Maintenance dredging to begin in Washington's Grays Harbor in July

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Seattle District, has announced that mechanical clamshell dredging of the Grays Harbor, Inner Harbor in Washington will begin on July 16. The work is intended to make navigation safer for local boaters.

The dredging operations will run continuously, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and are scheduled to conclude no later than February 14, 2026. There will be a pause in operations between September 28 and December 1, 2025, for a Tribal fishing window. Dredging will occur in shoaled areas of several reaches and channels within the inner harbour.

The dredged material will be transported by scows and placed at two open-water disposal sites.

While the federal channel will remain open during the work, the USACE has advised mariners to slow down, be cautious, and maintain a safe distance from all dredging equipment. Fishermen and other recreational users have been asked to move their boats and gear at least 300 feet from the work areas to avoid damage.