Army Corps crews work to clear debris from harbor after Irene

By Chris Gardner, USACESeptember 30, 2011

Army Corps drift collection crews work to clear potential hazards to navigation from the harbor after Irene
1 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army Corps drift collection crews work to clear potential hazards to navigation from the harbor after Irene
2 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army Corps drift collection crews work to clear potential hazards to navigation from the harbor after Irene
3 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The crew of Drift Collection Vessel Gelberman works to clear drift and debris from the waters in and around the New York and New Jersey Harbor Aug.30, 2011, after Tropical Storm Irene. Tropical Storm Irene brought storm surge, heavy winds and lots of... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army Corps drift collection crews work to clear potential hazards to navigation from the harbor after Irene
4 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Large objects like this piece that broke off of an old pier in the busy Erie Basin in Brooklyn are one of the potential hazards to navigation the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' drift-collection vessels remove from the waters in and around the New York... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army Corps drift collection crews work to clear potential hazards to navigation from the harbor after Irene
5 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers personnel aboard Drift Collection Vessel Gelberman work to secure a large piece that broke off of an old pier in the busy Erie Basin in Brooklyn while working to clear potential hazards to navigation in and around the New... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army Corps drift collection crews work to clear potential hazards to navigation from the harbor after Irene
6 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Drift Collection Vessel Hayward drops of a morning's load of debris collected in the catamaran, rigged with a steel net to gather debris, that was attached to its side while it collected debris and other potential hazards to navigation in and around ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

NEW YORK, Aug. 31, 2011 -- Crews aboard the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' New York District's three drift-collection vessels have been working to clear drift and debris from the waters in and around the New York and New Jersey Harbor after Tropical Storm Irene.

While the mission happens all year, Irene brought storm surge, heavy winds and lots of rain to the region over the weekend and Army Corps crews have been working hard to gather the additional drift that may be in the New York and New Jersey Harbor following the storm to ensure safe navigation.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers personnel aboard DCV Gelberman worked to secure large pieces that broke off of an old pier in the busy Erie Basin (pronounced like the Great Lake) in Brooklyn.

Large objects like those that broke off the pier are one of the potential hazards to navigation the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' drift-collection vessels remove objects routinely from the waters in and around the New York and New Jersey Harbor to help ensure safe navigation for all kinds of vessels, ranging from small recreation vessels to water taxis, to large container ships and oil tankers.

Large hazards like those broken off the pier could cause damages ranging from piercing a hull to damaging or destroying propellers to potentially causing an environmental hazard like an oil spill or leak. A large piece from the old pier was called into the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by the U.S. Coast Guard while drift-collection crews were working after the storm.

The DCV Hayward, a catamaran rigged with a steel net attached to its side to gather debris, also worked the harbor to clear it of potential hazards to navigation. Tuesday morning, the Hayword collected a load of debris weighing about 17,000 pounds.

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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - North Atlantic Division