The crane at the Port of Olympia pier is working on a follow-up dredge required by the Army Corps of Engineers’ permit for the maintenance dredge completed last year.With this follow-up dredge pass, the Port is removing sediment that has sloughed from under the pier since the maintenance dredge and capping the area with a clean sand cover.
The purpose of the maintenance dredge was to restore the depth levels that help ensure safe operations at the pier. Both dredges also remove legacy pollution from the area.
Washington Department of Ecology oversees aspects of the projects and approves the sites for disposal. The current dredged material will be taken to a landfill in Oregon. The 2014 dredge material was disposed of at a facility near Castle Rock.
Orion Marine Contractors, Inc. is the contractor for both the maintenance dredge and the current follow-up dredge.
The current project’s total costs, including planning, permitting, construction and construction management, are estimated at $1,006,120.  Substantial completion is anticipated in February.
