Late 2025 eyed for dredging of Lewes-Rehoboth Canal

Almost two years ago, Delaware's congressional delegation announced $3.8 million in funding was secured to dredge the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal.

Following a meeting Dec. 11 with officials from local municipalities, Sussex County, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it appears actual dredge work won’t happen for at least another two years. 

Connecting Delaware and Rehoboth bays, the 10-mile-long canal was completed in 1918 and is part of the Intracoastal Waterway. While there has been spot dredging over the past two decades, the last time it was done in full was 2002.

Funding for the dredging came from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. In addition to the original amount, Sen. Tom Carper announced in March 2023 that he was able to secure an additional $7.5 million to complete the project.

Speaking at a Henlopen Acres meeting Dec. 8, Mayor Joni Reich said the Dec. 11 all-hands-on-deck meeting had been called because there’s concern that the federal funding could be put toward another project if nothing is done soon.

Following the Dec. 11 meeting, Reich said DNREC Shoreline and Waterway Management Section Program Manager Jesse Hayden confirmed the project remains a high priority and that the department would like to see it completed.

Sussex County Councilman Mark Schaeffer confirmed the Dec. 11 meeting was called to alleviate the concerns of local municipalities, and there also continues to be a high level of interest from state and federal authorities.

“The process is moving forward,” said Schaeffer. “It’s an important project. You almost can’t measure how important the canal is locally.”

Even with the state’s support, dredging the canal won’t be easy because there are limited places to put the spoils.

Schaeffer said there had been talks about putting some of the spoils on land near the county’s Wolfe Neck Regional Wastewater Facility; however, that plan changed after cultural resources were discovered during a recent archaeological survey.

Schaeffer said initial sampling suggests the bottom of the canal is filled with a 50/50 mix of sand and silt. That’s good news because it means the sand could be used for areas in the Inland Bays, while the silt could be used for wetland restoration along the canal.

Steve Rochette, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesman, said the limited options for spoils, especially along the eastern and southern portions of the canal, was the primary discussion at the Dec. 11 meeting. The Army Corps is continuing to work through the options with DNREC and other stakeholders, he said.

Rochette wasn’t as definitive as Schaeffer about the sediment sampling. A final report has not been submitted, said Rochette.

The Army Corps always considers options on potential use of spoils, but they have to be appropriate based on sampling and testing, he said.

If final results show beach or wetland restoration isn’t a good use for the spoils, there is also a site in Lewes where all the spoils from the project could be pumped.

That won’t be easy, said Reich. About 40,000 feet of pipe with multiple booster pumps along the way would be required to get spoils to Lewes, she said, adding that there are very few dredge companies equipped to do something like that.

“This is a very challenging dredge project given the length of the canal and the distance that would be required if the sediment was piped all the way back to the disposal site in Lewes,” said Reich.

Rochette confirmed this option would be a challenge. From an engineering and execution standpoint, final costs could vary greatly depending on final disposition of the dredged materials as well as contractor capability and availability, he said.

Rochette said the Army Corps anticipates awarding a contract in 15 to 18 months. The construction timeline could vary depending on several variables, he said.