely reopening all areas, approximately 500,000 cubic yards of vegetative debris, 21,000 leaning and hazardous trees, and 2,000 hazardous stumps must be removed. Once debris is cleared, project staff will be able to inspect recreation infrastructure damages, perform repairs, and ultimately re-open our recreation areas. The magnitude of damages to the Thurmond Project is unprecedented, with storm recovery estimates to cost tens of millions of dollars. Due to these costs significantly exceeding the normal budget for the recreation program, Thurmond Project is aggressively working to secure adequate supplemental funding. Many recreation areas will remain closed through the 2025 recreation season with a final restoration date unknown.

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.