VICKSBURG, Miss. – Last week, a team from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District’s River Operations Branch completed the removal of approximately 3,500 cubic yards of large rocks and other material from Lake Providence in northeast Louisiana. Special equipment, specifically a Link Belt LS-818 300-ton lattice boom crawler crane named “Big Juicy”, was used to complete this project. Crane Operators Ron Holland and Patrick Jones equipped Big Juicy with a 6CY clam shell to effectively clear the large rocks. “Navigation is paramount to the Vicksburg District’s mission and to the economy of the Lake Providence area,” said MVK’s Commander, Colonel Christopher Klein. “I’m proud of the team members who worked safely and diligently to remove the obstructions that were hindering our ability to keep the waterway open for commerce.” By removing the rocks, the Corps made it possible to dredge deeper, allowing navigation to traverse the harbor at lower water levels. Throughout the process, MVK’s team coordinated with the Lake Providence Port Commission and other stakeholders at the harbor to ensure regular port activities were not interrupted.