DORCHESTER COUNTY, MD– Maryland's Department of Natural Resources Fisheries is asking boaters to exercise increased caution around two underwater construction zones in the Chesapeake Bay.
The advisory comes as work ramps up on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District's decades-long Mid-Bay Island Ecosystem Restoration Project.
Officials say the goal is to restore over 2,100 acres of lost remote habitat on James Island and Barren Island using dredged materials from Port of Baltimore approach channels and the Honga River, provided by Maryland's Port Administration.
Barren Island phase two construction, started in January 2025, will include building two bird habitat islands, strengthening sill foundations, dredging and building containers for dredged materials. Work is expected to last into 2028, according to project plans.
The Barren Island Construction Safety Zone includes a barge mooring area approximately 1.2 Nautical miles west of Barren Island, with multiple vessels expected to move between the island and navigation channel.
Officials say James Island phase one construction began in April 2026, slated to include surveys, perimeter dike construction, dredging and sand stockpiling.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District
DNR says boaters entering either construction area do so at their own risk, facing potential damage to equipment and vessels. Those in the area are urged to reduce speeds surrounding construction safety zones and to fully avoid travel inside the zones.
Find more information on the Mid-Bay Island Ecosystem Restoration Project here.
