WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. -- County leaders are searching for a new location to dispose of dredge material from the Wicomico River. A potential site is now sparking concern among neighbors.
Officials have been eyeing land off Connelly Mill Road in Delmar as a potential dumping site for dredge spoils. However, some residents worry that move could jeopardize long-term plans to develop the same property into a public park.
The basic idea behind the proposed Connelly Mill Park is to transform the land into a recreational space for the public. Supporters of the park, including neighbor Mikele Dahlen, believe the area could become an asset.
"Developing Connelly Mill Park would grow our economy, protect our natural resources, and promote physical and mental health and well-being for our entire region," said Dahlen.
Dahlen and others fear that bringing dredge material to the site could delay or even derail those plans. While county officials say the dredged material would not be dumped into the quarry itself, Dahlen argues the proposal could still harm the environment and be fiscally irresponsible.
"I am deeply concerned that a park can exist with an industrial use such as this and that it will be put off for generations," she said.
The county must decide soon where to place the dredged material. If it fails to find a suitable location, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could once again skip dredging the Wicomico River, something that hasn’t happened in three years. County leaders say that dredging is essential to maintain the river’s role in the local economy.
Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano said officials are still exploring multiple sites and that no final decision has been made.
"It’s not even 100%," Giordano said. "We’re looking at various sites around the county, we’re looking to potentially purchase sites, and we’re looking at sites around the river so that way the travel is not as much."
County officials maintain that any dredge material stored at Connelly Mill Park would not interfere with future plans to develop the land into a public park.