Army Corps Commits $4M For Dredging Cheesequake Creek

OLD BRIDGE, NJ — On Friday, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has allocated $4.1 million in federal funding for the dredging of Cheesequake Creek, located in Old Bridge.

Cheesequake Creek, a shallow-draft recreational channel, flows out to Raritan Bay. It is used by hundreds of recreational boats every year.

However, in recent years, sediment in the creek has dramatically increased, impacting navigation, safety and overall usage of the channel. The problem was exacerbated by Superstorm Sandy in 2012, resulting in large amounts of sediment being deposited and making it too shallow.

“The local boaters and business owners have been calling for the dredging of the creek for quite some time, and now the process to restore Cheesequake to its former glory will begin," said Sayreville Mayor Victoria Kilpatrick. "The time to get the job done is finally here.”

The Army Corps estimates that there are currently between 6,000 and 6,500 cubic yards of sediment required to be dredged to meet that authorized depth.

The work will begin in 2020, said Pallone.

“This funding is great news for New Jersey and will greatly improve the ability of boaters to access and enjoy Cheesequake Creek and the Raritan Bay,” said Congressman Pallone.

The last maintenance dredging of the Cheesequake Creek was performed in 1989 by the state of New Jersey, but no further maintenance has been performed in the last three decades.

“This funding is long past due and I’m glad the Army Corps has recognized the urgent need to allocate resources to get this project started,” said U.S. Senator Menendez. “For too long, marinas in the area have been losing business because boats can’t navigate the extremely low tides."