Project Scope

The Chincoteague Inlet Federal Navigation Project is a Section 107 Continuing Authorities Program project. The Corps maintains a channel depth of 12 feet and width of 200 feet from the Ocean Bar in the Atlantic Ocean to the mouth of the inlet. The second component is a channel nine feet deep and 100-150 feet wide from the inlet through the “canal” and then along Chincoteague Channel until just south of the state highway bridge to Chincoteague.  The entire project distance measures approximately 6.9 miles.

It is typically dredged at least once a year, depending on funding availability.

Portions of the inner channel were last dredged in 2012.

Authorization

The project was approved by the chief of engineers in 1972 under the Section 107 authority of the River and Harbor Act of July 14, 1960.

Background

Chincoteague Inlet serves as the entrance from the Atlantic Ocean to the largest commercial port on the Eastern Shore and supports more than 3,000 vessels a year. The project supports all types of commercial fishing and tourism vessels.

The project provides the primary access from Atlantic Ocean to critical harbor of refuge at Chincoteague and other federal navigation projects in the area. The U.S. Coast Guard Station and U.S. Coast Guard Group Eastern Shore, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Wallops Island, Va., and the U.S. Navy rely on the project for training operations, range control, payload recovery and oceanographic missions. According to Accomack County, Va., an estimated $8.2 million per year of income depends on the navigability of the project.

Funding

FY 2014 Funds: $0

Sandy Supplemental Funding: $1,550,000

Schedule