A study has begun to determine the feasibility of deepening 14 miles of the Jacksonville harbor from 40 feet to 50 feet, which would allow deeper draft ships to call on local ports.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Jacksonville Port Authority held a public meeting Tuesday at the cruise ship terminal to discuss the ecological and water quality models being developed for the harbor deepening study.
The area to be studied will include the section of the St. Johns River from its mouth at the Atlantic Ocean to Buffalo Bluff near Palatka.
The proposed area to be dredged is from just inside the mouth of the river near the Atlantic Ocean to just beyond the Bartram Island spoil site, near the Dames Point bridge.
“These meetings aren’t successful unless you make the effort to come out and tell us what’s on your mind,” said Eric Bush, acting chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers planning and policy division in Jacksonville.
The Corps plans at least five public meetings to discuss the study. It also will start monthly teleconferences in June with the study delivery team. The teleconferences will allow for public interaction.
“We used these teleconferences for the Everglades restoration project and it has helped provide more public input, so we decided to use them with this project as well,” said Eric Summa, chief of the environmental branch of the Jacksonville Division.
The public can follow the progress of the project at www.saj.usace.army.mil.
Select Programs & Project Management Division. Then visit the Water Resources Branch and then the Navigation Section. Scroll to Jacksonville Harbor Channel Deepening Study.
The study will search for a balance between economic development and the preservation of the natural resources, said Paul Anderson, CEO of the Jacksonville Port Authority.
“This project is the single most important North Florida civil works project in our generation because it will be critical to serving the demands of a growing population,” said Anderson, who said he believes Florida will surpass New York as the third-largest state in the nation.
He envisions the project as a boon to job creation and economic development, but said the benefits should not come at the expense of the environment.
“It is of critical importance that we fiercely protect, preserve and stand as staunch advocates for our natural environment. It is critical that we become balanced in our approach to growing with our population to serve the needs of our citizens to create jobs and economic development,” said Anderson.
“We must leave this river healthy and thriving for our children, grandchildren and beyond. It clearly is a delicate balance, but one we are all committed to and working toward,” he said.
The Corps has just begun to evaluate deepening the channel from its existing project depth of 40 feet to a depth of 50 feet in 1-foot increments.
The plan will incorporate economic, engineering and environmental analyses along with Corps and public comment.
Questions about the ecological and water quality models can be directed to Paul Stodola at the Corps at [email protected] or 232-3271. Contact the port with questions about the dredging project at [email protected] or 357-3080.
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