Posted on August 16, 2018
Dredging of the mouth of the Colorado River is to begin next spring.
The Port of Bay City (POBC) received notification July 30 of $6 million in funding through the USACE by way of the Congressional Supplemental Appropriations for the next fiscal year with Crops being administered the funds in October.
“Dredging is critical really to not only our recreational and leisure boater but our commercial fisheries as well,” Matagorda County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Michael Ferdinand said Thursday. “So, what it does is ensure that we remain competitive and open for business.”
The ‘Mouth of the Colorado River Jetty’ dredging project is scheduled for completion by May next year, before the turtle nesting season begins.
POBC said in a released statement that worked with the Corps, with Senator Ted Cruz’s office and former Congressman Blake Farenthold’s office for funding of the Mouth of the Colorado River Jetty dredging project.
County and state officials stated that federal funding have come slowly and have “moved at a glacial pace over an extended period,” according to a statement from Mike Friffith, Chairman of the POBC.
“It had been neglected for some time, and that’s been the main issue,” Ferdinand said. “You’re suppose to have regular maintenance dredging for these types of facilities and when that’s delayed, that complicates things.”
There are several steps in the process which cannot begin until funding is received by the USACE Galveston District in October.
The Corps will perform surveys, develop bid specifications, work with regulatory and environmental agencies, solicit bids from dredging contractors, award a bid and finally monitor the dredging through completion.
Griffith said main shoaling has occurred on the outer reaches across the jetty tips creating a draft restriction for larger vessels as well as safety issues, and the Port is excited to receive funding and for the Corps to perform the necessary maintenance dredging benefiting Matagorda County.
Source: The Bay City Tribune
