Mat Sinking Unit Completes Revetment Season

The Vicksburg Engineer District reports that the Corps’ Mat Sinking Unit (MSU) completed its 2018 season January 11, 2019.

During the season, the MSU placed approximately 200,000 squares of articulated concrete mattress along the Mississippi River to prevent erosion and to protect key areas of the riverbank and flood-control works.

Crucial Role

“For 70 years, the Mat Sinking Unit has played a crucial role in protecting the banks of the Mississippi River from erosion, and the importance of that task cannot be overstated,” said Vicksburg District Commander Col. Michael C. Derosier. “The Mississippi River serves as a vital commercial waterway and drains 41 percent of the nation’s water. It is the lifeblood of the U.S. economy.”

The MSU typically operates from August to November, the months when river stages are at their lowest, and conducts work that spans the jurisdictions of Memphis, Vicksburg and New Orleans districts. A mat sinking barge, a mat supply barge, quarter barges, spar barges, gantry cranes, bulldozers and motor vessels are among the equipment used by the MSU to help maintain the Mississippi River’s stabilization and navigation. Each season, approximately 50 full-time and 220 seasonal/temporary employees live on quarter boats and work 10-hour shifts and 12-consecutive-day work periods to execute the mission.