Savannah District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

08/18/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is proud to recognize its 356 individual generating units at 75 multi-purpose power-producing projects across five USACE Divisions and 16 Districts on National Hydropower Day, Aug. 24, 2026.

For more than 140 years, the USACE Hydropower Program has been providing the nation with ready, reliable, and resilient energy. USACE is the largest owner and operator of hydroelectric power plants in the United States, generating more than 25% of the nation’s hydropower and ranking among the nation’s top 10 power producers overall.

The Savannah District Operations Division operates and maintains civil works projects throughout Georgia and South Carolina for the purpose of navigation, flood damage reduction, environmental stewardship and recreation. The Lakes and Hydropower Branches manage the three hydropower dams on the Upper Savannah River; Hartwell, Richard B. Russell and J. Strom Thurmond Lakes and Dams.

For the full press release:
https://www.sas.usace.army.mil/media/news-releases/article/4576274/us-army-corps-of-engineers-recognizes-national-hydropower-day/

08/17/2026

Ten areas open at Hartwell Lake for 2026-2027 hunting season

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Savannah District, Hartwell Lake Project Office will open three of its larger recreation areas in Georgia and seven areas within Fant’s Grove Wildlife Management Area in South Carolina, to hunters during the 2026-2027 hunting season, beginning as early as Sept. 12, 2026.

In Georgia, 410 acres at Hartwell Dam Quarry Area, in Hart County, will open to hunting, but fi****ms are prohibited, restricting hunters to the use of archery equipment during deer and turkey season. A permit is required to hunt in this area. The permit is free, and it can be picked up at the Hartwell Lake Visitors Center, located at 5625 Anderson Highway, Hartwell, Georgia, during normal business hours.

The other two hunting areas in Georgia are New Prospect Park, also in Hart County (34 acres) and Jenkins Ferry Park, in Stephens County (31 acres). Small game hunting is allowed in these three Georgia locations after deer and turkey seasons have ended. Hunting for small game is restricted to shotgun only with number 4 shot or smaller. Georgia areas will be accessible for walk-in or boat-in only. Motorized vehicles are NOT allowed within gated areas.

Stands and blinds are acceptable if they are portable. They must be removed from public lands on the last day of deer and turkey season. Hunting regulations, license requirements, bag limits and seasons are set by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and apply to hunting on public lands. Information about regulations is available by calling the state’s Region 2 office at 770-535-5499 or by visiting GDNR Hunter Resources: www.dnr.sc.gov/hunting.html

Hunting is prohibited in all developed recreation areas, except those listed above. Hunters should visit SCDNR Hunting Resources or call 864-654-1671 for information on licenses, seasons, and bag limits.

Hunting on public lands, waters of the Hartwell Project, and islands is managed in accordance with Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, section 327.8, as well as Georgia and South Carolina’s hunting regulations. When hunting on an island, the use of archery equipment is encouraged for the safety of those who may be in the area.

For more information, please call the phone numbers listed above or USACE Natural Resource Specialist, Jason Corder, at Hartwell Lake Project Office at 706-856-0332 or 888-8930678, ext. 332.

08/12/2026

🔥 Prescribed burn season is here!

The J. Strom Thurmond Project is gearing up for another prescribed burn season. This year, crews plan to burn nearly 3,500 acres across Corps Management Units (CMUs), parks and leased areas.

📅 This year’s anticipated schedule:

• Below Dam, Georgia CMU — August
• Lake Springs CMU — September
• Catfish Peninsula — September-October
• Bussey Point CMU — October
• Mistletoe State Park — October-November
• Hamilton Branch State Park — October-November
• Crooked Bridge CMU — November
• Hawe Creek CMU — November-December
• Shriver Creek CMU — December
• Parksville Day Use Area — December
• Hawe Creek Campground — January
• Modoc Campground — January-February
• Lake Springs CMU — February-March
• Murray Creek CMU — March

Burn dates may change based on weather conditions or scheduling conflicts.

🌲 Why prescribed fire?

🔥 Reduces wildfire risk: Prescribed burns remove excess vegetation, brush and dead leaves that can fuel wildfires. This is especially important with the significant amount of storm debris remaining in project forests following Hurricane Helene.

🌱 Promotes healthy ecosystems: Fire is a natural process that many ecosystems depend on. It returns nutrients to the soil, helps control invasive species and promotes healthy native vegetation.

🦌 Improves wildlife habitat: Many species, including deer, turkey and songbirds, benefit from the new growth that follows a prescribed burn.

💨 What about the smoke?

Smoke is an unavoidable part of prescribed fire, but crews carefully plan burns around weather conditions that promote good smoke dispersion and minimize impacts to nearby communities. You may see or smell smoke during a burn, but prescribed fires are generally shorter in duration and less intense than wildfires.

🧯 Safety is our priority.

Crews establish firebreaks, monitor weather conditions and remain on-site throughout each burn. Afterward, crews conduct mop-up operations to address remaining hot spots and ensure the fire is completely extinguished.

Prescribed fire is an important tool for creating healthier forests, improving wildlife habitat and reducing wildfire risk. Thanks for helping us keep the J. Strom Thurmond Project safe, healthy and resilient!

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Headquarters I U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Atlantic Division I I I

08/11/2026

The Richard B. Russell Project, will host dove hunts for youth and adults Sept. 12 and 19, 2026, at two fields in Elbert County, Georgia, and one field in Abbeville County, South Carolina.

All hunters must register before close of business Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, by calling 706-213-3406 or emailing Jon McMahan at [email protected]

When registering, the full name of each hunter, along with their contact information must be provided. After a random drawing, each hunter selected to participate will receive a confirmation email or phone call.

All dove hunts begin at 2 p.m. and end at sunset. All Georgia and/or South Carolina state regulations, including license requirements will be enforced.

Youth hunts begin at the project manager’s office, located at 4144 Russell Dam Drive, Elberton, Georgia. Youth hunters must be 16 years of age or younger and accompanied by a parent or guardian who is at least 18 years of age.

In accordance with hunting regulations, the parent or guardian must be a licensed hunter and will be permitted to hunt along with the youth hunter. Youth hunts are limited to a maximum of 14 youth hunters for each event.

The adult/general public hunts will take place at the Middleton Church Road dove field in Elberton, Georgia, and the Hwy 72 dove field in Calhoun Falls, South Carolina. These hunts are limited to a maximum of 14 hunters per day at the Middleton Church Road dove field in Elberton, and a maximum of eight hunters per day at the Hwy 72 dove field in Calhoun Falls.

For more information, contact Jon McMahan at the Richard B. Russell office at 706-213-3406 or email [email protected].

For information about obtaining a hunting license, visit Georgia DNR Licensing or South Carolina DNR Licensing.

I I I U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Atlantic Division

08/04/2026

During a formal change of command ceremony held July 31, 2026, at the Telfair Museum in Savannah, Georgia, Col. Robert Fairel assumed command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District from Col. Ron Sturgeon.

Brig. Gen. Zachary Miller, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers South Atlantic Division, officiated the ceremony, which also recognized Col. Sturgeon during his retirement ceremony.

Please join us in welcoming Col. Fairel to the Savannah District and thanking Col. Sturgeon for his dedicated service and leadership. We wish Col. Sturgeon all the best in his retirement!

For the full photo album:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/savannahcorps/albums/72177720334972956/

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Atlantic Division I U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Headquarters

07/31/2026

Thurmond Lake Bridge lane closures during inspection Aug. 3-5 APPLING, Ga.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Savannah District Structural Section will be inspecting the Thurmond Lake bridge on Clarks Hill Road, and during that time, Georgia Department of Transportation will close lanes Aug. 3-5, weather permitting.

During the inspections, GDOT will have single lane closures and flagging operations. Please be aware and expect delays. For more details on the lane closures, please reach out to the Clayton Traffic Control Office at 404-343-0181.

07/31/2026

Savannah District Change of Command

07/29/2026

07/27/2026

Stay connected with USACE! For the latest official updates, project news, and significant notices from across the region, please follow and monitor our South Atlantic Division account at https://www.facebook.com/USACESAD

And don't forget to visit our official website at Savannah District Website https://www.sas.usace.army.mil/ to ensure you never miss an update.

07/24/2026

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to Host 2026 Primitive Weapons Deer Hunts at Bussey Point 🦌

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, J. Strom Thurmond Project, will host annual archery and muzzleloader hunts at Bussey Point in Lincoln County, Georgia, on:

• Sept. 18-19 (Archery)
• Oct. 23-24 (Archery/Muzzleloader)
• Nov. 13-14 (Archery/Muzzleloader)

Hunts are limited to 75 hunters per day and filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Hunters must check in/out at the entrance gate, where the check station is located. The gate will open one hour before sunrise and remain open until the last hunter exits the area.

The bag limit is two does and one quality buck per day of each hunt. A quality buck is defined as having a main beam length of at least 15 inches on one side or an outside spread of 14 inches or greater. These limits will be strictly enforced. All state regulations, including harvest reporting, apply. As a non-quota hunt, all harvests count toward the statewide bag limit.

Non-hunting visitors are encouraged to use other recreation areas during scheduled hunt dates.

To reserve a campsite at Bussey Point through Recreation.gov

For more information, contact Conservation Biologist Evan Brashier at 864-333-1159 or [email protected].

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