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Rock Island Corps Plays Key Role in U.S. Flood Fights

Local employees of the Corps of Engineers are ready to help hold back the rising Mississippi River. And they've already been very busy during this wet, snowy winter and spring.

Michelle O'Neill reports the corps' Rock Island District serves the entire country as the National Flood Fight Materiel Center.Radio story

Rodney Delp, Rock Island District Corps of Engineers Chief of Emergency Management (file)
Credit Michelle O'Neill / WVIK News
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WVIK News
Rodney Delp, Rock Island District Corps of Engineers Chief of Emergency Management (file)

Rodney Delp, Chief of Emergency Management, says earlier this year, the corps sent 30 pumps to southern Illiois during the flood on the Ohio River near Cairo.

And the flood fight center is providing supplies and equipment for flood-fighting in Nebraska and western Iowa.

Delp keeps the flood center's warehouse on Arsenal Island fully stocked and double-checks inventory at least every two weeks.

The National Flood Fight Materiel Center does not distribute sandbags to homeowners or businesses. Delp says it's mainly responsible for helping municipalities and states protect infrastructure.

The Rock Island District also has a new, sandbag machine that helps workers fill about 45 sandbags per minute.

Copyright 2021 WVIK, Quad Cities NPR. To see more, visit WVIK, Quad Cities NPR.

Warehouse on Arsenal Island full of flood-fighting supplies
submitted / Rock Island District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
/
Rock Island District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Warehouse on Arsenal Island full of flood-fighting supplies
Warehouse on Arsenal Island full of flood-fighting supplies
submitted / Rock Island District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
/
Rock Island District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Warehouse on Arsenal Island full of flood-fighting supplies

Officially, Michelle's title is WVIK News Editor which really just means she wears many hats, doing everything there is to do in the newsroom and around the radio station. She's a multimedia journalist and serves as Assignment Editor, reporter, radio news producer, copy editor, announcer, news anchor/host, and photographer. She also writes and produces content for WVIK.org and social media.In recent broadcast journalism contests, Michelle's work contributed to WVIK winning various awards for excellence in both Illinois and Iowa. Tweets by MichelleONeilll