DNR Funds Dredging And Jetty Work In Wicomico County

Nanticoke, Md. (December 1, 2010) — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Waterway Improvement Fund has approved a project at Wicomico County’s Nanticoke Harbor totaling $1,605,000. The project includes maintenance dredging 13,600 yards of material and repairing two existing stone jetties totaling 1,373 feet in length.

“This project is beneficial to the commercial and recreational boating citizens of Wicomico County and visitors who use Nanticoke Harbor,” said Gary Mackes, Director of Wicomico Parks, Recreation & Tourism.

Dredging will make the harbor more accessible to recreational and commercial boats that use the facility. Currently, some boats must wait to come and go at high tide to avoid running aground in the shallow channel. Rebuilding the stone jetties will help to keep sediment from accumulating in the harbor. Over the years the jetties have settled, reducing their effectiveness. This also means they are covered by water in high tides, rendering them a hazard to anyone not familiar with their location.

The dredging will begin immediately, followed by the reconstruction of the stone jetties. The project could be completed by the end of March. The contract was awarded to Corman Marine Construction.

This project is funded entirely by the Waterway Improvement Fund, which is funded by the five percent excise fee boaters pay when they register a boat in Maryland.

Bob Gaudette, Director of DNR’s Boating Services, said jobs like the Nanticoke Harbor project support marine contractors.

"It really is a stimulus program for those in the marina industry. Contractors have indicated to me they would have laid off employees without the projects," said Gaudette.

To learn more about DNR’s Waterway Improvement Fund, visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/boating.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages nearly one-half million acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov