Email Correspondence - WRC, South Ferry Channel Request for Relief

Flowers, Katherine
From: Dunn, Maria T.
Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2021 1:07 PM
To: Coats, Heather
Subject: RE: [External] South Ferry Channel - Request for Relief
Heather,
NCWRC does not object to the one-time allowance to dredge the South Ferry Channel as described during the latter
portion of July. This coincides with another USACE project that will have an appropriate dredge plant in the area to
address the shoaling concern. At this time, we are not comfortable with giving allowances months in advance but prefer
to be contacted as in the past when the need arises. We do support the exploration of means for long term
management plans to address the shoaling and navigation concerns.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide comment. Please don't hesitate to call if there is anything additional.
Maria
Maria T. Dunn
Coastal Coordinator
INC Wildlife Resources Commission
943 Washington Sq. Mall
Washington, NC 27889
office: 252-948-3916
www.ncwildlife.org
Email correspondence to and from this sender is subject to the N.C. Public Records Law and maybe disclosed to third parties.
From: Coats, Heather <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2021 10:14 AM
To: Harrison, James A <[e-mail]>; Dunn, Maria T. <[e-mail]>
Cc: Pullinger, Robert C <[e-mail]>; Pelletier, Josh R CIV CESAW CESAD (USA)
<[e-mail]>; Howell, Jonathan <[e-mail]>; Spivey, Kelly
<[e-mail]>
Subject: FW: [External] South Ferry Channel - Request for Relief
Hi everyone,
Ken Willson of CPE has sent the request below for approval to conduct 3 additional days of sidecast dredging in Hatteras
Inlet's South Ferry Channel. The work would be conducted between July 20th and the 31" with the USACE's Dredge
Merritt due to ongoing shoaling that is still impeding navigation. Please see his email below and the attached updated
survey and let me know if you have any questions, concerns or are amenable to this additional allowance for
moratorium relief.
Thanks in advance for your attention to this matter,
Heather

Heather Coats
Beach & Inlet Management Project Coordinator
Division of Coastal Management
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
910 796 7302 office
heather. coats(cD ncdenr. aov
127 Cardinal Drive Extension
Wilmington, NC 28405
Email correspondence to and from this address is subject to the
North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.
From: Ken Willson<[e-mail]>
Sent: Friday, July 9, 2021 5:14 PM
To: Coats, Heather <[e-mail]>; Pelletier, Josh R CIV CESAW CESAD (US)
<Josh.R.Pelletier(@usace.army.mil>; Pullinger, Robert C<chris.pullinger(@ncdenr.gov>
Cc: Adam Priest<[e-mail]>; Dustin Peele <[e-mail]>; Grover, Barton B
<[e-mail]>; Samuel Lohman<[e-mail]>; Brad Rosov
<brosov@coastal p rotectioneng.com>
Subject: [External] South Ferry Channel - Request for Relief
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Good Afternoon,
I'm writing to request your consideration to grant a short period of relief to allow the USACE operated sidecast dredge
to operate in South Ferry Channel at Hatteras Inlet. A maintenance event was conducted between March 4 and April 24
to re-establish a cut through a heavily shoaled in portion of the South Ferry Channel. Over the course of the nearly two
month period of dredging a narrow channel with controlling depths of approximately 9 feet was established. Shortly
after the channel was dredged, surveys indicated the channel was narrowing and shoaling. In May, CPE formally
requested 2 to 5 days of relief to allow for a small scale maintenance operation to be performed by the USACE sidecast
dredge Merritt in June. This relief was granted, and between June 12 and June 15, the sidecast dredge Merritt
conducted four days of maintenance dredging.
Since completion of the maintenance operation in April, four conditional surveys have been conducted within South
Ferry Channel. These surveys are attached as a single PDF. The first map shows the post -construction conditions in late
April. The third map shows the conditions just before the smaller June maintenance event, and the last map shows the
conditions after the June maintenance event.
Earlier this week, the USACE contacted Dare County and notified them that there was time on their schedule to conduct
maintenance dredging at the end of July. Local reports have suggested the channel continues to shoal in but that the
dredging in June was beneficial. Furthermore, residents and business owners of Dare County are concerned that the
current conditions of the channel, much less additional deterioration of the channel, could have severe economic
impacts on the local economy, which depends heavily on the summer time fishing and boating season. The USACE is

scheduled to conduct another condition survey early next week, which will be used to assess the conditions of
channel.
W E, Dare County, and the OSACE have been coordinating extensively to develop a plan that well not only maintain
navigation through South Ferry Channel over the coming weeks and months, but well also allow for more dependable
navigation over the long Aarm. The uSACE,the County, and CPE are In agreement that the beat approach to trying to
maintain navigation through South Ferry Channel, while minimizing potential impacts from long periods of sideresi
dredging, late conduct shorter routine sideasi dredge operations between late July and the end of September. At
present we are requesting relief fora 3 day operation to occur between July 20 and July 31. The maintenance dredging
would occur wKMng the previously permitted channel corridor and would comply with all other conditions of
permits. We also submit for your to Jordaian that a subsequent request for a 3 to 5tlay maintenance event maybe
made to allow fora short event In late August or early September.
In the longterm, CPS, Dare County and the USAGE have been monitoring and evaluating what Is referred to oaths
"southern rout of which is shown on the maps showing survey date Pith l 27(Flrst page) and June 17(fourth page). This
alternative route or Southern Route, Is showing signs of taking over as the beat water for reaching the Inlet gorge. The
orlon of the southern route Is one that falls within the permitted channel earn dorand has been dredged In the past
under the current permits. When the channel was maintained In that location, the duration of navigable channel
conditions was much longer, allowing maintenance operations to be Inoted to October 1 through March 31.
In summary, the overall proposed plan is to continue to try to maintain the existing channel with minimal to 5tlay
maintenance events approximately every month, until conditions are favorable to conduct a larger scale maintenance
event of the Southern Route after October 1.
However, A Mistime, Dare County is formally requesting relief to conduct up to days of dredging using the USAGE
tideast Dredge Merritt between July 20 wormy 31.
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.
Sincere Regards,
Ken Willson
Senior Project/Program Manager
Main:910 399-1905
Mobile: [phone]
kwlllson(amaslalpatectlonen¢.mm
■
Coastal Protection Engineering
0038 Masonboa Loop Road
Wilmington, NC28009