Dredge Sailors Haven, Talisman-Barrett Beach and Watch Hill Channels and Marinas

The proposed project consists of dredging the existing navigational channels and their associated marinas and docking facilities at three sites on Fire Island. The purpose of the projects is to re-establish safe, public access to NPS facilities in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and other storm events. Recent storms have deposited sediment into the navigation channels, marinas and some of the docking facilities at Sailors Haven, Watch Hill and Talisman/Barrett Beach, creating conditions that have increased the difficulty of navigation and access for two-way vessel traffic. The project will remove approximately 10,000 cubic yards of sand from Sailors Haven channel and approximately 35,000 cubic yards of sand from the Watch Hill Channel. Actual volumes will be determined by mapping and profiling to be completed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), under agreement with the Federal Highway Administration. It is anticipated that the actual dredging will be completed by a contract administered by the USACE, authority provided under an Interagency Agreement between USACE and FHWA. An Environmental Assessment was prepared to evaluate potential impacts of the proposed action. It included evaluation of potential impacts for dredge the Talisman/Barrett Beach Channel, which will remove approximately 10,000 cubic yards of sand from marina, storing material upland, bringing water depth back to 6 feet at low tide. Project will allow for continued public access and address safety issues. The EA addressed geological resources and coastal processes, water quality, estuarine resources including essential fish habitat, wetlands, terrestrial ecology (including invasive species), species of special concern, archeological resources, recreational resources, visitor experience and aesthetics, and socioeconomics. All other resource topics were dismissed because the project would result in negligible or minor effects to those resources. No major effects are anticipated as a result of this project.