On July 27 Greenwich Harbor Master Ian MacMillan was copied on a letter sent from the Harbor Management Commission (HMC) dated July 19, 2018 (postmarked July 25, 2018) to “property owner” outlining a proposal to plan a maintenance dredge of Greenwich Harbor Federal Navigation Channel.
Postcard of Greenwich Harbor near Grass Island from 1948, prior to I95 (see Boys Club in background), when it the water was deeper.
The letter says the HMC is working with the Army Corps of Engineers to plan the project.
MacMillan described the project as a “token dredge,” adding that the partial dredge of the harbor will only impact a portion of the channel and would not include what MacMillan calls the hurricane hole.
“It’s a federal harbor of safe refuge, and they’re not touching it with the dredge,” he said.
“There is no point of dredging just the channel if the anchorages are not restored to offer a harbor of refuge,” he continued. “The dredge doesn’t touch the anchorage at all – just the channel. It’s a very limited, token dredge.”
Further, the letter says that to reduce disposal costs of dredge material “unsuitable” for open water disposal, the HMC wants to dredge the channel to just 10 feet.
“The Army Corps of Engineers, when they dredge, they try to do a 1 ft overbite, so a 12 ft channel would be dredged to 13 ft. That way it takes longer to fill in,” MacMillan said.
MacMillan said the project was not well publicized, and the letter asked for feedback on the project by Sept 1.
The harbor master also said residents were away on vacations during the month they have to provide feedback, and that in August the HMC was not scheduled to meet.
Third, MacMillan said the HMC’s letter confused the issue by intimating the harbor was no longer commercial.
The letter says, “The channel, authorized by Congress at a time when the harbor served commercial vessels, was last dredged in 1968, and has an authorized depth of 12 ft at mean low water (MLW).”
“The harbor has been dredged since it became recreational rather than commercial,” MacMillan said.
The Harbor Master, who is an appointee of Governor Malloy and receives no salary beyond a $500-a-year stipend, said more facts need to be gathered.
“We need to have a public conversation about the restoration of Greenwich Harbor,” he said.
“No one is here and there’s no detail to the proposal. They’re not saying where they’ll put the dredge material. They’re not giving a timeline and they’re not detailing the costs.” – Ian MacMillan
MacMillan shared photos of wrecked boats in Greenwich Harbor.
“Because the harbor hasn’t been dredged, the boats couldn’t hide in the harbor refuge,” he said. “Without maintaining and restoring the anchorages, there is no safe harbor in Greenwich Harbor.”
See also:
Hazardous Wreck Hauled from the Mianus River
After Decades Menacing Boaters, Remains of Tug Boat “Kevin B” removed from Greenwich’s Waters.
Harbor Master: Restore the “Hurricane Hole” in the Greenwich Harbor October 2017
Labor Day 2007, After the tail end of Ernesto hit Greenwich with 52 knots from the south, boats sunk or were thrown onto the rocks by Greenwich Harbor. contributed phota
The tail end of Ernesto hit Greenwich on Labor Day 2007, resulting in this boat being thrown onto rocks.
Labor Day 2007, After the tail end of Ernesto hit Greenwich with 52 knots from the south, boats sunk or were thrown onto the rocks by Greenwich Harbor. contributed photo
Photos taken in 2012 show the encroaching of mud in the northern most part of Greenwich Harbor. contributed photo
Photos taken in 2012 show the encroaching of mud in the northern most part of Greenwich Harbor. contributed photo
1947 Letter from the Secretary of War to the 80th Congress, document no. 272, talks about dredging and refers to Greenwich Harbor as a “harbor for refuge and stimulation of the entire boating industry.” It also says, “local interests should be required to furnish suitable public landing facilities with fuel and water services for use by pleasure craft. Local interests state that these facilities will be provided.”
Sketch of proposed dredge of the channel in Greenwich Harbor which was included in the HMC letter to property owners. Harbor Master Ian MacMillan described the proposed dredge as a “token dredge.” (Top of illustration to bottom: Smith Cove, channel, Greenwich Harbor wraps around Grass Island)