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From Crisis to Coordination: The Demopolis Emergency Lock and Dam Repair [with video]

Posted by Kimberly Walters on April 16, 2025

When a structural failure at the Demopolis Lock and Dam in Alabama brought barge traffic to a halt on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), R&D Maintenance, and J.F. Brennan Company (Brennan) joined forces to deliver a fast, high-stakes solution. The breach—described by Colonel Jeremy Chapman of USACE as “a hole the size of a school bus”—stopped commercial navigation across two major waterways and threatened economic losses in the millions each month.

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Brennan Marine Expands Operations with Acquisition of Matteson Marine

Posted by Kimberly Walters on March 11, 2025

BURLINGTON, IOWA (March 11, 2025) – Brennan Marine, Inc. (BMI), a leading provider of harbor management and fleeting services, has expanded its presence on the Upper Mississippi River with the acquisition of Matteson Marine Service, Inc. assets. This strategic acquisition strengthens BMI’s capabilities along a key stretch of the waterway.

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How Brennan Delivered Safe, Efficient Refinery Wastewater Cleanup on Schedule

Posted by Amber Wilson on January 30, 2025

Refinery Wastewater Pond Cleanup with Remote Dredging

We recently completed the cleanup of two wastewater ponds for a large producer of transportation fuels. Using a remotely controlled dredge, Brennan removed wastewater sludge from impoundments on the refinery site and dewatered the material with six 2-meter belt filter presses. The remotely controlled dredge added a layer of safety to the project, preventing any health risks that a Leverman might face if exposed to hydrogen sulfide gas released during the dredging process.

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River Restoration: Small Dredges Prove Useful in Waterways

Posted by Paul Olander, Senior Project Manager on March 25, 2020

As the sun on the dredging season in the Midwest inland areas began to set, operations were starting to heat up on the east coast for J.F. Brennan Company (Brennan). For a third straight year, Brennan has had the opportunity to procure work in the milder maritime climate throughout New England during the winter months. These months are key for in-water work on the east coast as they provide opportunities to revitalize salt marshes, re-nourish beaches and restore navigation outside of the fish migration and spawning windows. Generally, this work has been undertaken in and near the coastal salt marshes adjacent to the smaller resort communities.

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Rural Dam Construction Areas Gain Access to Internet

J.F. Brennan Company, Inc. (Brennan) recently won a contract with AECOM Energy and Construction (AECOM) for remediation work on LaGrange Lock and Dam on the Illinois River. The contract required us to partake in major gate and concrete rehab while supplying wireless internet access not only to our own Brennan office trailers, but also to prime contractor AECOM and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for the duration of the multi-year project.

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Brennan Takes Three Hitachi zx470lc-6 Excavators on the Water

Posted by Kimberly Walters on February 25, 2020

When you think “excavator,” images of digging dirt and rock on land may come to mind. However, that’s not the case for J.F. Brennan Company, Inc. (Brennan), a 100-year-old marine construction contractor out of La Crosse, Wisconsin. 

*adapted with consent from its original format in BREAKOUT Winter 2019: a Hitachi Construction & Mining Productions Publication. 

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Brennan's SHERP ATV Makes A Splash [NEW PHOTOS]

Posted by Ken Peterson, Vice President - Assets Manager on January 16, 2020

This past year, we made another key asset purchase: the SHERP ATV (SHERP). In addition to our Diamondback Airboat, the SHERP solidifies our durability and efficiency in working throughout wetland and marshy areas.

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7 Cost-Drivers of a Dredging Project

Posted by Dillon Hogan on November 13, 2018

Dredging projects are complex and involve many components and significant planning before operation. The intricacy of these projects means that pricing is often multifaceted. Here are seven common areas that drive overall costs on a dredging project.

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