The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, is proposing to perform maintenance dredging of portions of the Federal Navigation Project in the Housatonic River in Stratford and Milford, Conn.
The proposed work involves removal of up to 100,000 cubic yards of sandy material from shoal areas of the Housatonic River south of the Route 1 Bridge.
“Natural shoaling processes and storm events have reduced available depths in the lower sections of the Housatonic River to as shallow as 3.5 feet Mean Lower Low Water ,” said Project Manager Jack Karalius, of the Corps’ New England District, Programs/Project Management Division . “ Given these conditions and current vessel drafts, shoaling within the project is limiting safe navigation.”
Maintenance dredging of the project is needed to provide safe access to the project at all tide stages. Without dredging, channel conditions will continue to deteriorate, which will deter and/or interfere with the use of the river and harbor by recreational and commercial vessels.
Contingent upon receiving the necessary approvals, maintenance dredging will be completed using the Government-owned special purpose dredge, Currituck, or with a mechanical dredge. The proposed work will be performed over a two to three month period between Oct. 1 and March 31 in the year or years in which funds become available. The dredged material will be placed in the nearshore environment off of Point No Point in Stratford. The dredged material will be placed within a constructed berm bounded between the 8 and 11 foot MLLW depth contours.
The project was last maintained in 1975-76 when 215,000 cubic yards of shoal material was dredged and disposed of at several upland placement sites. The town of Stratford is the local sponsor for the proposed work.
Public comments on this proposed work should be forwarded no later than Sept. 14, 2012 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District.
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Dredging Today Staff, August 16, 2012