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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, partnering with Wicomico County, recently removed about 160,000 cubic yards of dredged material from the lower Wicomico River. The significant milestone is part of maintenance dredging the federal navigation channel to its authorized depth of 14 feet.
The project’s accomplishments ensure safe navigation for barge traffic passing throughout the vital waterway towards the Port of Salisbury, home of Maryland’s second largest port, which is crucial in supplying fuel, aggregate, and agricultural products to the Delmarva Peninsula. Recreational boaters can now reap the benefits of reduced shoaling.
Despite the many benefits to navigation and related industry, the project’s largest benefactor is a series of rapidly eroding Chesapeake Bay tidal marshes that provide critical habitat for threatened bird species. The dredged material, removed by a hydraulic cutterhead dredge, was transported by pipeline to Deal Island Wildlife Management Area. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources owns and operates WMA, providing the means to restore approximately 70 acres of wetlands that show heavy signs of degradation and fragmentation.
The material, mostly silt and sand, was beneficially placed for wetland restoration that increases habitat for migratory birds and waterfowl. Deal Island WMA supports one of the largest concentrations in the state of herons, egrets, and ibis and also hosts one of Maryland's only breeding populations of black-necked stilts.
“This project protects environmental habitat and expands public access within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, while ensuring vessels can continue safely carrying fuel and cargo to and from Eastern Shore communities,” said Baltimore District Project Manager Kevin Fenyak. “It is a win-win for all. We’re proud to partner with Wicomico County on this effort and look forward to observing the long-term benefits of ecosystem restoration at Deal Island.”
After more than a decade of research and testing, USACE and its partners identified Deal Island WMA as a suitable placement site for dredged material from the Wicomico River. Sediment was sampled and tested in 2010 and fell within acceptable ranges. In February 2021, sediment samples were collected at the previously used upland placement site for the lower portion of the Wicomico River. These sediment samples also showed contamination levels within acceptable ranges and were suitable for planting and growing similar species of vegetation to be planted at the Deal Island WMA.
Additional coordination with partner agencies also provided required safeguards, with a focus on protecting local ecosystems. Areas at greatest risk of disappearing due to sea level rise, rapid erosion, and land subsidence were prioritized. Several environmental windows and time-of-year restrictions were set to avoid as much impact as possible on fish, other species, and aquatic vegetation during both dredging and material placement. For example, dredging was avoided during fish spawning timeframes in the Wicomico River.
“This collaborative project exemplifies the innovative approach we need to address both environmental restoration and navigational safety. By utilizing dredged material to restore vital tidal marshes at Deal Island Wildlife Management Area, we not only enhance habitats for threatened bird species but also support the resilience of our coastal ecosystems against sea level rise and erosion,” said Maggie Cavey, Natural Resource Planner for Beneficial Use, Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
The project is now in its final stage, which includes 100,000 individual native grass plantings, including Saltgrass and Saltmeadow Cordgrass, over two years. Following placement, vegetation will be monitored for up to five years.
The beneficial use of dredged sediment is essential to USACE’s dredged material management strategy. This strategy aims to create value from dredged sediments through beneficial uses such as beach nourishment, enhancing wetland habitat, and brownfield reconstruction.
This project is part of the Baltimore District’s Navigation program, which includes operating and maintaining more than 290 miles of federal navigable channels within the Susquehanna River watershed. This work includes dredging, employing cutting-edge technology to conduct underwater surveys, and applying debris removal vessels to clear floating hazards out of the federal channels in the Baltimore Harbor and Potomac and Anacostia rivers.
| Date Taken: | 07.15.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.19.2024 09:58 |
| Story ID: | 478816 |
| Location: | BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 58 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Baltimore District Beneficial Use Project Restores Vital Delmarva Habitat, by Cynthia Mitchell, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
