Colonna Shipyard proposes Elizabeth River dredging

Colonna Shipyard is proposing to perform new and future maintenance dredging by mechanical methods to deepen the 5,450 foot federal channel on the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River in Norfolk, Virginia, to provide safer ingress/egress to deeper draft vessels.

This project includes the following activities: 

• the new work dredging to deepen approximately 5,450 feet of the authorized Eastern Branch Elizabeth River federal channel from the Norfolk Harbor-Town Point reach (Sta 5+50) to the Norfolk Southern Railway Draw Bridge (Sta 60+00) for an approximate total of 53.61 acres to a maximum depth of -37 ft MLLW,

• approximately 556,700 cubic yards of dredged material is proposed to be removed and barged to Craney Island Rehandling Basin,  and/or an approved upland disposal location,

• the future maintenance dredging of the entire 53.61 acres, on an as-needed basis- within the time limit and conditions of the permit, in order to maintain the maximum depth of -37 ft MLLW of the  Eastern Branch Elizabeth River federal channel.

The proposed dredging footprint has been designed to limit the impacts and will not impact wetlands, submerged aquatic vegetation, or shallow water habitat.

The deadline for submitting the comments on the dredging plan is October 11, 2024.