SAVANNAH, Ga. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, has completed its Hurricane Helene debris removal operations, collectively removing 242,645.5 cubic yards of downed timber and debris from J. Strom Thurmond Dam and Lake recreation areas.
The contractor, AshBritt, Inc, began removing Hurricane Helene debris July 18, 2025, within Thurmond Lake’s recreation areas and completed operations Sept. 17, 2025. Over the course of 62 operational days, 4,235 hazardous trees, 2,569 hazardous limbs, and 5,959 truckloads of debris were removed, resulting in a total of 213,796.2 cubic yards of debris. In addition to the debris removal contract, 28,849.3 trees were also removed using Timber Salvage Sales and the lake’s operations and maintenance (O&M) contractor, R&D, Inc.
While the completion of debris removal operations marks a significant milestone in Thurmond Lake’s Hurricane Helene recovery, there is still work to be completed before areas can be safely reopened to the public. Thurmond Lake personnel are actively working to repair damaged infrastructure within the lake’s recreational areas through their O&M contractor R&D, Inc. The Savannah District continues to pursue Army Corps of Engineers-administered emergency supplemental funding to facilitate completion of all remaining repairs.
“We appreciate the public’s patience as crews work to repair damaged infrastructure and mitigate health and safety risks on Corps property.” said Thurmond Lake Operations Project Manager, Tammy Cleveland. “Safety remains our top priority, so we still need visitors to 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 repair 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.
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.