The hopper dredger Wheeler docks by the headquarters for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, located along the east bank of the Mississippi River in New Orleans, La.
The largest hopper dredger in the USACE fleet, the Wheeler keeps waterway channels clear from Key West, Fla., to Brownsville, Texas.
Although the dredger is maintained in a state of readiness for worldwide operations, it spends the majority of its time operating in Louisiana in the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River, dealing with shoaling problems that occur during high and low water.