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| U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Dredge Potter. |
The Dredge Potter, the eldest member of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ dredging fleet, was welcomed home to the St. Louis District
Service Base last month, following her most recent makeover.
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| Dredge Potter receives new house. |
She now sports a new resilient and durable pump, allowing
her to suck up sediment from the bottom of the river more efficiently; a
new deckhouse, increasing the size of
her pilothouse and living quarters for her crew; and new electric controls that
are more reliable and easier to maintain. The renovations were completed in
Houma, La. through Gulf Island Fabrication, Incorporated, and the hard work of
the Potter crew.
Built in 1932, during the Great Depression, the Potter
was named in honor of Brig. Gen. Charles Lewis Potter—Memphis District Engineer
from 1900 to 1903 and then President of the Mississippi River Commission from
1920 to 1928.
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| The Potter as a steam-powered paddlewheel. |
The 240-foot long, 46-foot wide Dredge Potter was
originally a steam-powered paddlewheel before her transformation to
diesel-electric power in 2001. Her first job assignment was with the Corps’
Memphis District before her transfer to the St. Louis District in 1979.
Approaching her 80th birthday, the Potter remains true to
the St. Louis District’s mission of maintaining a nine-foot deep, 300-foot wide
channel on 300 miles of the Mississippi River from Saverton, Mo., to Cairo,
Ill., making navigation possible for towboats to move commerce up and down the
river.
“The Potter is a piece of living history who continues to
shape the river,” Col. Chris Hall, St. Louis District Commander said.“With the
Potter and the hard work of her crew, St. Louis is the third largest inland
port by tonnage, and commercial navigation thrives on the District’s stretch of
the river.”
Last year, the Potter and her crew were awarded the St.
Louis Metro Federal Executive Board Team Award for a forty-five percent
increase in productivity of the previous three years with a thirty-one percent
reduction in costs. A reduction that resulted in 2.7 million in savings.
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| The Dredge Potter dredging the Mississippi River. |
With her new makeover and new attitude, the Potter
returned to service September 2, carrying out her historic mission to keep the
Mississippi River open to navigation.
1 comment:
I have photos of the dredge potter when it was in new Orleans being blasted and painted back in 2000 at the bellinger golf outlet yard. I would be happy to send them to anyone interested. Contact me (Bill) at ctsinspect@aol.com.
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