HELENA-WEST HELENA -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will begin dredging Helena Harbor later this summer, repairing damage left by flooding in 2015 and 2016, Mayor Jay Hollowell said.
The Corps has allotted $500,000 to remove silt in the 2.25-mile long, 9-foot deep harbor, the mayor said.
It's the first time dredging has been done in the harbor, which juts off the Mississippi River near the Phillips County town's downtown area, since early 2015. Flooding in December 2015 and January 2016 left the harbor filled with debris and silt, limiting its ability to function, Hollowell said.
The river crested at 48.04 feet on Jan. 10, 2016. Flood stage is 44 feet.
"This is great news for our community," Hollowell said. "This will help our industry and tourism."
Congress appropriated more than $1 billion to the Corps for "necessary expenses to address emergency situations ... and to rehabilitate and repair damages to Corps of Engineers projects caused by natural disasters," a news release issued by Helena-West Helena indicated.
Dredging in the Helena Harbor will restore the harbor's mouth and a portion of its navigational channel, Hollowell said.
The Corps also will provide hydrographic surveys to show pre-dredging conditions of the channel, the mayor said.
Dredging is scheduled to begin in late summer or early fall and last for seven days, he said.
State Desk on 02/18/2017