Dredging has begun at the Pilottown Anchorage Area in the Mississippi River as part of the operations and maintenance responsibilities for the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act West Bay Sediment Diversion Project.
Approximately two million cubic yards of material is expected to be dredged from the anchorage area by Mike Hooks, Incorporated for a cost of approximately $12 M. All material dredged from the anchorage area will be used beneficially in the West Bay Sediment Diversion receiving area to aid in the creation of land.
A recent study completed by the Army’s Engineering Research and Development Center (ERDC) shows that the West Bay Sediment Diversion Project contributes approximately 25%, plus or minus 15%, of the shoaling that occurs within the Pilottown Anchorage Area. As a result, the CWPPRA Task Force voted to fully fund this current dredging cycle under the premise that this cycle will cover all dredging responsibility associated with the operation of the West Bay project for as long as the diversion remains open.
This is last dredging cycle to be funded through the CWPPRA program and is expected to wrap-up in August 2013.
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Press Release, March 8, 2013