Sand Shifter Returns to Popponesset Bay Following Largest County Dredging Project to Date
The County Dredge Department successfully completed the Popponesset Bay “Big Dig” dredging project last Friday in Mashpee, marking the largest project undertaken by the department since its formation thirty years ago.
This video highlights another side of the work: bringing the dredge Sand Shifter back inside Popponesset Bay at the end of the day after completing the final channel cut. The footage shows the crew safely maneuvering against a very strong outgoing tide — a reminder that the work doesn’t end when dredging stops.
The project began in mid-September and utilized both of the County’s dredgers, Cod Fish II and Sand Shifter, each working in separate sections of the channel. The estimated total volume dredged is approximately 55,000 cubic yards. All dredged material was placed on Poppy Spit, where it was used to rebuild the beach and strengthen coastal protection.
This effort was only possible because of the skill, coordination, and dedication of the County Dredge team led by Dredge Superintendent Jason Bevis, with dredge operators Chris Armstrong and Cory Fleming, and deck crew Andrew DiPietro, Brendan Cahill, Noah Vecchione, Phil Marks, and Tom Basey.
