Manatee Pocket Dredging complete in Crooked Creek moves into Chapman Creek

Stuart, Fla. - September 22, 2010 - The Manatee Pocket Dredging Project is making progress as the dredging of Crooked Creek was completed this week. Currently, two dredges are removing sediment from the Pocket - a smaller dredge is being used in the tributary's narrower waterways while a larger dredge is working its way through the main channel. Now that work is complete in Crooked Creek, the smaller dredge will move to the next tributary, Chapman Creek, while the larger dredge will continue to make progress in the main channel.

Since dredged material from both the tributaries and the main channel must move through a single pipeline, dredging in the Pocket will occur in alternating 12 hour shifts, Sunday evening through Saturday afternoon. The smaller dredge, owned by subcontractor Piedroba Marine, will remove sediment from the Chapman Creek's narrow waterways in the daytime hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. beginning on Wednesday, September 22.

Dickerson dredge will resume dredging in the main channel at 6 p.m. each day.

For construction updates, visit www.manateepocketproject.com.

About The Manatee Pocket Project

The Manatee Pocket Project is a dredging project that entails the removal of approximately 280,000 cubic yards of sediment from the Manatee Pocket in Port Salerno. Once completed, the project will result in a 100-foot-wide channel that will provide navigational and environmental enhancements to the Manatee Pocket and its adjacent waterways and provide important economic benefits for the surrounding communities.

The goals of the project are to:

• Increase the draft and size of vessels that will be able to access the Pocket
• Define a channel to minimize impacts to adjacent shallow water areas and benefit manatee protection
• Remove detrimental sediments
• Improve the ability of marine life to re-establish in the Pocket
• Improve the water quality in the Pocket by greatly reducing the resuspension of sediment

For more information visit www.manateepocketproject.com