Fact Sheet Article View

FACT SHEET-Raritan River to Arthur Kill Cut–Off Channel, New Jersey

Federal Navigation Channel Maintenance and Stewardship

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District
Published Dec. 20, 2023

DESCRIPTION:  This navigation asset is located in the north-central part of New Jersey, in the Raritan Basin, between Perth Amboy, NJ and South Amboy, NJ, about 24 miles by water south of the Battery, New York City; and provides for a channel 20 feet deep, 800 feet wide, to connect the Raritan River, NJ Channel with New York and New Jersey Channels (in the vicinity of Perth Amboy and Ward Point, Staten Island, NY).  Length of the channel is approximately 1 mile.

AUTHORIZATION:  The Federal navigation project for Raritan River to Arthur Kill Cut-Off Channel, New Jersey was adopted in 1935.

COMMERCE: In 2021, the annual commercial freight traffic reported for this this navigation asset was approximately 826,000 tons, compared to a five-year (2017-2021) annual average of approximately 883,000 tons, and consisted primarily of petroleum products, and to a lesser extent, chemical products.

BACKGROUND: The channel was last maintenance dredged by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in Fiscal Year (FY) 2014, when approximately 330,000 cubic yards (CY) of dredged material was removed and beneficially used at the Historic Area Remediation Site (HARS).  Prior to that, the channel was maintenance dredged by USACE in FY2000, when approximately 150,000 CY of dredged material was removed and also beneficially used at the HARS.

STATUS: In FY2024, commonly performed Operations & Maintenance (O&M) work includes expected solicitation and award of a maintenance dredging contract, with dredging for this cycle anticipated to occur in the summer/fall of 2024. Production of an annual hydrographic channel condition survey, and publication of a controlling depth report on the District’s website (https://www.nan.usace.army.mil/Missions/Navigation/Controlling-Depth-Reports/) is also scheduled for FY2024. 

CONTACT: 

Alexander F. Gregory
Asset / Project Manager
P:  (917) 790-8427
Email:  alexander.f.gregory@usace.army.mil
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District
26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278  
http://www.nan.usace.army.mil

District Area:   NJ # 6