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BALTIMORE -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\, Baltimore District\, awarded a $53.83 million base contract to C&C Joint Ventures\, LLC\, of Gloucester\, Virginia\, for restoration work at James Island\, part of the Mid-Chesapeake Bay Island Ecosystem Restoration project in Dorchester County, Maryland.
The contract award ushers in the first phase of Mid-Bay restoration work on James Island including mobilization, hydrographic surveys, perimeter dike construction, dredging and the creation of a sand stockpile to be used for future dike construction work.
The total contract amount is $122.19 million for the base contract plus options, including additional upland toe dike construction and seeding of the sand stockpile area. Federal funds for this contract include Fiscal Year 2025 Work Plan for Army Civil Works funds.
“We are proud to announce this contract award which supports vital maintenance dredging for the approach channels leading to the Port of Baltimore,” said Baltimore District Commander Col. Frank Pera. “Our continued partnership with the https://maryland-dmmp.com/placement-sites/mid-bay-island/ on Mid-Bay will build on innovative and proven solutions that serve and strengthen national security and will energize the economy, while also benefitting the Chesapeake Bay’s ecosystem for generations to come. It is a win-win project.”
Construction activities are expected to begin in late April. Mariners are urged to use extreme caution and reduce speeds surrounding the James Island Construction Safety Zone and fully avoid the area within the zone as underwater construction activities may cause damage to vessels as well as boating and fishing equipment.
The Mid-Bay project, a 65% federal, 35% state cost-share partnership with MDOT MPA, includes restoration of 2,072 acres of lost remote island habitat on James Island and 72 acres of remote island habitat on Barren Island, using material dredged from the Port of Baltimore approach channels and shallow draft federal navigation channels, respectively. Habitat may include mudflats, low marsh, high marsh, islands, ponds, channels and upland areas.
Upon completion, James Island will be 55% wetlands and 45% upland area, with an upland dike height of approximately 20 feet.
"This represents the latest significant milestone in the long-awaited Mid-Bay project, which will benefit commerce and the environment," said Maryland Port Administration Executive Director Jonathan Daniels. "Working alongside the Army Corps of Engineers, Maryland has become a leader around the world in beneficially reusing sediment dredged from our shipping channels to rebuild and restore long-eroded islands while creating habitats for wildlife to flourish."
Barren Island is anticipated to begin acceptance of Honga River dredged material in fall 2026, with James Island accepting dredged material around 2030, after wetland cell construction efforts to contain the material are completed.
The Mid-Bay project is anticipated to be completed in 2067 – providing more than 30 years of capacity to place nearly 95 million cubic yards of dredged material.
Poplar Island, the ongoing ecosystem restoration project by USACE and MDOT MPA, wrapped up construction of an expansion effort in January 2021 that provides substantial ecosystem benefits and additional dredge material capacity for the approach channels to the Port of Baltimore until 2032.
Additional information on Mid-Bay can be found on the Baltimore District website at https://www.nab.usace.army.mil/Mid-Bay/.
Additional Information
Headquartered near Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, the Baltimore District delivers vital engineering, design, construction, real estate, and environmental solutions across five states, the District of Columbia, and the Chesapeake Bay watershed, extending its technical expertise to include complex projects around the globe. Through collaboration with its partners, the district executes civil and military missions that strengthen the economy, reduce disaster risks, and support the warfighter. These specialized services address emerging national security requirements and provide essential infrastructure protection for the nation.
| Date Taken: | 04.02.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.02.2026 17:06 |
| Story ID: | 561883 |
| Location: | BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, US |
| Hometown: | BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 25 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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