Dredging of the Eastpoint channel could be done next summer

Dredging of the Eastpoint channel could be done next summer.

The county commission has been working for years to have the Army Corps of Engineers dredge the Eastpoint channel so that larger boats like shrimp boats can use the channel to dock and offload seafood.

Currently the channel can be tough even on smaller boats, especially during low tide.

Franklin County Restore coordinator Alan Pierce told county commissioners this month that around the beginning of December the US Army Corps of Engineers will have 3 preliminary designs for building the spoil area and dredging the channel to its original design depth of 8 feet.

Once the county and the Corps agree on the design and disposal area then the Corps will go to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to finalize the permit.

The permit could be ready by next March and the corps could then mobilize a dredge contractor to start dredging by next May or June.

The proposed budget for the dredging project should be ready in December.

The project will be funded through 2 million dollars of federal money, but if that's not enough the county will provide the additional funds by using money received from the BP oil spill.

http://live.oysterradio.com/