FENWICK ISLAND, Del. -- Dredging near the Little Assawoman Bay may soon begin in Fenwick Island after years of discussion and planning.
Two channels - a south channel near the Route 54 bridge and a north channel closer to the bay - will be dredged. According to local boaters in the area, the channels have filled with sediment to the point that it is hazardous for boaters that are unfamiliar with the layout.
"At low tide sometimes it's only got six inches of water over it," says longtime boater Pete Garriott. "The rental boats are always hung up on the sandbar."
According to Fenwick Island Dredge Committee Chairman Bill Rymer, the three permits needed to get the project off the ground have been submitted to the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and DNREC. He says the goal is to have them approved by November/December of 2023.
The town considered three potential spots to deposit the dredged material. Rymer says though nothing has been finalized, the project is now in line with developer Carl M. Freeman Companies to accept the materials at a site off Route 54.
The town has already tested the sediment and has sent it to a lab for analysis. Rymer says the process typically takes 4 to 6 weeks. Freeman has requested an additional sediment analysis to ensure the sediment can safely be used for residential development.
Rymer says the timeframe in which the dredging project can take place is limited because of wildlife in the channels. Dredging is only allowed from October to April. The town's goal is to have the project fully complete by April 2024.
Rymer says the project has received full support from people in town.
"The dredging is an issue that has to be dealt with," says Garriott. "I'm pleased that the council is pushing toward having it done. It's been tried in the past and I hope this council is successful in doing it."
Neighbors like Reggie Roberts are optimistic it will be done soon.
"I think since they've been talking about it for so long and people have complained about it, that it will get done this time," says Roberts.
According to Rymer, the project costs roughly $1 million and is mostly funded by state grants, acquired with the help of Rep. Ron Gray.