The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, has awarded a contract for $4.6 million to Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company of Oak Brook, Ill., for the maintenance dredging of the East Rockaway Inlet federal navigation channel with the dredged sand being placed along eroded areas of Rockaway Beach.
Approximately 250,000 to 300,000 cubic yards of sand are expected to be removed with the location of sand placement along eroded portions of Rockaway Beach being coordinated with New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Sand placed along eroded beaches in areas like Rockaway Beach can provide coastal storm damage risk reduction benefits for local communities.
The maintenance dredging will restore authorized dimensions to help ensure continued safe navigation in the channel, which has a five-year average annual commercial tonnage of 357,361 tons. Major commodities transported through the channel include petroleum and petroleum products.
The most recent maintenance dredging in the channel overseen by the Corps was conducted in spring 2010 when approximately 127,000 cubic yards of sand was removed and placed along eroded portions of Rockaway Beach, also in close coordination with NYC Department of Parks and Recreation.
“The Army Corps of Engineers is committed to perform important maintenance dredging in this dynamic inlet that has experienced groundings of fuel tankers over the past decade, ” said Joe Olha, New York District project manager . “ Helping to provide safe navigation through this channel also provides local communities with a source of sand for placement on severely eroded areas of Rockaway Beach.”
The dredging is scheduled to begin in October and should be completed by the end of the year.
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Press Release, September 28, 2012