The J. Strom Thurmond Lake Project experienced extensive damage to all 51 USACE operated recreation areas as a result of Hurricane Helene's movement through the area in September 2025, including what was originally estimated to be 500,000 cubic yards of vegetative debris such as hazardous trees and stumps. This brought the recreation mission at the project to an almost complete stop for the 2025 recreation season.
In June 2025, the project secured funding from the Federal Highway Administration Emergency Relief of Federally Owned Roads (ERFO) program to remove the vegetative debris from transportation assets within 34 recreation areas and 19 miles of the Bartram Trail. To successfully remove all debris, the Thurmond Project had to apply USACE’s Emergency Management FEMA response model for debris removal for the first time on a USACE Project using USACE’s Advanced Contract Initiative for Debris Removal Servies.
The Thurmond Recovery Project Delivery Team constructed and oversaw the Thurmond Hurricane Helene Debris Mission with Henry Way, Thurmond’s Contracting Section Chief Ranger, and Scott Kelley, Hartwell Lake Natural Resources Manager, serving as Contracting Officer Representatives. The Savannah District’s Lake Projects Environmental Compliance Coordinators, Anna George, Scott DeMore, and Denise Crocker, served as Safety Officers throughout the duration of the contract. In total, 38 personnel from the Savannah District and across the enterprise were brought in to serve as Quality Assurance personnel.
Without the leadership of Tammy Cleveland, Thurmond Lake Operations Project Manager; Aaron Wahus, Hartwell Lake Operations Project Manager; and Christina Alford, Thurmond Lake Natural Resources Program Manager; and the dedication of Angel Morrill, Hartwell Lake Operations Support Specialist, the Thurmond Debris Mission would not have been a success. Throughout the mission, the operational theme of Communication, Collaboration, Transparency, Teamwork, and Safety was embedded into daily operations.
BY THE NUMBERS:
- 58 days ahead of schedule
- Signficantly under budget
- 60,163.25 contractor hours
- 15,449.75 USACE personel hours
- 0 incidents
The timeline below depicts the Thurmond story from Hurricane.
September 27, 2024
Hurricane Helene incapacitated J. Strom Thurmond Dam and Lake with 100 mph winds and 10 inches of rain.
October 2024
A Project Delivery Team (PDT) was established with the purpose of vegetative debris removal and infrastructure repairs in recreation and operational areas with the intention to reopen parks as quickly as possible while ensuring public safety. The PDT was lead by Hartwell Lake's Operations Project Manager Aaron Wahus and included Thurmond Lake Staff, Savannah District's Lakes Branch Management, Savannah District's Contracting Office, Savannah District's Project Management Office, and Savannah District's Corporate Communication Office.
November 1-10, 2024
Using the Advanced Contract Initiative (ACI) Regional Contracts for Debris Management Services, a Pre-Execution Planning Task Order was completed to assess the vegetative debris located within the lakes project site areas. This resulted in an estimated over 500,000 cubic yards of debris, more than 21,000 hazardous trees and 2,000 hazardous stumps.
November 25, 2024
Thurmond Lake submitted a request for Quick Release funds to the Federal Highways Administration's Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads program.
December 2024
A Team of Park Rangers and managers from Thurmond Lake and Hartwell Lake completed Detail Damage Inspection Reports for all 51 Project Site Areas for the Federal Highways Administration's Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads program.
January 16th, 2025
Thurmond Lake submitted two Program of Projects funding requests to the Federal Highways Administration's Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads program totaling nearly $32M.
April 2025
Thurmond Lake's operation and maintenance contractor began removing debris from the West Dam Day Use Area and timber salvage operations began in Ridge Road Campground.
May 27, 2025
Thurmond Lake received notification from the Federal Highways Administration of their approval and allotment of approximately $32M in Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads Program Funding.
September 17, 2025
The Debris Removal Task Order concluded after 62 operational days (58 days ahead of schedule) with 4,235 hazardous trees, 2,569 hazardous limbs, and 5,959 truckloads (213,796.2 cubic yards) of debris removed.
May 2025
Timber salvage operations began in Petersburg Campground.
July 13, 2025
A Notice to Proceed was issued to AshBritt Inc. for a Debris Removal Task Order through the Advanced Contract Initiative (ACI) Regional Contracts for Debris Management Services.
September 18, 2025
All debris removal operations, both in house and contracted, concluded. In total, 242,645.5 cubic yards of debris caused by Hurricane Helene was removed from Thurmond Lake recreation areas.
May 23, 2025
West Dam Day Use Area officially reopened, marking the first major Day Use Area to reopen following closures due to Hurricane Helene at Thurmond Lake.
August 22, 2025
Hawe Creek Campground officially reopened, marking the first campground to reopen following closures due to Hurricane Helene at Thurmond Lake.
January 20, 2026
The project's Vegetative Reduction Contractor, MW Collins, completed reduction and spreading operations at the Vegetation Storage Site.
