Dredging News

 

The Kansas Water Office (KWO) was recognized recently by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for their continued partnership and contribution to the USACE mission during the approval process of the John Redmond Reservoir Dredging Initiative.

This project is the first and largest inland Section 408 request -permission for the alteration of a USACE civil works project- in the nation to be approved by USACE, Headquarters.

Lieutenant Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Commander, and Col. Richard A. Pratt, Tulsa District, Commander, presented the award to the KWO as well as former KWO employee, Susan Metzger, noting the efforts by the office reflect highly upon the state of Kansas and the nation.

“The KWO’s commitment to delivering enduring and essential water resources solutions to our nation through successful completion of all needed elements for review and approval of the John Redmond Dredging Initiative was commendable,” Gen. Bostick said.

“Ms. Metzger’s demonstration of expert-level knowledge and skills in managing the drafting of technical elements of the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, was pivotal for the successful completion of this effort by KWO.”

Since 1964, John Redmond has lost an estimated 42 percent of its conservation pool storage capacity, 80 percent more than originally projected by the USACE at the time the reservoir was completed.

While there have been many short and midterm alternatives to reduce sediment or increase storage through streambank restoration projects and a two-foot pool raise and reallocation, these efforts alone will not remedy the sedimentation rate alone.

“Our work to dredge John Redmond Reservoir is part of our effort to preserve and extend water resources in Kansas,” said Governor Sam Brownback. “Increasing its storage capacity is an important part of our vision to preserve water resources in Kansas. I commend the efforts in protecting this vital resource.”

Dredging sediment from the conservation pool would restore water supply storage for the benefit of the regional water users and restore the lost aquatic habitat for the benefit of public recreation and the lake ecosystem.

The first dirt work began in November 2015 and the official dredging will start this spring.

Royal Smals is putting finishing touches to the Sengbachtalsperre dredging project, Which is a water reservoir in the Wupper catchment basin that is used by Stadtwerke Solingen to provide drinking water for the city.

The Sengbachtalsperre As one of the oldest drinking water reservoirs in Germany, the Sengbachtalsperre holds 2.8 million cubic meters of water. Upstream of the Sengbachtalsperre dam is a smaller reservoir that has been built to prevent settling of sediments from the feeder streams to the main reservoir.

In the past two years, the water quality in this smaller reservoir has been negatively influenced by planktothrix rubescens, a form of blue algae, up to the point where the utility even had to temporarily halt the intake of drinking water.

Stadtwerke Solingen as principal issued a tender for removing 26,000 cubic meters of sediment and pumping it to a bund in order to prevent the formation of blue algae in the future.

Royal Smals submitted a bid and has subsequently been appointed contractor for this dredging project. The 8″ cutter suction dredger Pollux is now being used for the work.

According to the Dutch Water Sector, Royal Smals expects to complete the dredging project this spring.

HDOT-the Hawaii Department of Transportation, Harbors Division, celebrated last Friday, January 15, the Pier 4 Project at Hilo Harbor with a groundbreaking and dedication/blessing ceremony.

The project includes multiple phases: dredging and construction of the Pier 4 Inter-Island Cargo Terminal, construction of the Inter-Island Cargo Terminal Facility–Container Yard, and Kumau Street Entrance Improvements.

HDOT will start work on the final phase of the project, the Pier 4 Inter-Island Cargo Terminal. This phase involves the creation of a 602 linear foot reinforced concrete pier with associated site work that will be located to the west of the existing Pier 3.

The finished Inter-Island Cargo Terminal Facility–Container Yard component of the project reconstructed a portion of the existing container yard and built a new adjacent container yard with a comfort station, lighting, and utilities. This phase generated an additional 4 acres to be used for cargo operations, amounting to approximately 10 acres total.

“The construction of Pier 4 at Hilo Harbor will create a dedicated operating area for inter-island cargo operations which will relieve the issues that the harbor currently experiences,” said HDOT Director Ford Fuchigami. “Transporting provisions to Hawaii County will become more efficient, thus promoting economic and social growth.”

The estimated total cost for the project is $68.5 million. Work on the final phase is anticipated to be completed by July of 2017.