The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis District is responsible for keeping the Mississippi River open for commercial navigation year-round.
One way the district does this is through contract dredging, which keeps the river channel at a depth that allows the river barge industry to dependably transport goods up and down the river.
Ensuring the district delivers on this charge, the Memphis District recently awarded a contract in the amount of $7,335,450 to Great Lakes Dredge and Dock, LLC for the rental of a 24-inch hydraulic cutterhead dredge, discharge pipe, and attendant plant.
The contract was awarded June 2, 2022, with an anticipated completion date of Feb. 28, 2023. A total of nine harbors were awarded, with actual dredging scheduled to take place from July 1, 2022, through December 2022.
“Dredging these harbors involves removing sediment from the authorized navigation channel to maintain a specific depth for safe navigation in and out of the harbors,” Project Delivery Team Manager Vickie Watson said. “The Memphis District is responsible for maintenance dredging of ten harbors along the Mississippi River. These harbors serve as vital links to rail and highway transportation systems in the region, helping to deliver products and commodities to and from global markets.”
Harbors to be dredged include the Memphis Harbor/McKellar Lake, Wolf River Harbor, Elvis Stahr Harbor, Helena Harbor Phillips County, Northwest Tennessee Regional Harbor, Caruthersville Harbor, Helena Harbor, New Madrid County Harbor, and Osceola Harbor.