Winter in Unalaska by Sam Zmolek
Your voice in the Aleutians.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
The KUCB Newsroom provides newscasts Monday through Thursday at noon and 5 PM on KUCB Radio. You can find many of our local news stories here.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers selects contractor for Iliuliuk Bay dredging project

Crews will dredge an underwater bar across the floor of the entrance channel into Iliuliuk Bay.
Andy Lusk
/
KUCB
Crews will dredge an underwater bar across the floor of the entrance channel into Iliuliuk Bay.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has selected a contractor for an upcoming dredging project in Unalaska. Chico, California-based J.E. McAmis Inc. is expected to begin work next spring.

Crews will dredge an underwater bar across the floor of the entrance channel into Iliuliuk Bay. This will allow large cargo ships to pass freely into the Port of Dutch Harbor without waiting for high tide.

While dredging was previously expected to start this fall, Army Corps spokesperson John Budnik said the new anticipated date allows the contractor time to develop a safety plan.

Col. Jeffrey Palazzini, who leads the Army Corps in Alaska, said the dredging project will improve mariner safety and strengthen the regional supply chain.

Funding for the project comes primarily from the federal government, with the City of Unalaska shouldering a quarter of costs. The project was first adopted in 2016, but local and federal officials have discussed it since the mid-90s.

Army Corps representatives previously said the dredging project is not expected to increase erosion on Front Beach or impact marine life.

Born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, Andy Lusk is a writer, travel enthusiast and seafood aficionado who won the jackpot by landing in Unalaska/Dutch Harbor. When he's not hiking or working on his latest story, you can find him curled up with his cats and a good book. Andy is a Report for America corps member and an alumnus of New York University.
Related Content