FENWICK ISLAND, Del. - This Monday marks the start of a significant dredging project in Little Assawoman Bay aimed at improving navigation in two boating channels. After nearly a decade of planning, the Town of Fenwick Island is addressing sedimentation issues that have impacted navigability.
The shallow waters in Little Assawoman Bay have posed a decades-old challenge for boaters, but that is set to change. Skip Twilley, a local resident, has witnessed the difficulties firsthand. "I've had my next-door neighbor get stuck, and I've had quite a few people get stuck over the years," Twilley said. "Yeah, over the summer."
The total cost of the project is $2.3 million, but the town will only contribute $500,000, with the remainder funded by the state of Delaware and Sussex County.
Dredging of the North Channel begins Oct. 14, with work on the South Channel scheduled for Nov. 1. The project is expected to wrap up by Nov. 12, with all equipment cleared by early December. The sand removed will be deposited on land being developed for a residential community.
Dredging operations will take place daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.