Dredging Near Bhb

[tekkydiver]

Saw this today on the news. Dredging just South of the bridge means silting during the entire incoming tide. Won't be good for diving at the bridge.

Marine Industries Association seeking approval to dredge channels north of Peanut Island

 

[iamrushman]

thanks for the info.......not sure if this is good or bad?...what's your outlook?

 

[kelemvor]

I hope it doesn't have the same catastrophic effect that beach renourishments have on near shore reef systems. If so, it would kill off most of the stuff people go to BHB to see.

 

[tekkydiver]

when dredging is occurrs on the incoming tide all the silt will be carried north to the bridge. Viz will be greatly diminished

 

[kelemvor]

I was thinking more along the lines of where that silt will settle, and how much will there be. Will it be enough to bury the small stuff that lives in this area and drive more mobile critters away?

 

[djtimmy77]

If cutting a channel through the sandbar virtually eliminates the east/west boat traffic along the snorkel trail, that is a very good thing. I am in support of anything that keeps the boats separated from the divers, even if it clouds vis for a while.

 

[kelemvor]

From what I saw on FB, they dredged just last year near the park. Apparently it didn't kill or run off the critters, so my level of concern is a bit lower. Bad vis temporarily is not that big of a deal imo.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

At the very end the reporter mentions the sand dredged will be pumped on to the beach and Phil Foster Park.. That's not good!

 

[kelemvor]

I didn't catch that. That sounds more like a "renourishment" aka kill the wildlife than simple dredging.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Exactly. there are so many "renourishment" projects going on right now down here, it's amazing anything will survive...