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FACT SHEET- Bay Ridge and Red Hook Channels, NY

Federal Navigation Channel Maintenance and Stewardship

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District
Published Feb. 1, 2024

DESCRIPTION:  This navigation asset provides for a channel 40 feet deep, 1,200 feet wide from the Narrows to Bay Ridge Avenue; thence 1,750 feet wide to the junction of Bay Ridge and Red Hook Channels, and thence 1,200 feet wide through to its junction with Buttermilk Channel.  The length is about 4 miles.

AUTHORIZATION:  The Federal navigation project for the Bay Ridge and Red Hook Channels, New York was adopted in 1899 and modified in 1930.  

COMMERCE:  In 2021, the annual commercial freight traffic reported for this this navigation asset was approximately 1 million tons, compared to a five-year (2017-2021) annual average of approximately 729,000 tons, and consisted primarily of petroleum products. The channel also supports State Police and USCG Search and Rescue Marine Units.

BACKGROUND:  Maintenance dredging of this asset was last completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in November 2021, when approximately 867,000 cubic yard (CY) of dredged material was removed from the channel and beneficially used at the Historic Area Remediation Site (HARS); funding under Public Law 113-2 (Hurricane Sandy Recovery Supplemental Appropriations Act) was used for this maintenance dredging project to meet the needs of the channel users requiring access to the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal.  Prior to that, the channel was maintenance dredged by USACE in FY2015, when approximately 120,000 CY of dredged material was removed and also beneficially used at the HARS.

STATUS:  In FY2024, funds are being used for commonly performed Operations & Maintenance (O&M) work, including ongoing sediment testing of the Bay Ridge reach; for possible out year maintenance dredging, subject to availability of funds.  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:

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 #10, 11