Posted on September 18, 2023
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Philadelphia District awarded a contract to Barnegat Bay Dredging Company of Harvey Cedars, N.J. for $3.3 million to conduct maintenance dredging of the lower Maurice River in Cumberland County, N.J. The dredged sediment will be beneficially used to support eroded marsh areas within the Heislerville Wildlife Management Area.
More than 61,000 cubic yards of sediment will be dredged from the federal channel near the mouth of the Maurice River. The sediment will be hydraulically pumped to protect an area fronting the Heislerville Dike and to eroded marsh areas of Northwest Reach, both within the Heislerville Wildlife Management Area. Wetlands in this area have been severely impacted by flooding, erosion, and subsidence.
Dredging is estimated to begin in the fall and be completed prior to March 1, 2024. The contract also includes an option to dredge and place additional sediment. The initial sediment placement operation will be monitored and will inform future efforts to beneficially use dredged sediment. On this project, USACE has partnered with the State of New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection including Fish & Wildlife and the Office of Coastal Engineering, USACE’s Engineering and Research Development Center, and the University of Pennsylvania.
The Maurice River Federal Navigation Channel supports U.S. Coast Guard operations, commercial and recreational fishing, and ship repair industries.
About Beneficial Use in the USACE Philadelphia District
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Philadelphia District maintains several hundred miles of navigation channels across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland. When dredged sediment is clean, USACE looks for opportunities to use the material beneficially. Examples include restoring degraded marsh and creating islands, which can provide critical habitat for wildlife and enhance coastal resiliency. More info is available on the USACE Philadelphia District website.
