The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, in partnership with the U.S. Navy Supervisor of Salvage and Diving, will install temporary pumps at the London Avenue Permanent Canal Closure and Pumps (PCCP) as a precautionary measure for delivering sufficient pumping capacity during a tropical weather event. Site preparation and installation of crane mats could begin as early as Wednesday, April 26, 2023.
In February 2023, USACE and its partners identified corrosion as the primary cause of failure for Pump #1 at the London Ave. PCCP. Pump #1 is under repair and scheduled to be returned to service before the start of the 2023 Hurricane Season.
Although there is no indication that failure of any other pump is imminent, USACE and its construction contractor PCCP JV are inspecting and repairing, if necessary, each of the remaining 16 PCCP pumps to confirm the three structures’ reliability for this upcoming hurricane season. To date, nine of the 16 pumps have been inspected and, after minor repairs, returned to operational status. Each of nine inspected pumps exhibited significantly less corrosion than identified on the London Ave. Pump #1.
Because Pump #1 is still under repair and two pumps remain uninspected, USACE has initiated the process for installing contingency pumps at the London Ave. location to provide an additional 1,000 cubic feet per second in pumping capacity by June 1, 2023. These pumps will remain on site until Pump #1 is reinstalled and the remaining two pumps have been inspected and repaired, if necessary.
Once all pumps have been inspected and the underlying cause for corrosion identified, USACE and PCCP JV will develop a path forward for long-term repairs to ensure reliable and sustainable pumps that meet the 35-year design specifications. This subsequent work will occur outside of hurricane season to minimize the risk of reduced pumping capacity during a tropical weather event.
For more information regarding the greater New Orleans Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System Permanent Canal Closures and Pumps, please visit our webpage: New Orleans District > Missions > HSDRRS > PCCP (army.mil).
Original source can be found here.