The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be issuing an Invitation for Bid for Maintenance Dredging.
The proposed work consists of maintenance dredging of the 15-foot Federal entrance channel at Newburyport Harbor.
The work consists of dredging about 160,000 cubic yards (cy) of sand to a required depth of 16 feet, plus a 1-foot overdepth allowance to 17 feet.
About 120,000 cy will be placed on Plum Island Beach in Newbury, about 1 miles away; and disposal of about 40,000 cy will be on Salisbury Beach in Salisbury, about 1 miles away.
The dredged material can be removed using either an ocean-certified cutterhead pipeline dredge or an ocean-certified hopper dredge with pump-out capability.
Depending on equipment used, a booster pump may be required.
The dredged material placed on the beach will be used to increase the elevation and width of the beach berm and widen the frontal dune line.
The new dune face would be planted with grass and sand fencing installed.
Dredging and disposal window is from September 1 to March 31. Dredging operations will be permitted 24 hours per day and 7 days per week.
The entrance channel was last dredged in 1999 when approximately 145,000 cy were removed.
The estimated cost of this procurement is between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000.
