U.S. Rep. Rodney Alexander and state Sen. Francis Thompson assessed the Lake Providence Port channel by boat yesterday morning.
This visit is connected with the dredging project, that was expected to begin today.
According to thenewsstar.com, a cutterhead dredger with powerful silt-clearing blades, was deployed to unclog the Lake Providence Port channel.
“ We just need to make sure this doesn’t happen again. When you see it in person it adds to the frustration about why we’re in this position right now. We have to educate other members of Congress about the economic impact of a lack of consistent dredging maintenance on our ports ,” said Alexander.
Theadvocate.com reports that the Army Corps has twice sent a dredger to the port this summer but ran out of money before it could clear the hump clogging the channel.
The previous efforts were made with dustpan dredgers, which weren’t adequate to clear the channel.
The cutterhead dredgers have blades that swing from side to side to clear the way.
[mappress]
Dredging Today Staff, August 10, 2012