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Long Branch, NJ --- Following mounting concerns over shoaling in the Shark River Inlet in recent weeks, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) today called on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to take emergency action to dredge it.
"Recent reports of local mariners having trouble navigating the Shark River Inlet are producing an unsafe environment for boaters," Pallone said. "As we head into the summer season, we need to ensure that the area is as safe for boating as possible, and that is why I am calling on the Army Corps to take emergency action to dredge the Shark River Inlet."
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last dredged the Shark River Inlet in December 2007, deepening the inlet to 16 to 18 feet, after Pallone requested that the federal agency do so. The request was made after the New Jersey congressman heard similar concerns from constituents to those that are currently being voiced.
After once again hearing from concerned constituents earlier this month, Pallone's office contacted the Army Corps and was informed that the Corps conducted a depth survey in March to see if shoaling continued after the December dredging project. According to Army Corps officials, the survey revealed that serious shoaling had indeed occurred, leaving the inlet only eight to ten feet deep.
"The results of this survey are deeply disturbing because the shoaling should not return so quickly," Pallone concluded. "I am also asking the Army Corps to determine why the shoaling returned in less than four months, so it can then explore possible solutions to slow the shoaling process in the future."
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