Reventment season complete for USACE

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On March 2, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District’s Mat Sinking Unit completed its 2020 revetment season.

Revetment, articulated concrete squares, were placed by the Mat Sinking Unit. Approximately 266,000 units were placed along the Mississippi River before returning on March 6 to Vicksburg Harbor. The deployment took 230 days and was the second longest deployment in the last twenty five years. Last year, over 167,000 squares were placed before being terminated early due to elevated water conditions.

Significant operational changes were presented this season due to COVID-19. Nearly 300 crewmen met strict safety standards that included increasing the tour of duty from twelve days to twenty-five, which helped to limit the crew members’ contact with non-USACE personnel.

“We are incredibly proud of our crew for completing a phenomenal season despite unprecedented circumstances,” said USACE Vicksburg District Commander Col. Robert Hilliard. “Their months of dedication exemplify the district’s unwavering commitment to this vital mission and its ability to adapt to fluid situations.”

The Mat Sinking Unit is a wonder in itself. The unit acts as a floating city, housing its crew members. The unit has been an essential part to the revetment mission for over seven decades. It will continue to deliver benefits until 2023 when it will be replaced by Armor 1’s cutting-edge technology.