Dredging the Wildwoods Back Bays 2024

Dredging the Wildwoods Back Bays 2024

Those driving around North Wildwood’s back streets may have noticed something strange.

The lots behind ACME and the North Wildwood boat ramp have large pipes, geotextile bags, and machinery coming from the bays. This is part of the Wildwood Channel Complex dredging project.

In a bid to restore safe navigation and revitalize the scenic waterways of Wildwood, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) had launched a $9.7 million dredging project.

Spearheaded by NJDOT’s contractor, Mobile Dredging & Video Pipe Inc., the ambitious endeavor aims to dredge fine sand and silt from various key channels in the area, including Beach Creek 1, Beach Creek 2, Ottens Canal Channel, Ottens Canal Lagoon Channel, Ottens Harbor Channel, Post Creek, and West Wildwood Channel.

The project, set to dredge the channels to their appropriate depths ranging between 5.5 and 12.5 feet, is a significant step towards restoring safe navigation for boaters and enhancing the overall environmental quality of Wildwood’s waterways.

Dredging operations started in late October and are slated to be completed by April 2024.

With a rigorous schedule of 24-hour, 7-days-a-week work, the project aims to expedite the restoration process while minimizing disruption to local residents and businesses.

During the duration of the project, the designated area will remain closed to ensure the safety of workers and the public alike. However, the inconvenience is outweighed by the long-term benefits that this restoration effort promises to deliver.

All material removed from the channels will be transported via pipeline and discharged into geotextile bags at several permitted sites.

Also See: Wildwoods Dune Project Update

Once the dredged material has been sufficiently dewatered, it will be transported to a permitted beneficial use site via truck, ensuring environmentally responsible disposal practices.

The restoration of Wildwood’s waterways holds significant implications for the local community and beyond.

Not only will it bolster safety for recreational and commercial boaters, but it will also contribute to the preservation of the area’s natural beauty and ecosystem.

The Wildwood Video Archive stopped by the construction site to tour the pumping system and to fly the seagull over the dredge.

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