Savannah National Wildlife Refuge reopened Friday the Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive in South Carolina.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the agency administering the Freshwater Diversion Canal repair project, has completed the work associated with refuge lands south of S.C. Hwy. 170, which includes the Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive just north of Savannah.
In the past year, the ACOE replaced water-control structures installed as mitigation for the 1977 Savannah Harbor deepening project.
The Freshwater Diversion Canal and its associated structures allow freshwater to enter the refuge’s 6,000-acre managed impoundment system further north of the mouth of the Savannah River, where the salinity level has not yet been affected by saltwater intrusion caused by deepening the harbor.
Contractors will continue to work on the final phase of the project, and visitors are encouraged to contact the Savannah NWR Visitor Center for details prior to visiting.
Visitors also can call 843-784-2468 or stop by the Savannah NWR Visitor Center for more information.