The Army Corps of Engineers has completed post-Hurricane Helene debris removal at Claytor Lake State Park in Pulaski County.
Debris was collected using modular barges, tugboats, excavators and a 40-cubic yard roll-off container and sorted into categories: green waste, construction material, general trash and hazardous materials.
It was then transported to a designated dump site for disposal.
“The US Army Corps of Engineers takes pride in rapidly responding to natural disasters and restoring impacted areas,” said LTC Anthony Funkhouser, the acting commander of the Norfolk District of the Corps. “Working closely with our federal, state and local partners, we successfully removed all floating and submerged debris returning Claytor Lake to its pre-storm conditions, ensuring it remains safe and accessible for the community. We appreciate the patience of residents and visitors as we completed this critical effort.”
Claytor Lake State Park sits on the northern shore of the lake and offers water access, four miles of lake frontage, including a swim beach, and more than 470 acres of fields and woodland.
The park served as the operations center for the USACE during the cleanup.
With the operations center demobilized, the Claytor Lake State Park boat ramp and Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources boat ramp located off Bear Drive are operating as normal seven days a week.
“The cleanup of Claytor Lake is a testament to the resilience and dedication of our federal and state agencies, park rangers and community members,” Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation Director Matt Wells said. “Their combined efforts have restored this natural space, demonstrating what can be achieved when we work together for the benefit of our public lands.”
Due to damage caused by large equipment, the park’s boat ramps and parking lots will need to be repaired, and DWR’s parking lot will also need regrading.
This work will require temporary closures, which will be announced at a later date.
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Chris Graham
