Channel Maintenance Dredging: The City of Fairhope proposed to dredge up to a total of 33,080 cubic yards of sand and silt from a 235,226 square foot (5.4 acres) area utilizing hydraulic dredging methods to achieve a depth of 8-feet below mean lower low water (MLLW), with over dredge depth of two (2) feet. The resultant channel depth shall be 10-feet below mean lower low water (MLLW). A 100-foot-wide by 1,550-foot-long channel segment (Stations 00+00 to 15+50), 80-foot-wide by 231-foot-long channel segment (stations 15+50 to 17+81), 60-foot-wide by 314-foot-long channel segment (stations 17+81) to 20+95), and 100- foot-wide by 430-foot-long channel will be dredged from the mouth of Fly Creek in a westerly direction to Mobile Bay. An additional dredge area within the upper creek channel on the City side marina will include the 60 to 160-foot-wide (irregularly shaped) by 516-foot-long channel segment (Creek Stations 00+00 to 05+16). The dredged material will be utilized as fill material to renourish the southern shoreline area adjacent to the channel. Within the upper creek, the project proposed to dredge up to a total of 7,506 cubic yards of sand and silt from a 36,639-square-foot (0.84 acres) area utilizing hydraulic dredging methods to achieve a depth of 8-feet below mean lower low water (MLLW), with over dredge depth of two (2) feet. The resultant channel depth shall be 10-feet below mean lower low water (MLLW). The dredged material would eventually be utilized as fill material to re-nourish shoreline areas adjacent to either side of the channel. The existing channel has historically been included as a part of a federal dredging project for Mobile Bay. South Shoreline Re-nourishment: A shoreline renourishment area will be along the existing shoreline located south of the southern jetty, which lines the Fly Creek channel confluence with Mobile Bay. Placement of dredge material along the south shoreline shall involve the following: The renourishment area will be 641 feet long and will extend 50 to 118 feet from the mean high water (MHW) line. A maximum total of 26,030 cubic yards of dewatered dredge material will be placed within a 50,200 square foot (1.15 acres) area of water bottoms and intertidal zone, waterward of the MHW line along the shoreline for renourishment. South Shoreline Dewatering Area: Dredged material will be placed in an upland dewatering cell measuring 231 feet long by 40 feet wide by 4 feet deep (0.26 acre) aligned parallel to the shoreline in an upland area. Material excavated from the dewatering cell will be utilized to construct an earthen berm around the cell measuring 3 feet high by 4 feet wide, that will be utilized to contain the spoil material. Plastic sheeting will be placed under the dewatering outfall pipe to prevent erosion from the dredged material return water. Outfall protection will be placed 5 feet from the end of the dewatering pipe. The discharge of return water from the dewatering cell is already authorized under Nationwide Permit 16, Return Water from Upland Contained Disposal Areas. North Shoreline Re-nourishment: A second shoreline re-nourishment area may be permitted along the existing shoreline north of the northern jetty lining the Fly Creek channel confluence with Mobile Bay. Placement of dredge material along the north shoreline shall involve the following: The renourishment area will be 160 feet long and will extend 57 to 185 feet from the mean high water (MHW) line. A maximum total of 10,000 cubic yards of dewatered dredge material will be placed within a 14,800 square foot (0.34 acres) area of water bottoms and intertidal zone, waterward of the MHW line along the shoreline for renourishment. North Shoreline Dewatering Area: Dredged material will be placed in an upland dewatering cell measuring 102 feet long by 43 feet wide by 4 feet deep (0.10 acre) aligned parallel to the shoreline in an upland area. Material excavated from the dewatering cell will be utilized to construct an earthen berm around the cell measuring 3 feet high by 4 feet wide that will be utilized to contain the spoil material. Plastic sheeting will be placed under the dewatering outfall pipe to prevent erosion from the dredged material return water. Outfall protection will be placed 5 feet from the end of the dewatering pipe. The discharge of return water from the dewatering cell is already authorized under Nationwide Permit 16, Return Water from Upland Contained Disposal Areas.
