News Release from the Oregon Dept. of Environmental Quality, DEQ. On June 16, 2014, the Corps issued a permit to the USCG authorizing the one time dredging of sand, gravels, and cobbles from below the high tide line of the Rogue River estuary at Gold Beach to maintain the facility to the previously approved design prism. The USCG dredged approximately 5,700 cubic yards of material from their site in July of 2014. Shoaling in the access channel impairs and has affected the USCG’s ability to conduct routine operations and to respond to emergencies during the summer months when water levels are the lowest and they have requested a permit modification to allow additional maintenance dredging. They have also requested an expansion of the dredging prism to include the access channel. Through the proposed permit modification, the USCG would dredge the approximately 900-foot long access channel to its design depth of -12 feet MLLW using a clamshell dredge. Based upon current conditions the USCG estimates approximately 10,000 cubic yards of sand, gravels, and cobbles would be removed from facility and access channel. Dredged materials would be transported to Rogue ODMDS by a tug and dumping scow. Approximately four to ten trips to the ODMDS are necessary. The project is expected to take less than one week to accomplish.
