Emergency dredging at Ocean City Inlet starts soon

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, has received emergency request approval to use Wilmington District’s dredge Merritt to remove ~7,500 cubic yards of dredged material from the Ocean City Inlet this July.

This emergency dredging is based on the need for the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to be able to respond in the event of an emergency. With increased boating traffic during the summer months and the arrival of the White Marlin Open fishing tournament in early August, there is an increased risk of emergency response by the USCG, said USACE.

“We’ve heard the concerns from mariners and local officials and understand how critical this waterway is to both safety and economic security for the region,” said Baltimore District Commander Col. Francis Pera. “Dredging in the Ocean City inlet is extremely important work and we’ve taken the necessary additional steps to ensure the waterway remains navigable.”

According to USACE, the dredge Merritt is expected to arrive in Ocean City the third week of July.

Dredging will occur the week of July 21 and will focus on the priority area along the northern half of the channel near the harbor. The dredging cycle is set to last approximately eight days to complete.