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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredge MERRITT, deployed from the Wilmington District, is currently operating in the Ocean City Inlet.
Using a side-casting method, the dredge drags along the bottom, picking up sand and ejecting it about 90 feet outside the navigation channel.
The emergency operation is clearing approximately 10,000 cubic yards of sediment over an 8-10 day period with 12-hour shifts to ensure safe navigation for Coast Guard vessels, commercial fishermen, and recreational boaters during peak summer season.
The focus of the dredging effort is to remove sediment from the priority area along the northern half of the channel near the harbor.