Agencies join hands to dredge the Port of Iberia

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) have entered into a joint agreement to complete the Port of Iberia AGMAC Channel Dredging Project’s Validation Study.

It was announced in March of this year that $1,200,000 in federal funding was successfully appropriated for the AGMAC dredging project.

These funds will be used to cover all cost associated with the completion of the Army Corps’ Validation Report for the AGMAC Channel Deepening.

The Report is required for USACE to begin the construction of the Freshwater Bayou By-Pass Channel and to establish an Operations and Maintenance Program for the total AGMAC channel alignment.

The Port of Iberia is currently working on Phase 1 of AGMAC Channel Deepening Project in Commercial Canal and plans to begin the dredging of Freshwater Bayou in the 4thquarter of 2023, with the USACE scheduled to dredge the southern portion of Freshwater Bayou below the lock to the Gulf of Mexico.

When completed, Phase 1, Phase 2 and the southern portion of Freshwater Bayou, the AGMAC Project will provide local industries in Iberia and Vermillion parishes with approximately 50 miles of navigable waterway with a channel depth of 16.0 feet.