The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, has awarded a contract for $414,590 to North America Landscaping, Construction, and Dredge Company (NALCO) of Ellicott City, Md., for the maintenance dredging of the entrance to Lake Montauk Harbor with the beneficial reuse of the dredged sand on nearby west jetty beach.
The dredging will help restore authorized dimensions to ensure safe navigation for both the large local fishing fleet and U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue vessels based at USCG Station Montauk. Approximately 15,000-20,000 cubic yards of sand removed from the channel will be placed along the shore just west of the west jetty at the entrance to Lake Montauk Harbor.
“ The maintenance dredging cycle has been accelerated as a result of several severe storms starting early in 2011 ,” said New York District Commander Col. John R. Boulé . “ The dredging will greatly improve navigational safety and benefit the various frequent users of this channel, including commercial fishermen, the Coast Guard and recreational boaters.”
Commercially, the channel is primarily used for transport of fish, fish products and fuel oil, with average annual fish landings on the order of 6,000 tons of a wide variety of fish. The Coast Guard also relies on a sufficiently deep channel to conduct its critical search and rescue missions, including with its recent addition of the Cutter RIDLEY.
The dredging is scheduled to begin in October and should be completed by the end of the year.
Separate from the dredging effort, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is also partnering with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on a dual purpose study for navigation improvements and coastal storm damage risk reduction. The Lake Montauk Harbor Feasibility Study is analyzing the feasibility of deepening and widening the navigation channel with placement of dredged sand on the shoreline further west of the channel with potential use of groins to hold the sand. Pending concurrence from the state and local partners, a draft of that study is expected to be completed in 2012, which will also require external reviews and ultimately authorization for design and construction.
New York District is responsible for the Corps of Engineers’ water resource development, navigation, and regulatory activities in northeastern New Jersey, eastern and south-central New York State, including the New York Harbor and Long Island, and parts of Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. The District is also responsible for design and construction at Army and Air Force installations in New Jersey, New York, Virginia and overseas in Greenland.
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Source: usace, September 30, 2011