Posted on October 28, 2026
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, announced today that maintenance dredging operations on the North East River federal navigation channel are expected to commence this week, on or about Oct. 29 or 30, weather permitting, following a joint media engagement with U.S. Rep. Andy Harris and Cecil County officials highlighting federal investments in local infrastructure.
“I’m proud to have secured $2.1 million to dredge the North East River and help provide safe passage for commercial and recreational vessels between Hance Point and the Town of North East,” said Congressman Andy Harris. “I thank the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Baltimore District for carrying out this work, which is scheduled to begin later this week.”
The start of these operations follows a recent award of $4,247,000 contract to Dredgit Corp of Houston, Texas, to address critical shoaling. The Northeast River serves as a vital gateway, providing essential access to the Chesapeake Bay and supporting approximately 10 local marinas and 300 maritime jobs, delivering an estimated economic impact of $35 million per year to local maritime commerce.
The maintenance dredging is scheduled to remove approximately 95,000 cubic yards of dredged material from the federal channel. The dredged material taken from the channel will be hydraulically placed at the Cecil County-owned Stony Run Dredged Material Placement site in North East, Maryland.
The North East River was last dredged in 1999, when approximately 37,000 cubic yards of material was removed from the river and placed at the current upland placement site located in North East. Maintenance dredging is required to address shoaling and to restore the channel to its authorized depth of seven feet.
“The federal navigation channel in North East serves as a critical economic and recreational artery for Cecil County and the upper Chesapeake Bay region,” said Baltimore District Commander, Col. Francis Pera. “Keeping these channels open and dredged to the authorized depth ensures vessels can safely navigate between the Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding communities.”
A Local Notice to Mariners was issued on Oct. 12 showing the floating and submerged pipeline route in the North East River. The pipeline will be appropriately marked for safety and navigation by Dredgit Corp. All vessel operators on the North East River are to proceed with caution and follow the rules of navigation when encountering the dredge equipment and pipeline.
Due to Time-of-Year environmental restrictions, the maintenance dredging cycle is expected to conclude on or before Feb. 14, 2027.
