Clinton Harbor Maintenance Dredging Completed by Hopper Dredge "Currituck"

The US Army Corps of Engineers dredge Currituck has completed maintenance dredging of Clinton Harbor in Clinton, Connecticut.

The 150-foot-long, self-propelled, split-hull dredge began operations on 09 June and finished removing an estimated 20,000 cubic yards of sand on 17 June.

"After two years of hard work and dedication, I am extremely pleased that Clinton Harbor finally received the emergency dredging it desperately needed," said Congresswoman Rosa L DeLauro."The reduced depth and altered course of the federal channel had rendered it virtually impossible to navigate and posed a serious safety hazard to both recreational and commercial boaters."Dredging was conducted in the 100-foot-wide, 1.1-mile-long channel, which extends from Long Island Sound to the wharves in Clinton Harbor. The work has provided much needed deeper water for the vessels using the waterway.Several shoals within the channel had reduced the effective depth to two feet, thereby severely restricting the size of vessels able to use the waterway"The New England District was able to respond to the urgent need for dredging in Clinton Harbor and work with state and federal agencies, as well as local interests, to come up with a plan," said Colonel Brian E Osterndorf, head of the US Army Corps of Engineers in New England."Great credit goes to all involved at the federal, state and local levels to complete the work on time."Delays were encountered in obtaining the necessary state and federal authorizations to accomplish the dredging and its associated disposal activities. State approvals were received on June 9 and allowed dredging until June 15. The approvals were further extended until June 17 to allow the work to be completed.The time restriction was imposed to protect spawning shellfish; due to the unseasonably cold weather spawning has been delayed, so the extension was granted.The Currituck is a special purpose dredge, similar to a hopper dredge, which removes material from the channel floor by suction, lifting it through dragarms connected to the side of the vessel. The material is de-watered and then stored within a hold aboard the ship. Once the hold is filled, the ship is relocated to the disposal site and the material emptied from the hold. The material dredged from Clinton Harbor was discharged off Hammock Point in 10-15 feet of water.

Source: Excerpted from Dredging News Online