The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun working full-time to place tons of sand off Coronado’s coast, part of a project to deepen the approach channel to San Diego Harbor.
The contractor, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, began the San Diego Harbor Maintenance Dredging Project in November. However, full-time work on the effort began Saturday and is expected to run around the clock until it is completed. The estimated completion date is December 22, unless weather is a factor.
Workers will suction sand from the bottom of the channel approach and place approximately 370,000 cubic yards south of Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. The sand will be placed 300 yards offshore south of the City’s beaches and north of Silver Strand State Beach.
“It takes crews about five hours to fill the ship, a trailing suction hopper dredge called Liberty Island, to capacity, travel to the unloading area, dump the sand and return to the channel, ” said Scott John, project manager for the Army Corps .
John said the contractor estimates that workers can process nearly five loads per day. The ship will travel away from the coastline until it reaches the placement site to reduce any impacts. It takes the crew 15 minutes to place the sand along the shore.
“Once in place, the sand can take years to show up on shore. A big storm will move some of it more quickly,” John said.
[mappress]
Source: City of Coronado, December 12, 2012