Eglin uses tank turrets for new artifical
reef
by Jennifer Walters Fey
Air Force Development Test Center Public Affairs
Released: Jun 16, 1998
Tim Bader, a civilian contractor at Eglin, welds tank turret hatches open
to conform with environmental standards before dropping the turrets into the Gulf of
Mexico. (Photo by Bruce Hoffman)
Tank turrets wait to be harvested for wires and other material prior to
being dropped into the Gulf of Mexico. (Photo by Ken Moyer)
Barge workers drop one of 48 tank turrets into the Gulf of Mexico as part
of an effort to build artificial reefs. Hurricane Opal destroyed 90 percent of the Gulf's
natural reefs in 1995. Eglin is a major contributor to the reef effort along with |
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) -- After decades of use as targets on the
Eglin reservation, 48 tank turrets still serve a purpose despite being located many feet
below the Gulf of Mexico surf.
The turrets were dropped into the Gulf May 21 at two sites off the Destin, Fla.,
coast to build an artificial reef for area aquatic life. A tank turret is the rotating
upper section of a tank that weighs roughly eight to 12 tons.
According to Col. Jim Shambo, 96th Air Base Wing commander, Okaloosa County
officials came to his office last year requesting help rebuilding reefs destroyed after
Hurricane Opal.
"They came to us asking for support," Shambo recalled. "And in
true Team Eglin spirit, we signed-up to provide old range targets to help rebuild the
reefs."
Hurricane Opal hit the county shores in '95 and virtually scrubbed the sea floor
clean, damaging or demolishing 90 percent of the natural reefs in the area. This damage,
in turn, eliminated many well-known natural fish reefs where commercial and weekend
fishermen alike harvest their catch. By placing the turrets on the sea floor, Eglin and
the county hope to lure schools of fish back to the area.
According to Eric Sterett, an environmental engineer at the 46th Test Wing who
drove the project to completion, the process of actually taking the turrets from land to
the bottom of the ocean was a long and sometimes frustrating process.
The first step was to get funding. Eglin's 46th Test Wing put up $10,000 and
Okaloosa County donated more than $20,000 for the project.
The next step was to find something large enough to serve as an artificial reef.
About five years ago, the Army National Guard had transported and dropped whole tanks into
the ocean, Sterett said.
"I knew we didn't have the kind of money to do that," he said.
"So I went to the 46th Test Wing Targets Office to try to find out what we had to
provide as reef material for Okaloosa County."
What he found were many M-26, M-47, M-48 and M-60 tank turrets, some that were
blown off tanks when they were used as targets on the range, and others that needed to be
taken off the tanks. According to Sterett, the turrets were ideal because they were easier
to clean to bring up to environmental standards.
After Sterett, with the help of Tracor Inc., a government contractor, secured
the turrets, the next step was to remove all environmentally harmful materials. Tracor
drained the hydraulics, removed asbestos materials and other items from the turrets.
The Hurlburt Dive Club donated their time and spent two weekends removing wires
and hydraulic equipment.
After being hauled from Eglin on four trucks, the turrets were loaded onto a
barge with the cooperation of the 16th Maintenance Squadron near the Hurlburt Field
Soundside Club. Forty-eight turrets were dropped into the Gulf at two sites.
As they slowly tumbled from the barge into the emerald waters, Cindy Halsey who
works for Okaloosa County Public Works, said that bait fish would congregate around the
turrets in as little as three or four days.
"There should be larger fish in a couple of months," she said.
As bubbles rose to the surface above the submerged turrets, Sterett looked
contentedly across the horizon.
"It took a lot of coordination to make this possible -- it was a real Team
Eglin effort," he said.
RELATED SITES
* Air Force
Development Test Center
* Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
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