The Virginia Port Authority (VPA) Board of Commissioners has awarded Accomack and Northampton Counties a total of $385,000 to complete pre-dredge surveys at two locations.
The VPA Board met Thursday, May 21, to determine allocations for the first year’s Waterway’s Maintenance Fund (WMF) Grant Program awards.
Northampton County has been awarded $197,000 for dredging the state waterway known as Kings Creek.
Accomack County has been awarded $188,000 to dredge a section of the state waterway adjacent to the designated Federal Channel (recently dredged by the Corps).
The funds will be used to conduct and complete all pre-dredging surveying, permitting and all other work needed to commence actual dredging.
According to John Joeckel, Chairman of Eastern Shore Regional Navigable Waterways Committee, the intent is to complete these pre-dredging activities prior to July 1, 2020.
The second round of WMF grants will commence in March 2020, it is envisioned at that time to submit applications to actually commence dredging of Quinby and Kings Creek in the July 2020 – July 2021 time frame.
The cost of dredging will greatly exceed the pre-dredging activities.