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12 Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday - Observance Jan www.mvr.usace.army.mil/PublicAffairsOffice/TowerTimes Dan Crone Natural Resource Specialist Saylorville Lake By Hilary Markin or some employees the Flood of Crone. He surveys more than 200 miles “I witnessed the choking smell of burn- 2008 was their first disaster experi- of government boundary line and resolves ing debris under a low hanging artificial Fence testing their abilities to work illegal trespasses and encroachments. “I sky, trees snapped off half way up, and outside their comfort zone enduring long have had to confront many persons for the highest relief point being the highway hours and unpleasant conditions. For oth- using government land contrary to our overpass and debris piles at Corps dump- ers like Dan Crone this was another event regulations. Some of the individuals had sites,” Crone said regarding the aftermath to add to his memories of working for the previously owned the same land prior to of Hurricane Andrew in Homestead, Corps of Engineers. the government purchase for the Saylor- Florida. His exposure to the Corps began when ville Project.” Following the Super Typhoon Pongso- he worked two seasons for the principle na in Guam, Crone was assigned a prob- contractor on the construction of Say- lem dumpsite in Tiyan in the Village of lorville Dam. He directed 16 Caterpillar Barrigada. “Days were endless, hot and earthmovers where and when to unload filthy. Working constantly amidst blow- compactable material on the dam. ing dirt, flies and debris,” said Crone. “I was in awe regarding the planning He also worked the temporary roofing and engineering skill used to design and mission in Puerto Rico following Hur- build these structures that have performed ricane Georges. “I truly felt that we did so well. It also boggles the mind when I some good in Puerto Rico. The disaster think about all of the tracts of land that was well run and as I flew out, it was Corps real estate personnel negotiated gratifying to see blue roofs everywhere,” and procured from so many entities to said Crone. make things come together,” said Crone. Outside of work, one of the Crones’ He would later become a Park Ranger most memorable experiences was their with the Corps of Engineers performing decision to hike to Everest Base Camp. dam safety duties along the same mile- Crone and his wife spent a year studying long structure during the floods of ‘84, and training in Iowa (836 feet above sea ‘91, ‘93, and the most recent ‘08. level) for the trip of a lifetime in Nepal. Crone began his career with the Corps “We climbed over 100 miles to Everest at Saylorville Lake in 1979. “The office Base Camp (17,600 feet) and then to then was using carbon paper and the Kala Patar (18,200 feet) and back down project was like the Wild West. We had to Lukla (9,200 feet) in 16 days with 26 a young staff with one station wagon Dan Crone on the climb to Mt. Everest. yaks and 27 Sherpa. Afterward and now, that had a radio with a five-pound micro- we still have a great feeling of accom- phone,” said Crone. A few of those other Crone has never been one to rely on plishment. It remains the most physically young staff members are still there today. television for a glimpse at the outside and mentally demanding thing we have “I have worked with them so long that I world. “Some of my greatest challenges ever done,” said Crone. know what they are going to say before and rewarding experiences with the Corps Slowly but methodically Crone has they speak.” Crone also remarked on the have been while deployed by Emergency visited a lot of places off the beaten path true worker/family relationship that still Management representing our District in around the world and has learned a lot prevails today at Saylorville Lake. the aftermath of hurricanes,” said Crone. from the different cultures. “It has always Since the early 80s, Crone has been He has participated in eight disasters, step- been my intent to experience these things involved with inspecting project dams and ping out of his comfort zone and gaining throughout life, and not leave them to the as the real estate ranger, with the current a better understanding of his strengths and end,” said Crone. title of Natural Resource Specialist. “I weaknesses. Crone enjoys spending time at his fam- am in the compliance business. The job For most of the disaster missions that ily’s cabin on the Iowa River, the place of requires a bit of outdoor endurance, di- Crone worked he was performing quality his roots, where he sleeps well and actu- plomacy, an even temperament, an ability assurance for the debris removal mis- ally relaxes. It is here that he falls back on to resolve problems, and a sincere belief sion. This often required working in very longtime interests of fishing, photography, in what one is trying to accomplish,” said unpleasant conditions. and expression through poetry. 2 Tower Times www.mvr.usace.army.mil/PublicAffairsOffice/TowerTimes November/December 2008 Tower Times U.S. Army Corps of November/December 2008 Engineers Rock Island District Vol. 31 No. 2 Tower Times Contents November/December 2008 4 A Year of Records for the Rock Island District Col. Robert Sinkler, District Commander District Commander Col. Robert A. Sinkler 5 First-Ever Concrete Breaking Ceremony Congressman Bruce Braley kicks off major rehabilitation Stage III-A Chief, Corporate Communications 6 2008 Flood Recovery Update Ron Fournier Status of levee repairs following 2008 Midwest Flood Editor 8 Student Environmental Conference Hilary Markin High school students learn about the Mississippi River 9 Signing of Davenport Flood Risk Partnership This newsletter is an authorized Water treatment plant will be protected from 200-year flood event publication for members of the U.S. Army. Contents of the Tower Times are not necessarily official 10 2009 Rock Island District Eagle Watches views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Learn about our nation’s symbol at an Eagle Watch Government, Department of De- fense, Department of the Army, or 12 Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday - Observance Jan. 19 the Rock Island District U.S. Army “Remember! Celebrate! Act! A Day On, Not a Day Off!” Corps of Engineers. It is published monthly using 13 Fall Forestry Day offset press by the Corporate Com- Saylorville Lake hosts forestry students from Iowa State University munications Office, Rock Island District, U.S. Army Corps of Engi- neers, Clock Tower Building, Box 14 Winter Safety Tips Tips for driving and walking on snow and ice 2004, Rock Island, IL 61204-2004. Phone (309) 794-5730. Circulation 1,500. Send articles to Editor, Corpo- rate Communications Office, U.S. On the Cover Army Corps of Engineers, Clock Keith Traynor, St. Paul District Tower Building, P.O. Box 2004, dredge MV Dubuque, moves dredge Rock Island, IL, 61204-2004; or e- material to repair the levee at Two mail at [email protected]. Rivers on November 7, 2008. Photo by Ron Fournier, Corpo- rate Communications. On the web at: www.mvr.usace.army.mil/PublicAffair- sOffice/TowerTimes November/December 2008 www.mvr.usace.army.mil/PublicAffairsOffice/TowerTimes Tower Times 3 By Col. Robert Sinkler, District Commander 2008 has been an action-packed year every area. We will estab- for the Rock Island District, and the perfor- lish the new Rock Island mance of the team has been exceptional all New Orleans Support Of- year. Many of us will remember 2008 as fice which will be headed the year of the devastating floods. All five up by Tom Hodgini, a for- will have a program of nearly half a billion of our 300-mile, multi-state river basins mer commander of the St. dollars. To accomplish this additional were hit by floods. Records were broken Louis District. The New Orleans Support work, we will have to change the way we in the Des Moines, the Rock, the Illinois Office will be assisting the New Orleans think about ourselves a little bit. We have and the Mississippi River Basins. It is hard District in the design and construction of clearly moved into the civil works big to believe that the water level in Cedar the multi-billion dollar Greater New Or- league for Fiscal Years 2009, 2010 and Rapids was eleven feet above the previous leans Area Hurricane and Storm Damage 2011. record. The speed and professionalism at Risk Reduction System. As most of you know, we have a great which our flood fighting and emergency Our flood recovery effort will continue story to tell. I appreciate it that each of you response teams performed was a model for which will include several hundred mil- help tell it. We are a medium-sized district the Nation. With your assistance, more lion dollars of levee repairs, lock and dam in a relatively small city. Many times we than 200 miles of levees and floodwalls repairs and flood damage repairs at our get overlooked and forgotten about. It is were raised in a matter of days to protect reservoirs. These important projects will important for our future as a public service vital infrastructure and property. Hun- continue to be highly visible, and have engineering organization that we continue dreds of millions (and probably billions) of a significant amount of public interest. to host as many conferences and meet- dollars of property damage was prevented There will be a great amount of pressure ings as possible in the Quad Cities, make due to your efforts. Most importantly, to complete all of these projects early in presentations at National and Regional numerous lives were saved by the techni- 2009.
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