The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, awarded a $4.7 million contract to LS Marine, Inc., of St. Paul, on May 31, to conduct dredging operations in support of channel maintenance within the Mississippi River.
According to USACE, work provided by the contractor-partner will enable the district to maintain the 9-Foot Navigation Channel after historic spring flooding continues to move sediment into the channel.
The contract provides a minimum guarantee of $1.25 million for two mechanical dredging plants through the end of the 2019 navigation season, with rights to exercise work options through 2024.
“These additional dredge operations are critical in ensuring the channel is ready for the shipping industry once flood waters recede,” said Dan Cottrell, district dredging manager. “The options on the contract allow us to get to work quickly if we see similar conditions in coming years.”
Work is anticipated to begin in the next few days after safety plans are reviewed and a pre-construction meeting is held.
The St. Paul District currently has three dredge operations working in the Mississippi River: the Dredge Goetz crew at Crats Island, near Wabasha, Minnesota; a contracted mechanical dredging crew at Fisher Island, near Alma, Wisconsin; and a government mechanical dredging crew near Homer, Minnesota.