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Dare County seeks permit to keep Rodanthe emergency ferry channel clear; authorizes funding for permitting and Mesquite access
Summary
Facing repeated dredging delays by the Army Corps, the board authorized county pursuit of an emergency‑channel permitting strategy that would license the Mesquite (small dredge) and add disposal areas; county to seek permit that would enable quicker local response to ferry‑access needs.
Dare County commissioners approved Aug. 4 a plan to take the lead on permitting for the Rodanthe emergency ferry channel, which is used to carry people and supplies when N.C. 12 is cut. The county’s intent is to secure a permit that allows timely dredging and use of a smaller, faster dredge known locally as the Mesquite (Miss Katy in meeting references), so county‑managed or locally contracted work can restore the channel quickly after shoaling.
Background: The Rodanthe–Stumpy Point ferry channel periodically shoals; the Army Corps of Engineers performs dredging work but said it cannot regularly pre‑position dredging capacity because it lacks local, year‑round assets and funding windows. Corps staff told county officials that emergency funding is typically available only after events, which can be too slow for immediate openings.
What the county decided: County staff described options and recommended applying for a permit under the state’s permitting processes that the county would hold and that would explicitly authorize bucket and barge or Mesquite (small dredge) operations, more robust disposal sites, and a 10+2 depth target to make the channel usable for longer. The county approved the recommendation and a related budget amendment and authorized staff to execute agreements needed to pursue the permit.
Why it matters: The ferry channel provides essential access when the highway is cut; repeated delays and the Corps’ limited small‑dredge capability have disrupted emergency logistics. County control of a permit that allows a locally available small dredge could restore access days faster than waiting for Corps action.
Quotes
“We would likely also add bucket and barge pipeline just opening up to everything when we pursue the permit,” said county staff discussing the permit scope, and noted the cost estimates and state cost‑share formula. Commissioners described the decision as pragmatic and “a no‑brainer.”
Ending
County staff said the county will file the permit application and seek state cost‑share where available; the board authorized the manager to sign necessary documents. The county’s pursuit of a Mesquite‑capable permit aims to reduce the time that Hatteras Island is isolated when N.C. 12 is impassable.
