SAVANNAH, Ga. – Using the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO) funding received in June 2025, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, awarded a contract to AshBritt, Inc., to begin Hurricane Helene debris removal July 18, 2025, at J. Strom Thurmond Lake recreation areas.
Since the September 2024 storm, the Savannah District has been actively seeking emergency funds to begin the cleanup process, while moving forward using its limited fiscal year 2025 operations and maintenance funds to open all of its boat ramps and access points and three recreation areas; Clarks Hill Park and Below Dam in South Carolina, and West Dam in Georgia. Currently, 41 of 51 recreation areas are now open or partially open to the public.
The ERFO funding does not allow for reduction and permanent disposal of the debris or repair of recreation facilities such as restrooms, campsites, courtesy docks, etc. The Savannah District will continue to pursue USACE-administered emergency supplemental funding for those remaining repairs and permanent disposal of the debris.
“These parks play an integral role in the health and well-being of our community,” said USACE Savannah District’s Park Operations Manager, Chrissy Alford. “We are grateful for this major step toward restoring our parks from the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene.”
The contractor will remove hazardous trees and stumps, along with vegetative debris within 10 feet of park facilities and amenities, and within 20 feet of roadways and parking lots. Debris will be moved to the debris staging area at the lower end of the lake. They will be working in both open and closed recreation areas with heavy equipment, and visitors should expect intermittent park closures as they progress through the parks. Additionally, this work will likely cause increased traffic around the lake, and the Corps of Engineers asks visitors to please continue to be patient as the cleanup takes place.
Visitors should stay clear of active recovery areas and stay out of closed parks or parks that appear to have work in progress. For safety, visitors must refrain from entering areas marked with ‘Area Closed’ and ‘No Trespassing’ signs and maintain a safe distance from debris removal activities. As an alternative, visitors can access many state, county, and concessionaire lease areas currently open to the public. A list can be found on the Savannah District’s website here.
“We appreciate the public’s patience as crews work to remove debris and mitigate health and safety risks on Corps property.” said Thurmond Lake Operations Project Manager, Tammy Cleveland. “Safety remains our top priority.”
To learn more about the storm recovery process at Thurmond Lake, visit the Thurmond Hurricane Helene Recovery webpage or contact the Project Office at 800-533-3478 or 864-333-1100, or visit J. Strom Thurmond Lake and Dam.
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