Cape Porpoise Harbor Dredging Proposed

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District recently announced plans to perform maintenance dredging of the Cape Porpoise Harbor Federal navigation project in Kennebunkport, Maine.

“Natural shoaling processes have reduced available depths to as little as 1.0 foot in the 15-foot MLLW channel and anchorage, and 2.0 feet in the 6-foot MLLW channel, making navigation hazardous or impossible at lower stages of the tide,” said Project Manager Ms. Coral Siligato, of the Corps’ New England District, Programs/Project Management Division in Concord, Mass.

“Maintenance dredging of approximately 25,000 cubic yards of primarily fine- and medium-grain sand, and silt from approximately 12 acres of the authorized project area will maintain the FNP to required authorized dimensions of the 6-foot MLLW channel and will maintain safe navigation to 10 feet MLLW in the 15-foot MLLW channel and anchorage,” added Coral Siligato.

The Corps also said that a private contractor, under contract to the government, will use a mechanical dredge and scows to remove the material and then transport it for placement at the Cape Arundel Disposal Site or the Portland Disposal Site.

Construction is expected to take between 1-3 months within the allowable dredge window of Nov. 1 to March 15. The work is anticipated to be performed in 2019/2020.

The Corps’ most recent dredging of the harbor was in 1976 when a mechanical dredge removed approximately 123,000 cubic yards of sediment from the 15-foot channel, 15-foot anchorage, and 6-foot channel, and placed the material at the Cape Arundel Disposal Site.

The town of Kennebunkport is the local sponsor who requested this work.