How is the Tigris River of history being used to improve present day Baghdad?
The Tigris River, or in Arabic Nahr Dijlah, winds itself through the very heart of Baghdad. For centuries, it has provided life-sustaining water and enabled trade in Mesopotamia. Traversing the fabled waterway is what a joint U.S. and Iraqi engineer project hopes to accomplish. The 225th Engineer Brigade, with help from the 555th Engineer Brigade, out of Balad, Iraq, and Iraqi army engineers aim to complete an iconic Mabey Johnson Float Bridge that will span the banks of the Tigris River by Taji, north of Baghdad, by the beginning of September 2009. The bridge, known for the speed in which it can be built, its dependable nature and the heavy weight capacity make the Mabey Johnson a perfect fit for the nearly 90 meter span of river that engineers must cross. Currently, the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team holds responsibility for the land west of the Tigris in Taji area. Once the Pennsylvania National Guardsmen redeploy in a few weeks, Soldiers of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Di
