Posted on August 16, 2018
Crews have been granted permission by the U.S. Army Corps of Army Engineers (USACE) to begin dredging on the Ponce de Leon Inlet. This should make it more secure for anglers to navigate. In addition, the dredging will offer additional beach nourishment for the nearby coastline. The Inlet itself has not been maintained to this extent in over ten years according to the Corps officials.
Those working on the project have already begun the mobilization phase of the eight-month-long hydraulic dredging project. In fact, crew members working on the project are expected to remove nearly 38,000 ft² (3,530 m²) of sand and debris. The dredging should increase water depths to nearly 12 ft (3.65 m). The USACE is financing the and has awarded Cavache (Incorporated) of Pompano Beach the contract.
What’s in a Dredge
The team from Cavache Inc, (owned and operated by Mr. Adam Adache and Mr. Anthony Cavo), has over 100 years of combined hydraulic dredging experience. They have previously worked on similar types of projects such as the Florida Inland District project. The team from Cavache will be using an Ellicott 1170 “Dragon” dredge known as the “Maya Caelyn” to complete the project.
The portable cutterhead dredge is a medium sized dredge that is designed to perform exceptionally well in typical conditions experienced in Atlantic inlets, and entrance channels from the Sea to inner coastal waterways.
Ponce de Leon Project Details
“What is really unique about this specific project is that this is an offshore disposal placement project that requires pumping material offshore. The pumping distances are fairly lengthy, and our team is using multiple boosters to complete the project,” noted Cavache Principle Owner Anthony Cavo.
Debris and sand that accumulated during Hurricanes Irma and Matthew caused aggressive shoaling. Also, the materials caused by the shoaling will be pumped from the Ponce de Leon Inlet. The materials will then be transported to a nearby location and used to help nourish area beaches. Once the dredging process is complete the flow of water will drastically improve in the nearby region. Dredging the inlet should bolster the shoreline during subsequent storms making it simple for vessels to freely move about the inlet.
Source: Ellicott Dredges
