Feds Begin Cheesequake Creek Dredging

OLD BRIDGE, NJ — The dredging of Cheesequake Creek began last Thursday, Aug. 27 and the project will last until the end of September — assuming there are no weather delays or mechanical issues.

The work is being done by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Cheesequake Creek is a shallow creek in Old Bridge that flows out to Raritan Bay. It flows under the Garden State Parkway along Cheesquake State Park, and is used by hundreds of recreational motorboats, canoers and kayakers.

However, in recent years, sediment in the creek has dramatically built up, impacting navigation, safety and basically making the creek too shallow for most boaters to use. The sediment build-up really increased after Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

In February, the area's local Congressman, Rep. Frank Pallone announced he had secured $4.1 million in federal funding so the sediment could be dredged. Pallone said he was pleased the work started last week.

“This project is essential to the local economy," said Pallone.

The last maintenance dredging of the Cheesequake Creek was performed in 1989 by the state of New Jersey.

"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.

Initial Patch report on this topic: Army Corps Commits $4M For Dredging Cheesequake Creek (Feb. 21, 2020)

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