Dredging Depot Slough

Dredging is finally complete in Depot Slough.

These first two pictures were taken during the Port's Wooden Boat Show last month, showing the clear need for it.

Under contract with the US Army Corps of Engineers, Dutra Dredging sub-contracted the project with Hickey Marine Enterprises out of Vancouver, Washington, and they completed the project in just over a week's time. They removed about 50,000 cubic yards of material and transported it down the Yaquina River to a designated ocean dumping site.

Below, they are shown working on the area in front of the docks leased by Yaquina Boat Equipment, a very important part of the local economy that serves the larger commercial fishing boats. In recent years, the boats would end up stuck in the mud, even at higher tides, when moored at the dock for work. Doug Alldridge of Yaquina Boat is very pleased that this project finally got finished.Last year, the project was well underway when it was abruptly halted. The original contract called for 119,000 cubic yards to be removed from the slough, with the last 50,000 removed this month. Peter Friedman and Ray Bucheger, with FBB Federal Relations, were instrumental in getting the project completed, as were the Governor's Economic Recovery Team and Dave Harlan, Ports Manager for the Oregon Business Development Department.

The last complete dredging of Depot Slough was in 1995, followed by a record high-water year in 1996, which helped to start the re-sedimenting process very quickly. This area of the slough is where the Port's planned transient tie-up dock will be located. The transient dock will allow extra space for boaters who wish to use the dock for a short period when they stop in to Toledo to visit the local businesses and facilities.

The transient dock is expected to be completed and in place by the summer of 2011. Here is an idea of what it will consist of.

Meanwhile, the Port's docks are back in place for moorage holders and 'back in business'.

Dredging has been an ongoing concern for the port, starting with its inception in 1910... one of the first items on the agenda was dredging the slough and river. Optimally, dredging should occur once every ten years. Soon it will be time to plan the next round of dredging to keep the slough - a viable and important link in Toledo's economy - usable.