Cod Fish II Kicks Off The 2024 – 2025 Dredge Season with Bourne South Channel Maintenance Dredging Project
Last week marked the start of the 2024 – 2025 dredge season with the first project in Bourne at the South Channel (also known as Hospital Cove). The mobilizing for this project actually began on September 3rd in Falmouth Harbor with the replacement of some parts of the dredge that were removed in May for repair/replacement.
The ‘spuds’ – long steel telephone like poles that are used to hold the dredge in place while dredging, had to be reinstalled after welding was required to patch some holes. In addition, a wear liner which is a large metal shield that sits in front of the impeller on the pump was replaced and the ‘spud gates’ that keep the bast of the spuds in place also had to be repaired.
This work is part of the routine maintenance that is required to all part of the ‘wear & tear’ that this equipment endures throughout the dredging season.
The Cod Fish II was moved to Red Brook Harbor on September 5th and the dredge pipe was moved on September 11th Dredging began on September 12th.
The South Channel hasn’t been dredged since 2001. The shoaling that has occurred over these years has been extensive, with the shoaling continuing south from the end of Bassetts Island.
The graphic below displays the channel boundaries and the areas to be dredged.
The sand dredged will be pumped through 2,500′ of pipe to a dewatering basin on the public side (south side) of Bassetts Island. The pipe is submerged and is marked with poly balls as well as with buoys marked ‘Danger Pipe”. The sand that accumulates in the dewatering basin will be moved to the surrounding area on the island and mitigation of the disturbed area will be completed by the town after dredging operations are complete.
The water from the basin will drain back into the harbor on the north side with the organics settling out with the tide.
The south channel will be closed to navigation when dredging operations are underway. Department of Natural Resources patrol boat(s) will be on station when available to assist in diverting traffic. All vessels bound for and out of Red Brook Harbor and the adjacent waters are requested to use the North Channel (also known as Pocasset Harbor).
The dredging will take approximately 20 days and the channel will be dredged to its controlling depth of 8′.
Dredge Notice to Mariners are published routinely and are distributed to local marinas.
