Corps maintains lakes, parks as it welcomes thousands to Demopolis
“In 1775, before this nation was even born, the Corps of Engineers was sent out to build roads and bridges for this young nation.”
Jason Cassity, site manager for the Black Warrior-Tombigbee (BWT) Project Office in Demopolis, a part of the Mobile District Corps, brough Demopolis Rotarians up to date on the local office and the impact the Corps has in Demopolis.
The Corps primarily is involved in civil engineering works, explained Cassity. The nine employees in the Demopolis office cover the extensive area ranging from Birmingham to Coffeeville. The Mobile District is responsible for more than $4 million in construction contracts each year.
“Just like any other military installation, we have a chain of command,” said Cassity. Demopolis reports to the colonel in Mobile who, in turn, reports to the general in the Atlanta headquarters. Out of the 700 employees in the Mobile district, only five are military personnel.
In Demopolis the primary concerns of the Corps are navigation and recreation. The convergence of the Tombigbee and Black Warrior rivers brings great economic benefits to the city and, he added, also is of benefit to the Corps to be located here.
The BWT is home to six lakes, all part of the larger Black Warrior and Tombigbee waterway systems. They provide commercial navigation, provide hydropower and offer recreational opportunities.
The Demopolis Lake is the largest in the BWT system. It extends 48 miles upriver and the Black Warrior and 53 miles up the Tombigbee, covering 10,000 acres.
At the turn of the 20th century, the 17-lock and dam system between Mobile and Jefferson County already needed an upgrade. Improvements to the system began in 1937 until today six lock-and-dam sites are located in Coffeeville, Demopolis, Eutaw and three in the Tuscaloosa area.
When the Demopolis lock and dam was completed, it opened the area to greater recreational opportunities for the public. Any boater could lock through the system and navigate the rivers.
Foscue Park became the “flagship” recreational area for the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Project. Although smaller than many other parks in the system, Foscue brings in more revenue.
“It has to do with convenience,” said Cassity. Having a hospital, shopping and restaurants nearby makes the site popular. It also helps that Foscue Park offers full hook-ups and amenities that a lot of other parks don’t provide.
He added, “Demopolis is the headquarters of what is the most biodiverse systems in the nation.”
More than 12,000 visitors came through the park in 2021, said Cassity. Of those, 13 percent were from the Demopolis area, but representatives from 41 states also stayed at the parks. Senior passes and access passes made up 61 percent of the visitors.
He encouraged local businesses to work with the Corps. “We actively promote Demopolis” to campers.
What is known as Lower Pool also draws people, Cassity continued. Before 2009, Lower Pool was only a dirt road, a gravel parking lot and an overlook. Since then, the dirt road to the park has been paved, thanks to help from Marengo County, and landscaping and pavilions were built. In 2021 more than 32,000 people visited the site, if only to look at the scenery.
“Demopolis is not a destination location, Cassity admitted, but from the visitors who rate the site online and leave comments, Foscue Park rates a 4.8 out of 5.0. As park manager he takes a hard look at the people who explain their 1.0 rating and corrects the problem whenever possible.
The major issue facing the BWT Project Office is the stagnant funding. The budget hasn’t changed in the 12 years Cassity has been with the Corps.
“We’re fighting how to deliver our mission day in and day out with the same constraints.”
The BWT Office has projects in place that will continue to be funded “as long as we can generate the visitors.” He added that he does his best to hire and purchase locally for whatever the office needs.
He congratulated both the project staff and the volunteers who dedicate a lot of their time to maintain the park sites in Demopolis and give group tours of the lock and dam. He invited anyone who wants a tour to call the Demopolis Corps of Engineers office.