Naval Station Earle Weapons Facility Dredging

Naval Weapons Station Earle is a Navy base in New Jersey. Its distinguishing feature is a 2.9-mile pier in Sandy Hook Bay where ammunition can be loaded and unloaded from warships at a safe distance from heavily populated areas. The station is divided into two sections: Mainside, located in parts of Colts Neck Township, Howell Township, Wall Township, and Tinton Falls; and the Waterfront Area (which includes the pier complex), on Sandy Hook Bay, located in the Leonardo section of Middletown Township. The areas are connected by Normandy Road, a 15-mile military road and rail line. The station's pier complex is one of the longest "finger piers" in the world. A two-mile (3 km) trestle connects to three finger piers. One mile from the shore the trestle branches off to Pier 1. At the junction of Piers 2, 3 and 4, a concrete platform supports a forklift/battery-recharging shop and the port operations building.

CASHMAN was contracted by NAVFAC to dredge ~60,000 cubic yards of material from the active, high-security Naval Weapons Station Earle facility in Colts Neck. Due to project dynamics, a rigorous schedule was maintained, while also ensuring the proper controls to protect an endangered fish habitat. Despite several weather challenges, the project was completed successfully and on time. 


PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS 

• Maintenance dredging of an active high-security naval weapons facility to meet contract depth of 41 feet MLW. 
• A dredge volume of 60,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment adjacent to active deep water piers required working 24 hours a day to meet the 60-day completion schedule. 
• Materials were dewatered, stabilized, and transported to an approved EPA disposal site. 
• Rigorous environmental controls were used to protect an endangered fish habitat. 
• Exposure to northeast winds presented difficult dredging conditions that did not affect successful completion of the project within the schedule.