Schuh Highlights $5M Maryland County Waterway Dredging Program

Maryland County Executive Steve Schuh, along with Delegate Seth Howard, last week highlighted Anne Arundel’s recently proposed $5 million waterway dredging program and announced a $690,000 joint State/County effort to dredge Rockhold Creek in Deale.  

“Our waterways are the life blood of our County,” said Schuh. “Our enhanced dredging program will ensure our wetlands remain vibrant and our marinas businesses flourish.”

The proposed $690,000 dredging project for Rockhold Creek Federal Channel will be funded by both the County and State. The Rockhold Creek Federal Channel was originally authorized in the 1940’s and included construction of the north jetty at the harbor entrance.

The south jetty was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2006 to provide additional protection to Herring Bay, Rockhold Creek and Tracys Creek following Hurricane Isabel in 2003.

The channel requires periodic maintenance dredging and was most recently dredged in 2009.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently conducted a bathymetric survey of the Rockhold Creek Federal Channel. The survey showed shoaling, loss of depth and lateral encroachment at the entrance of Rockhold Creek since the channel was last dredged. Maintenance dredging along certain portions of the channel is now required to maintain navigational access.

The alignment of the proposed dredging project is located within the footprint of the previously dredged channel.

The proposed County capital funding was made possible through the JumpStart Anne Arundel capital project financing program. Enacted in 2015, the capital plan embraces a 30-year bond financing option.

This reform has allowed Anne Arundel County to expand its capital funding program and make environmental and quality of life infrastructure improvements from Brooklyn Park to Pasadena to Annapolis to Odenton.

The proposed funding is included in the County Executive’s proposed FY2019 capital budget presented on May 1st.

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