USACE Releases Public Notice for Corpus Christi Channel Deepening

The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Galveston District has released a public notice for the Port of Corpus Christi Authority’s proposed Channel Deepening Project, for which an Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared. 

“The Channel Deepening Project was also determined to be a covered project under Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41) and Executive Order 13807 – Establishing Discipline and Accountability in the Environmental Review and Permitting Process for Infrastructure Projects,” said USACE in its latest release.

The proposed Chanel Deepening Project is located within the existing channel bottom of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel starting near the southeast side of Harbor Island, traversing easterly through the Aransas Pass, and extending beyond the currently authorized terminus, an approximate distance of 13.8 miles.

According to USACE’s announcement, “the Port’s stated need for the proposed Chanel Deepening Project is to accommodate transit of fully laden very large crude carriers (VLCCs) that draft approximately 70 feet. The proposed project does not include widening the channel; however, some minor incidental widening of the channel slopes is expected to meet side slope requirements and to maintain the stability of the channel.”

The Chanel Deepening Project, if approved, would create approximately 46 million cubic yards of new work dredged material.

Dredged material judged to be suitable for beneficial use would be used to create several feeder berms in near-shore areas to nourish eroded beach areas, reestablish sand dune areas on San Jose Island, etc.