The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Baltimore District will conduct emergency maintenance dredging of the Ocean City Inlet in July to ensure the waterway remains navigable for US Coast Guard (USCG) emergency response vessels.
The USACE stated the emergency dredging is necessary due to increased summer boating traffic and the upcoming White Marlin Open fishing tournament in early August, which raise the risk of incidents requiring a USCG response. The work is scheduled to take place during the week of July 21 and will last approximately eight days.
The project will remove approximately 7,500 cubic yards (5,734 cubic metres) of dredged material from the northern half of the channel near the harbor. The work will be performed by the USACE dredger Merritt, brought in from the Wilmington District because the two dredgers typically used for the task, Currituck and Murden, are unavailable due to maintenance.
Baltimore District Commander, Col. Francis Pera, stated that the agency understands how critical the waterway is to safety and economic security for the region and has taken steps to ensure it remains navigable.