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Dredging Update

*GALVESTON, Texas (June 19, 2013) - Orion's dredge began dredging the Bayport Channel at Station 70+00 (across from Park Trail Drive), headed outbound (Eastward) and will continue all the way until they reach the mouth of the land cut located at the cruise terminal area (Station 122+00 at the end of Section 3). The contractor will return to Station 70+00 and head west all the way to the end of the west end of the turning basin.

*GALVESTON, Texas (June 14, 2013) - The contractor has slightly changed the order of his work since the last update. The contractor now plans to begin dredging the channel across from the container terminal (approximately around the end of Sunrise Drive). He will dredge inward toward the turning basin. After that part of the channel has been dredged, he will relocate back to the Sunrise Drive area and work outbound. Noise control requirements will be in effect during the duration of the contract.

*GALVESTON, Texas (June 5, 2013) - The dredge will return within the next week to resume operations on the Bayport Ship Channel.  At that time, the contractor plans to begin dredging in the turning basin, working outbound in the channel.

*GALVESTON, Texas (May 2, 2013) - The dredge has left the project and is currently expected to return at the end of May in order to resume dredging operations in the Bayport Ship Channel.

Bayport Maintenance Dredging Contract Updates

Background History: The Bayport Ship Channel is a 40-feet deep by 300-feet wide by four-mile long deep draft navigation channel which extends from the Houston Ship Channel to the Bayport Turning Basin. The federal government issues dredging contracts to maintain the Bayport Channel in order to provide a safe and reliable navigation channel for the users of the waterway, including local industries and the Port of Houston Authority Terminal Facility. 

The Bayport Main Channel and Turning Basin are typically dredged once every three years. The last Bayport Main Channel and Turning Basin dredging contract was completed in January 2010. The Bayport Flare (confluence with the Houston Ship Channel and Bayport Channel) is typically dredged on an annual basis. The flare was last dredged in July 2012.

2013 Maintenance Dredging of the Bayport Ship Channel: In December 2012, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District awarded a contract to Orion Marine Construction Inc., for maintenance dredging of the Bayport Ship Channel in Chambers and Harris counties, Texas. The contractor is required to remove approximately 500,000 cubic yards of maintenance material from the federal channel using a hydraulic pipeline dredge. Material will be placed into existing upland Placement Area 15, located on the east side of the Houston Ship Channel.  Work is expected to begin at the end of January 2013 and complete by June 2013. 

Noise control requirements have been incorporated into the contract specifications due to the channel's close proximity to residential neighborhoods.  The contractor is required to monitor noise levels throughout the duration of the contract and ensure his operations remain within five decibels above the ambient noise level. Sound measurement stations will be used to measure sound within the residential areas to verify compliance throughout the duration of the contract.  Although dredging operations will take place 24 hours a day, residents can also expect that reasonable measures will be implemented to restrict the most common noise producing activities (such as crew changes and addition of dredge pipeline) to daylight hours whenever possible.

Noise Concerns: Residents who have questions or noise concerns related to this dredging contract may submit their concerns to swgpao@usace.army.mil.

Other Items: This contract is not related to the pending Port of Houston permit action.

Updates: Residents can check this page for periodic updates regarding the ongoing contract status.