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Annual harbor dredging in Dillingham begins

Avery Lill/ KDLG

It will take about three weeks for dredgers to remove 110,000 cubic yards of sediment from the Dillingham small boat harbor this year. 

The annual dredging of the Dillingham small boat harbor is slated to begin Wednesday. Every year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is tasked with pumping a slurry of mud and water out of the harbor and back into the bay. On average, dredgers remove 90,000 cubic yards of muck. Dillingham port director, Jean Barrett, anticipates that this year, the quantity will be slightly greater.

“I’m guessing somewhere around 110,000 cubic yards. It looks to be a little fuller than it was last year, and we did just under 100,000 last year,” said Barrett.

The ramps, arms and floating docks will start going into the harbor as early as next week.

“Once they get the south end of the harbor dredged out where we can put our floats in and the ramps in, then they’ll be able to use that end,” said Barrett. “People can use the harbor when the dredge is in there also. Just we need to makes sure that everyone is following rules and being careful.”

Barret anticipates that the project will take about three weeks to complete.

Contact the author at avery@kdlg.org or 907-842-5281.