DESCRIPTION: This asset provides for a navigation channel 6 feet deep, 100 feet wide from the Federally improved channel in Great South Bay, opposite Patchogue, to the south end of Shinnecock Canal. The lengthy 33.6 mile project traverses the inland waters through Great South Bay, Bellport Bay, Narrow Bay, Moriches Bay, Quantuck Bay and Shinnecock Bay.
AUTHORIZATION: The Rivers and Harbors Act of August 26, 1937.
COMMERCE: The channel supports three United States Coast Guard (USCG) Stations that utilize this waterway for Search and Rescue Missions. This 33.6 mile long recreational waterway also is the primary access between six bays as well as dozens of coves, rivers and creeks that lead inland. Thousands of users utilize the Intra-coastal Waterway for a safe sheltered route through the bays rather than along the Atlantic Ocean with access to three of the six coastal inlets on the south shore of Long Island.
BACKGROUND: The most recent maintenance dredging cycle was completed in November 2024 in the Shinnecock Bay reach which removed approximately 48,000 cubic yards (CYs) of sand from the channel. The dredged sand was beneficially re-used to address shoreline erosion at Tiana Bayside Beach, Shagwong Marina Beach and Charles F. Altenkirch County Park (formerly known as Shinnecock West County Park and also known as West of Shinnecock Inlet (WOSI)).
In November 2023 maintenance dredging in the Moriches Bay reach removed approximately 20,000 CYs of sand from the channel with the sand beneficially re-used to address shoreline erosion on the Atlantic Ocean shoreline at Cupsogue Beach County Park and Smith Point County Park. Previous recent maintenance dredging cycles, all conducted in the Moriches Bay reach, were completed in November 2022; January 2019; and November 2014. Prior to that dredging was completed in November 2012 and the dredged material was used to close a breach of the barrier island caused by Hurricane Sandy at Smith Point County Park.
STATUS: During FY2025, funds will provide for commonly performed Operations & Maintenance (O&M) work including solicitation and award of a maintenance dredging contract that will be performed during Fall 2025. During FY2025, commonly performed O&M work also includes fiscal closeout of the FY2024 dredging contract and coordination with USCG, waterway users and stakeholders; and production of an annual hydrographic condition survey, and publication of the Controlling Depth Report on the District’s website.
https://www.nan.usace.army.mil/Missions/Navigation/Controlling-Depth-Reports/
William T. Bruno
Asset / Project Manager
P: (917) 790-8516
Email: William.Bruno@usace.army.mil
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District
26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278
District Area: NY #1