Grove Heights, Minn. dredging and marine construction contractor LS Marine has been awarded a $31.7 million contract to support channel maintenance dredging in the Upper Mississippi River.
The contract, awarded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' St. Paul District on April 17, provides a minimum guarantee of $1.25 million for two mechanical dredging plants through the end of the 2024 navigation season, with rights to exercise work options through 2029. The four additional years of maintenance dredging ensure the navigation channel remains open for the foreseeable future.
This work is anticipated to begin after plant mobilization in the coming weeks and will facilitate long-term channel maintenance dredging and placement of dredged material, or river sand, for the Upper Mississippi River System 9-foot navigation channel, the Corps said.
Dredging will include parts of the Upper Mississippi River, the Minnesota River, the St. Croix River and the Black River within the St. Paul District, and additional dredging of the Upper Mississippi River in the Rock Island District may also be covered.
“Dredge operations are critical in ensuring the 9-foot navigation channel remains open for the nearly 14 million tons of commodities that pass through our locks and dams over a 10-year average,” said Nick Castellane, project manager. “The options on the contract allow us to get to work quickly if we see similar conditions in coming years.”