CHARLESTON DREDGING UPDATE

We wanted to provide an update on the ongoing effort to address the shoaling issue at Point Adams in the Charleston Boat Basin.

As we’ve previously shared, sediment has continued to accumulate in this area, significantly impacting safe access to the marina — particularly the northern portion. The Port of Coos Bay has been working persistently with state and federal partners to advance solutions.

Two Areas of Responsibility at Point Adams

As a reminder, the dredging responsibilities at Point Adams are shared between the Port of Coos Bay and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). These projects need to happen concurrently. However, the Corps has not been able to maintain their section of the shoaling for multiple years. Last year the work did not occur due to contract issues with several Army Corps private contractors.  Because both the Port and the Army Corps of Engineers conduct essential dredging in the same channel, their efforts must be closely coordinated to ensure efficient use of the in-water work window and to limit sluffing.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Dredging Efforts at Point Adams

At the federal level, the Port has been working closely with Oregon’s congressional delegation to push for the release of emergency dredging funds through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). While recent leadership transitions in Washington D.C. delayed the deployment of these funds, progress is now underway.

USACE is currently in the process of awarding a contract to dredge Charleston Harbor, with the in-water work window beginning in early July and extending into the fall. The timing of the dredging—whether it occurs in July or October—is still being finalized. In the meantime, our congressional representatives have strongly urged the Corps to prioritize Charleston in the upcoming dredging cycle, and we’ve echoed that message in recent meetings with key leaders. 

Port of Coos Bay Dredging Efforts at Point Adams

 Since our last update, the Port has worked alongside the Oregon Public Ports Association and other affected ports to sponsor legislation aimed at securing state funding for dredging at Point Adams. We've testified before legislative committees and collaborated closely with our port partners and legislative delegation to strongly advocate for this critical investment. 

At the end of the day, this funding ask is competing with dozens of requests, and the legislature has hundreds of millions of dollars less than they projected they would have at this juncture of session, thus, it is a very difficult climate for any additional funding beyond “current service levels”. This has not stopped us, and we have pushed for this money to be included both in a transportation package, if one passes, and outside of that package if it does not pass.

In short, the Port has been working hard to identify funding and is planning to dredge its area of responsibility at Point Adams and the USACE will be dredging theirs.

Looking Ahead: Section 107 Dredging Work Plan

We are having very encouraging conversations with the USACE on a future plan that would be a long-term solution to the problematic Pt. Adams shoaling in Charleston. We hope to have more information on this soon.

We remain committed to keeping the Charleston Harbor safe, accessible, and economically vibrant. Thank you to everyone in the community for your continued support and patience — and as always, please navigate with caution near Point Adams. We’ll continue to share updates as this important work progresses.