Wiggins Pass dredging starts tomorrow

The Coastal Zone Management Dredge Project for Wiggins Pass will begin tomorrow and is estimated to be completed in 40 days.

According to Collier County, the Doctors Pass dredging is scheduled to begin in early March and be completed near the end of that month.

“Boaters should use extra caution navigating through the inlets and stay well away from dredging activities. Channel markers in the vicinity of the dredge may be temporarily removed and will be replaced when dredging is completed,” said the County.

Major maintenance dredging at both Wiggins Pass and Doctors Pass typically occurs on a four- year cycle with minor interim dredging in-between.

All dredge projects must be engineered and permitted on an individual basis, a process that can take many months, starting with the most recent annual survey of existing channel conditions, said the County.

This project will remove approximately 65,000 cubic yards from Wiggins Pass and 25,700 cubic yards from Doctors Pass.

The dredged material will be placed on the beaches within Barefoot Beach Park, Delnor Wiggins Pass State Park and Lowdermilk Park.

Gator Dredging is the county’s contractor for this project.