LEWES, Del.- The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has released which bodies of water in Eastern Sussex County will be dredged over the next three years. The Lewes-Rehoboth Canal was not included on the list.
Areas being dredged include: the Indian River and Indian River marina; Holt's Landing State Park ramp; Assawoman and loop canal; South Bowers jetty; and Assawoman canal.
The Lewes-Rehoboth Canal links the Delaware Bay and the Rehoboth Bay.
Many commercial and recreational boats utilize the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. But due to many shallow areas within the channel, many boats are restricted from entering the vessel.
Large commercial and fisherman boats have reported being stuck in the silt along the canal. Also, many have complained about the damages the shallow water has caused to their boat.
David Green is a Captain for Cape Water Tours and Taxi. Green said his company has had to reschedule and adjust its route because of shallow water.
"The lack of dredging in the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal is really going to limit our ability to run a regular schedule," Green explained.
"We have had several instances where on our Delaware States Park trips and our bay to back trips where we're unable to actually get into Rehoboth bay due to the shallow depths of the inlet."
Recreational fisherman, Robert Baxley, said he has been stuck along the canal a few times. "So once you go towards Rehoboth Bay, from here its gets a little bit sketchy as far as water depth," Baxley said. "All I have really gone up there in is like in a skiff and I have still gotten stuck."
WBOC reached out to DNREC and administrator Michael Powell said:
“DNREC puts a high priority on maintenance dredging of the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal, reflecting the canal’s popularity among recreational boaters, and the importance of it connecting the Inland Bays with Delaware Bay. However, the large footprint of the dredging needed, as well as limited sediment disposal options, continue to be significant challenges for DNREC on this project. While it is true that federal funding for maintenance dredging of federally-authorized navigational channels in coastal Delaware has become increasingly scarce, DNREC has been engaged in a coordinated effort with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers concerning the potential for federal participation in maintenance dredging. And while portions of the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal have been dredged more recently than 2002, that was indeed the year that the last major federal dredging of the federally-authorized channel took place.”
Mayors Theodore Becker (Lewes), Stan Mills (Rehoboth Beach), Dale Cooke (Dewey Beach) and Joni Reich (Henlopen Acres) signed and sent a letter to the state's federal delegation asking for help with the dredging project.
Each city/town wants the entire 10 mile long canal to be dredged.
Mayor Becker said the letter has been acknowledged, but as of right now there are no further updates.
To learn more about DNRECs dredging projects, click here.
