USA: Newport Beach Dredging Underway

This week, RE Staite has mobilized some equipment into the harbor, and they’ve established a mooring area near the west side of Bay Island, and near the eastern end of the anchorage area.

RE Staite is really pushing hard to meet the June 30 deadline for disposal at the Port of Long Beach. To do so, the City has permitted them to work from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm 7 days a week including holidays. It is highly probable that 24 hour shifts will be required during this critical push to meet this deadline.

The larger dredge, the “DB Palomar”, is currently working near the Balboa Bay Club. The larger disposal scow, the “Weeks 261” is working alongside the Palomar. This scow has a capacity of 2,000 cubic yards.

RE Staite will begin working along the eastern tip of Lido Isle within the next few days.

The smaller dredge barge will arrive in Newport, and it will replace the larger rig (Palomar) by the Balboa Bay Club to allow the Palomar to dredge off Lido Isle. There will also be two smaller disposal scows arriving soon. These will have a capacity of 1,000 cubic yards each.

The anchorage area between Lido Isle and Bay Island will be temporarily relocated (for the duration of this project) to the western end of Lido Isle by Lido Marina Village early next week

Project Information

The Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a contract to dredge the Lower Newport Bay to R.E. Staite Engineering. The project is anticipated to commence the week of April 23, and last until the end of summer or beyond. Dredging will occur in the main channels only – not under individual private docks.

The City of Newport Beach is a local sponsor of the project and is assisting with financial contributions and project management / public outreach assistance.

Phase I of the project will dispose material at the Port of Long Beach before the disposal deadline closes on June 30. Every conceivable effort will be made to deliver material within this disposal window.

Phase II of the project will dispose material at the EPA’s approved disposal site (“LA-3”) which is located 4.5 miles off the coast of Newport Beach.

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Dredging Today Staff, May 9, 2012; Image: newportbeachca