The purchase of an Edgartown dredge in the mid-1990s has proved to be a major money-saver for the town. This year, the Edgartown parks department estimated it saved around $18 million by using locally dredged sand to restore the dunes at South Beach.
The state Department of Environmental Protection Monday granted Edgartown emergency authorization to dredge Katama Bay, clearing the way for a project intended to help restore the storm-battered South Beach.
Gov. Maura Healey announced Friday that the town of Edgartown along with Barnstable County will receive a combined $1 million in grants to support coastal dredging efforts.
In an ongoing battle with nature, dredging has begun again in Edgartown Great Pond as its salinity levels have hit a critical low.
From massive dredging and beach renourishment in Oak Bluffs and Edgartown to renovations at the Gay Head Cliffs overlook, a number of public works improvement projects are under way around the Island this winter.
Dredging has begun at Herring Creek, the shallow run that connects Menemsha and Squibnocket Ponds, marking the final phase of a five-year project.
