Lewes and Rehoboth Canal dredging plan gets $3.8M

Delaware will benefit from USACE’s plan to invest $51.5 million in fiscal year 2022 for the repair and operations of four major water infrastructure projects, said Delaware Senator, Tom Carper.

“The Corps’ investments are critical to the economy of Delaware,” said Carper, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

“With our abundance of 5-star beaches and important waterways, the Corps is an essential partner in the First State’s water resources infrastructure. That’s why we fought for historic funding for the Corps as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

“The continued operation and needed repairs of these projects are just the tip of the iceberg in building a stronger economy in the First State that is more resilient to threats like climate change.”

These key projects include:

• $250,000 for repairing and stabilizing the Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse. Located in Delaware Bay, the lighthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places;
• $43.8 million for finishing and repairing the Indian River Inlet. The navigation channel at Indian River Inlet provides the local Coast Guard Station with its sole access point to the Atlantic Ocean;
• $3.2 million for replacing contaminated waterway infrastructure and stabilizing the Intracoastal Waterway between the Delaware River and the Chesapeake Bay (C&D Canal). The C&D Canal system connects the Port of Baltimore to the ports of Wilmington (DE), Philadelphia, and northern trade routes;
• $3.8 million for completing maintenance dredging along the Intracoastal Waterway from Rehoboth Bay to Delaware Bay (Lewes and Rehoboth Canal). The Lewes and Rehoboth Canal is a shallow-draft navigation project utilized by both commercial and recreational users.