This article has been updated with the latest information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on July 20.
OCEAN CITY, Md. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Baltimore District will begin a new maintenance dredging cycle at the Ocean City Inlet on Wednesday, July 24, removing about 5,000 cubic yards of material from the federal navigation channel.
The work will be performed by the dredge MURDEN and is expected to continue for, at most, 19 days, wrapping up just before the start of the White Marlin Open.
"It's important to get it done ahead of time because it gets really crowded in that channel. It's a narrow channel. It's shallow in some other parts. So slow moving dredge that's doing work. You don't want to be in there while there's hundreds of fishing boats coming in and out of the inlet," said Kevin Fenyak, project manager.
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the project will focus on the priority area within the federal channel to help maintain safe navigation for commercial and recreational boating traffic.
Congressman Andy Harris emphasizes that the dredging will improve safety for the upcoming event.
"I want to thank the Army Corps for its continued work to maintain the Ocean City Inlet ahead of the White Marlin Open. This dredging will help watermen, charter operators, and thousands of recreational boaters safely navigate the inlet during one of the Eastern Shore's busiest boating seasons," said Harris.
The MURDEN can carry the equivalent of up to 50 dump truck loads of dredged material at a time. The material will be transported to an approved nearshore placement site along Assateague Island, where it will be deposited to help reduce the effects of sediment movement and shoreline erosion.
“Ensuring the safety and economic resilience of the region depends heavily on keeping the Ocean City Inlet clear,” Baltimore District Commander Col. Francis Pera said. “By launching this second dredging cycle, we are fulfilling our commitment to a safe maritime passage, keeping the waters navigable for local commercial vessels, recreational boaters, and the U.S. Coast Guard's lifesaving missions.”
Earlier this year, the MURDEN completed a previous dredging cycle in early May, removing 5,020 cubic yards of material from Priority Area No. 1, including the entrance to the Sinepuxent Channel, along with a secondary area outside the channel on the ocean side.
During that operation, an additional 20,450 cubic yards of material was removed from the borrow area. All of the dredged material was placed at the nearshore placement site along Assateague Island.
