Edgartown Great Pond dredging in full swing

The Edgartown Great Pond dredging operations are moving forward according to schedule.

On February 2, the town put its dredger out on the pond, a popular spot for fishing and swimming, as waters hit four feet above sea level.

“We’re three-quarters of the way down the beach and all is going well so far,” dredge committee chair Ed Handy said in a meeting last week.

“This is great news for the health of Edgartown Great Pond. Salinity is critically low and the last several pond cuts have not stayed open long enough for a pond-wide flush that decreases nutrient pollution and increases salinity,” the Great Pond Foundation said.

Dredging is an ongoing battle with nature, taking the sediment collected at the bottom of bodies of water and using it to restore eroding dunes and beaches across the Island.

According to the Vineyard Gazette, Edgartown is the only Island town with its own dredge, often selling its leftover sand and cobblestone to private landowners or other towns.

Town administrator James Hagerty said that dredging work is a fairly common occurrence, and that everything appeared to be going smoothly.