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Council reviews $7.5 million wetland mitigation and $7.2 million spoils move for Sharps Point dredging
Summary
Public works staff told the County Council the county must undertake wetland mitigation and large spoils moves to support upcoming U.S. Army Corps dredging; staff outlined multi‑million dollar costs, truck routing and community notification plans.
Wicomico County public‑works staff told the County Council on April 30 that the county has budgeted $7.5 million for the Sharps Point wetland mitigation project and expects to spend about $7.2 million to relocate dredged spoils from an existing site.
Public Works Director Mustafa Akli Karsthan and staff described the work as necessary to provide storage capacity before the U.S. Army Corps begins a dredging cycle that the county expects will move roughly 400,000 cubic yards by fiscal 2026. "Right now, the plan is that the US Army Corps will dredge about 400,000 cubic yard by fiscal year 2026," a public works speaker told the council during the budget review.
Why it matters: County staff said the current spoils site near Sharps Point will be full again after the next dredging cycle, so mitigation and new storage cells are required to keep the navigation project moving. Staff described the combined needs as a multi‑year program affecting Deal Island, the Wicomico River dredging program and other sites.
Key cost and logistics details staff provided: the county has set aside a separate annual line of $350,000 for Wicomico River dredging support; earlier estimates included $2.3 million for an initial relocation tranche (about 100,000 cubic yards) and larger sums to follow. Staff said moving spoils could equal about 30,000 truckloads overall (an estimate cited in the meeting) and that phase‑one movements would be shorter (about 1.7 miles, roughly 8,000 truckloads) while later phases could use an 11‑mile route to avoid residential streets. Staff estimated the longer routing could add about $100,000 in fuel costs.
Council members asked whether the $350,000 annual allocation could be paused; staff said those dollars are allocated in a capital project fund and would reduce both revenue and expense (fund balance) if removed. Staff recommended against pausing the contribution, saying the account supports a multi‑year dredging and mitigation plan and is not an operating expense.
Public‑works staff said the county will notify residents along truck routes and that contractor obligations in the bid documents will require road repairs if hauling damages local streets. The council asked for mapped routing and for staff to provide a detailed accounting of the $350,000 fund balance history; staff said they would provide account numbers and remaining balances.
