Pocomoke River, Maryland

POCOMOKE RIVER, MD

FACT SHEET as of February 2018

AUTHORIZATION: The project was approved by the River and Harbor Act of June 3, 1896 in accordance with Annual Report for 1895, page 1167. Modified August 1935, and September 1954.

CONTRIBUTION TO CHESAPEAKE BAY: Contributes to Executive Order 13508 goals by protecting environmental habitat, improving water quality, and expanding public access within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

TYPE OF PROJECT: Navigation.

PROJECT PHASE: Operations and Maintenance.

CONGRESSIONAL INTEREST: Senators Van Hollen and Cardin (MD), Representative Harris (MD-1)

NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR: Somerset County, MD

BACKGROUND:

The Pocomoke River Federal navigation project is located in Somerset County, Maryland.

The navigation project provides for a channel 7 feet deep and 100 feet wide from the 7-foot- depth contour in the Pocomoke Sound to deep water in Pocomoke River above Williams Point; and a channel 9 feet deep and 100 to 130 feet wide from Shad Landing to the Bridge at Snow Hill. The project serves as the only navigation access to sand and wood pulp barge traffic to Pocomoke City, MD.

The project was last dredged in 2004.

STATUS:

The Project was last surveyed in May 2016 and has shoaled to a controlling depth of 1 foot. $150,000 in funding was reprogrammed out of the Crisfield Harbor project to initiate engineering and design for the Pocomoke River in fiscal year 2016. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working closely with the non-federal sponsor, Somerset County, and Maryland Department of Natural Resources to identify a suitable placement site for dredged material. Once a placement site is identified, plans and specifications for a dredging contract will be prepared. Funding is needed for dredging and construction of the project.

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS – BALTIMORE DISTRICT 2 Hopkins Plaza, Baltimore, MD 21201 http://www.nab.usace.army.mil Page 1 of 3

BUDGET:

Federal Funds Data Total

Allocation for FY 2017 0 President Budget FY 20181 0 Allocation for FY 20182 TBD President Budget FY 20191 0

1 The President typically sends the budget to Congress in February each year. Upon release, budget amounts for the USACE Civil Works programs and specified projects are posted online at the HQUSACE website in a Program Budget Press Book at http://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/Budget.aspx. 2 The allocation amount for a project is determined after enactment of the Energy and Water appropriations or after public release of an approved FY work plan should there be no appropriations (i.e., a full year continuing authority is enacted).

SCHEDULE:

FY 2017 Completed Work:

Several potential placement sites were investigated but found to be unsuitable due to size, existence of wetlands or cultural resources.

FY 2018 Scheduled Work:

Continued coordination with Somerset County is required to identify a suitable placement site. Upon identification of a suitable, site engineering and design for a maintenance dredging contract will resume.

For more information regarding the Pocomoke River, MD, project contact Danielle Szimanski, CENAB-OPN, (410) 962-6064, e-mail [email protected]. Also see this project’s related web page at http://www.nab.usace.army.mil/Navigation/index.html.

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS – BALTIMORE DISTRICT 2 Hopkins Plaza, Baltimore, MD 21201 http://www.nab.usace.army.mil Page 2 of 3

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS – BALTIMORE DISTRICT 2 Hopkins Plaza, Baltimore, MD 21201 http://www.nab.usace.army.mil Page 3 of 3