Grays Harbor dredging project kicking off in April

Hopper dredges Yaquina and Essayons will next month conduct maintenance dredging of the Grays Harbor, according to the Army Corps.

As repoted, the Yaquina is expected to start dredging in the outer harbor around April 5 and will dredge approximately 11 days.

The Essayons is also expected to start dredging in the outer harbor April 5 and will dredge approximately 22 days. All work will be concluded no later than May 30, 2023.

Dredging work will be performed continuously, 24/7, in shoaled areas of the Bar, Entrance, Pt. Chehalis, and South reaches, USACE said in the release.

The goal is to dredge approximately 1,000,000 cubic yards, with 600,000 CY placed in the South Beach Beneficial Use Site (SBBUS). The remaining material will be placed in either the Half Moon Bay Beneficial Use Site (HMBUS) or the Pt. Chehalis Disposal Sites (PCDS).

The Corps is asking fishermen and crabbers to move their boats, pots, and gear to avoid having it damaged. “All dredge work areas, including the navigation channel, access lane and target placement sites, need to be kept clear of fishing and crabbing activity and gear during the dredging,” concluded USACE.