Project Description

The Norfolk, Maintenance Dredging project aims to perform essential maintenance dredging at Naval Station Norfolk (NSN) on the Elizabeth River and Willoughby Bay in Norfolk, Virginia. This project encompasses two primary activities: maintenance dredging throughout the installation and the ocean and/or upland disposal of the dredged material. The Navy plans to dredge the entire waterfront pier area at NSN, including the new Pier 11S berth expansion area, CEP-111 bulkhead area, small boat channel, LAG marina, and V-50 basin. Over a 10-year maintenance period, approximately 7.7 million cubic yards of material will be dredged from a 340-acre area, equating to roughly 700,000 – 800,000 cubic yards of dredged material per year. The maximum maintenance dredge depths range from -11 feet at Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) to -53 feet MLLW, including overdredge.

Major Challenges
Dredging offshore subject to what the Atlantic Ocean wants to throw at us in terms of weather, sea state and now in full hurricane season Stuyvesant discharging dredge spoils next to one of the most active ship channels on the Eastern Seaboard, including but not limited to 2-4 container ships daily, and across from worlds largest naval base. Transport and placing over 2 million cubic yards to an upland confined site and actively raising levee heights to add future capacity Dredge spoil placement surrounded by an active wildlife & bird nesting monitored by the owner.

Project Highlights
Key highlights of the project include efficient dredging operations, with approximately 3.2 million cubic yards of material to be mechanically dredged in the first phase, and potential hydraulic dredging if capacity becomes available at CIDMMA. The project’s flexible disposal options ensure adaptability in managing dredged materials. Notably, historical data indicates no documented adverse effects from authorized discharges at the NODS, supporting the suitability of this disposal site for the project.

Project Scope

The project scope encompasses maintenance dredging throughout the entire waterfront pier area at NSN, including the new Pier 11S berth expansion area, CEP-111 bulkhead area, small boat channel, LAG marina, and V-50 basin, with dredging depths ranging from -11 feet to -53 feet MLLW. The disposal of dredged material involves ocean placement at the NODS, pipeline placement at CIDMMA, disposal at other upland sites, or a combination of these alternatives, all while ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and obtaining necessary permits. The project will be executed in phases over a 10-year period, with approximately 3.2 million cubic yards of material dredged and disposed of in the first phase. Environmental compliance is a crucial aspect, requiring the obtainment of a Section 103 permit from the USACE and concurrence from the USEPA Region III, along with additional testing and coordination as required for continued disposal at NODS. Logistical coordination is essential, involving the management of dredged material transportation to various disposal sites, ensuring efficient and safe operations throughout the project duration.

Project Description

The Kaunakakai Harbor Maintenance Project aims to preserve and enhance the functionality of the primary commercial harbor on Moloka’i, Hawaii. Located on the south-central coast of the island, this harbor plays a crucial role in receiving deliveries of food, fuel, and supplies by barge. The project, originally completed in 1934 at a Federal cost of $103,200, consists of a basin measuring 1,500 feet long, 600 feet wide, and 23 feet deep. As part of the ongoing operations and maintenance phase, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for maintaining the project depths in the entrance channel and turning basin area, ensuring safe navigation for vessels entering, exiting, and maneuvering within the harbor.

Major Challenges
The Dutra Group demonstrated proactive problem-solving in their dredging operations in Maui and Molokai by anticipating and addressing several challenges. They recognized the potential difficulties of remote operations, including logistical issues with personnel, equipment, and supplies. To mitigate these challenges, Dutra conducted multiple pre-project visits to both islands, allowing them to address safety concerns, community issues, and operational logistics well in advance. They also developed a custom underwater barrier system to protect the environment, building a sturdy frame on-site and attaching a flexible curtain to it. This innovative setup helped contain disturbed sediment despite strong winds and rough waters, minimizing the project’s impact on the surrounding marine ecosystem. This foresight and innovative approach enabled Dutra to balance local community concerns with USACE contract requirements while maintaining productivity in the face of weather-related delays and limited resources.

Project Highlights
A key highlight of the project is the successful completion of the most recent maintenance dredging in 2024, which removed approximately 30,000 cubic yards of sediment from the harbor. This critical work has significantly improved the safety and efficiency of vessel operations within the harbor. The project’s long-term maintenance strategy, with previous dredging operations dating back to 1973, demonstrates the ongoing commitment to preserving this vital infrastructure. The collaboration between federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Hawaii Department of Transportation Harbors Division, showcases effective partnership in maintaining this essential facility.

Project Scope

The scope of the Kaunakakai Harbor Maintenance Project encompasses regular assessment and maintenance of the harbor’s entrance channel and turning basin. This includes periodic hydrographic surveys to monitor sediment accumulation and determine dredging requirements. The project involves the planning and execution of maintenance dredging operations as needed, with the most recent operation removing 30,000 cubic yards of sediment. The scope also includes the proper disposal of dredged materials in compliance with environmental regulations. Ongoing coordination with local authorities and stakeholders is essential to ensure that maintenance activities align with the operational needs of the harbor and the community it serves. The project’s ultimate goal is to maintain the authorized depths of the harbor, ensuring safe and efficient maritime operations for the island of Moloka’i.

Project Description

In 2023, the State Coastal Conservancy awarded the City of Berkeley a grant sum of $8.9 Millon for the Berkeley Marina improvements, consisting of maintenance dredging of the Berkeley Marina harbor and entrance plus the removal and replacement of two failing dock systems, which Dutra Constuction was awarded. The City secured a USACE permit allowing dredging of 350,000 cubic yards over a period of 10 years. Dutra Dredging began the first phase of dredging in April 2024 and has dredged 81,000 cubic yards to date.

Major Challenges
The extremely shallow conditions, paired with busy ship traffic from numerous recreational boats and more than a dozen docks, meant Dutra’s DB-24 derrick barge had limited mobility. These conditions also impacted other Dutra vessels, including scows and tugboats, which draft anywhere from three to six feet depending on their size. As such, the team was restricted digging only during high tide conditions and had to stagger its two 8-hour shifts around the presence of high tides.

Project Highlights
Working in combination with the Dutra Construction team we were able to successfully complete the first of two seasons of work in the Berkely Marina with minimal impact to the marina’s operations while removing the old D&E Docks and deeping both the channel and the marina to a minimum depth of 8 feet. One of the special conditions of the contract was a provision that a minimum of 62 percent of the “clean” dredged material was to used for beneficial reuse and transported to the Montezuma Wetlands Restoration Project, located in Solano County in the North Bay.

Project Scope

The entrance channel and marina are to be dredged to a depth of -10 feet and this season our team was able to hit a depth of -8 bringing the total cubic yards dredged to date to 81,000. This puts us in a great position to complete this project next year as we mobilize our smaller fleet into complete the dredging of the shallow interior marina.

Project Description

A critical dredging project for Palm Beach Harbor to allow larger vessels to be able to navigate their waters. Our dredging team dredged approximately 100,000 cubic yards of material in the harbor’s entrance channel and settling basin.Dutra has perfomed mulitple phases of the deepening and widening of the Mobile Harbor and has been instrumental in being good stewards of the land by taking a portion of the spoils to beneficial re-use sites that will help restore the wetlands in the area.

Major Challenges
This channel has a lot of vessel traffic and Dutra did our best to manuever our equipment in the channel with minimal impact to the harbor or recreational boaters in the area.

Project Highlights
Successfully completing another portion of the deepening and widening of the Mobile Harbor. Dutra has been instrumental in helping the Port of Mobile achieve it’s goals of increasing the port’s ability to service larger ships.

Project Scope

Dredging 1,122,000 CY at Upper Bay Channel and Turning Basin; Placement of 82,360 SY at Deer River Beneficial Use Site Marsh Fill Area; Construction of 9,310 LF Sand Berm at the Dauphin Island Causeway Beneficial Use Site; Placement of 345,870 SY at Dauphin Island Causeway Beneficial Use Site Marsh Fill Area; Dredging and Placement of 2,169,858 CY in the Relic Shell Placement Site.

Project Description

A critical dredging project for Palm Beach Harbor to allow larger vessels to be able to navigate their waters. Our dredging team dredged approximately 100,000 cubic yards of material in the harbor’s entrance channel and settling basin.

Major Challenges
The intial disposal site was in a difficult location that was close to the beach and in pounding surf. At times it was impossible to fully empty the scow because of such shallow conditions.

Project Highlights
Collaborated with the owner to find a new disposal site after we encountered difficult conditions with shallow water and dangerous surf at the initial dump site. Completed the project without any accidents, injuries or near misses.

Project Scope

Excavation of 55,000 cubic yards at the entrance channel, settlinng basin, and expanded settling basin. With optional excavation of 45,000 cubic yards in the extended settling basin and expanded settling basin.

Project Description

The project renourished approximately 12 miles of shoreline in Brevard County, Florida between Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Range Monuments R-75.3 and R-139. The project is comprised of two segments: Mid Reach and South Reach. The Mid Reach extends approximately 7.7 miles between FDEP Range Monuments R-75.3 and R-118.3. The South Reach extends approximately 3.8 miles between R-118.3 and R-139. The project includes construction of a beach berm and dune as shown in the drawings.

Major Challenges
One of the major challenges of this project is the significant environmental monitoring and mitigation required to ensure the dredging and disposal operations have minimal impact on the surrounding ecosystem. At the same time, the project also involves facilitating thousands of localized truckloads to transport the dredged material, which requires careful coordination and planning to minimize disruptions to the local community and infrastructure.

Project Highlights
A key project highlight is the seamless movement, placement, and orchestration of beach fill via the dredge Stuyvesant and localized truck haul, all while minimizing impacts to the surrounding community. This integrated approach, combining both dredging and land-based transportation, allows for the efficient and environmentally responsible delivery of the beach nourishment material, contributing to the overall success of the project.

Project Scope

The Brevard County Mid-Reach Shore Protection Project is intended to develop and deliver hurricane and storm damage reductions throughout the 7.8 mile Mid-Reach segment of Brevard County, Florida.

The project is intended to reduce the damages caused by erosion and coastal storms to shorefront structures along the Mid-Reach study area while maintaining the recreational beach, maintaining opportunities for recreational use of the nearshore areas, and maintaining environmental quality.

The project will consist of the placement of beach quality material in North Reach using both FCCE and CG funding; and the placement of beach quality material in South Reach using FCCE funding only. All material will be placed between Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) monuments R1 to R-54.5 (a distance of approximately 10.3 miles) in North Reach and R-118.3 to R-139 (a distance of approximately 3.9 miles) in South Reach.