Staff Blog
Delaware River deepening project starts today
Straight from the office of Ed Voigt, chief of public and legislative affairs for the Army Corps of Engineers:
Our contractor, Norfolk Dredging Co., will begin deepening at 12 noon today, March 1, 2010, in the Delaware River federal channel just north of Reedy Point (the east end of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal).
It's kind of hard to believe that this thing that's been 20 years in the making is actually happening. Keep in mind, though, that this contract to Norfolk Dredging Co. has been awarded for just "Reach C" of the channel — only an 11-mile stretch of the 100-mile-long project. (And, everyone agrees, only deepening 11 miles would benefit absolutely no one.) Also, the Corps only has full funding for "Reach C," and a review by the Government Accountability Office of the Army Corps' current economic analysis of the project is due out this month — which, depending on its outcome, could seriously affect how much more of the project Congress decides to fund.
RELATED: Risk and Reward: Dredging the Delaware may not bring as many jobs as proponents claim
[...] The dredging of the Delaware River, as we all know, is well under way. [...]
I am the author of a book about the delaware river water war, and have a keen interest in the expanded use of the river thru its channels becoming wider and deeper.As for drinking water users can get safer and better quality water above the tidal line where channelization is not needed ,now or never. The Phila: Water Treatment use has too long delayed the expansion of the Delaware channels opening much greater industry benefiting the area . They should move their water intake upstream and benefit from non-carcenogenic drinking water.