DESCRIPTION: The existing Moriches Inlet Federal Navigation Project provides for a channel, 10 ft. deep, 200 ft. wide, extending from that depth in the Atlantic Ocean to Moriches Bay, at a length of approximately 0.8 mile, and a channel, 6 ft. deep, 100 ft. wide, to the Long Island Intracoastal Waterway, length approximately 1.1 miles. In addition, the project includes a deposition area at the entrance of the channel, 14 feet deep plus 2 feet over depth, 350 feet wide, and 3,000 feet in length. This project is cost-shared with the State of New York.
AUTHORIZATION/PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Moriches Inlet Project was authorized by the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1960 and the 1985 Supplemental Appropriation Act.
COMMERCE: Authorized critical Harbor of Refuge and critical USCG Search and Rescue Station inside the inlet. USCG receives on average 1000 calls for help on the South Shore of Long Island each year. Moriches is one of 6 coastal inlets providing access to the Atlantic Ocean.
BACKGROUND: In FY2023, Moriches Inlet was dredged under the Fire Island to Montauk Point (FIMP) project with the dredged sand being beneficially used as shoreline stabilization on the ocean beach of Smith Point County Park.
In 2018, an “Emergency” dredging was accomplished with approximately 153,000 CY of sand removed which opened a 200-ft wide path through the inlet. In 2012, Moriches inlet was used as a borrow source of sand to close the breach at Cupsogue Beach that was created by Hurricane Sandy removing approximately 200,000 CY of sand.
During a prior maintenance dredging cycle in the winter of 2009, approximately 460,000 CY of material was removed by Suffolk County Department of Public Works and placed at Cupsogue Beach, Smith Point and other areas.
Prior maintenance dredging of the inlet performed by the USACE was in February 2004 using Federal/non-Federal cost-share funds. Approximately 250,250 cubic yards of material were removed from the channel and deposition basin and placed along the shoreline west of the jetty.
STATUS: During FY2025, funding will provide for commonly performed Operations & Maintenance (O&M) work including monitoring of the channel shoaling conditions and coordination with the users and stakeholders. The production of an annual hydrographic condition survey and publication of the Controlling Depth Report on the District’s website below, are also scheduled for FY2025.
https://www.nan.usace.army.mil/Missions/Navigation/Controlling-Depth-Reports/
CONTACT:
Divyesh Patel
Asset / Project Manager
P: (917) 790-8582
Email: divyesh.g.patel@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: NY #1