Winter dredging set to keep Ocracoke’s lifelines Open

From Justin LeBlanc, Ocracoke Access Alliance

After years of coordinated engagement by the Ocracoke Waterways Commission, the Dare County Waterways Commission, as well as Dare and Hyde County officials, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the NC Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ); a winter dredging campaign is slated for the 2025–2026 season to safeguard year-round access to Ocracoke Island and the broader Outer Banks. The effort—led by USACE with its contractor and supported by Hyde County through the North Carolina Shallow Draft Navigation Channel Dredging and Aquatic Weed Fund—targets two trouble-prone corridors: Sloop Channel in Hatteras Inlet, and Big Foot Slough in Pamlico Sound.

Local officials say the project is essential to reliable ferry operations, emergency response, and the island’s tourism-driven economy.

Why Dredging Matters This Winter

Shifting shoals, storms, and long-period swell frequently choke the navigation routes that connect Ocracoke with Hatteras and the mainland. When channels pinch—sometimes by mere inches—ferries are forced to reduce loads, wait on favorable tides, or cancel sailings outright. The winter window is the most practical time to perform dredging: traffic is lighter, and contractors can work between weather systems to restore design depths ahead of spring and summer demand. It is also the window allowed for dredging to avoid harm to protected species.

Where the Work Will Occur

Sloop Channel (Hatteras Inlet)

USACE will fund the dredge project for the 100-foot-wide federally authorized channel in Sloop Channel to the congressionally authorized 10 foot depth, restoring a reliable path through one of the inlet’s most dynamic choke points. Cottrell Contracting out of Chesapeake, VA (www.cottrellcontracting.com) was awarded the dredging contract and has worked on Ocracoke before. In parallel, Hyde County—using the NC Shallow Draft Navigation Channel Dredging and Aquatic Weed Fund—will finance an additional 50 feet on either side of the federal cut, also using Cotrell. The combined 200-foot working width is intended to improve maneuverability and reduce the frequency of emergency closures when wind and current stack shoals against the banks.

“Restoring these cuts each winter is how we keep Ocracoke connected. The added width at Sloop Channel will make a real difference when wind and tide don’t cooperate.” — said Randal Mathews, Chair of the Hyde County Commission.

Big Foot Slough & Nine-Foot Channel (Pamlico Sound)

On the sound side, USACE and Cottrell Contracting will focus on Big Foot slough this year. To better “follow the deepest water,” in future years, USACE is finalizing an Environmental Assessment that will expand the dredge template so crews can work either Big Foot Slough or Nine-Foot Channel as conditions dictate. That flexibility is designed to keep the Swan Quarter–Ocracoke and Cedar Island–Ocracoke routes open and predictable, even as the shoaling patterns migrate with storms and seasons.

How It Will Work

Timing: Mobilization is expected around the New Yeae with active dredging scheduled through the winter maintenance window, weather permitting. Crews will sequence work to minimize impacts to ferry operations. Thankfully, the government shutdown did delay the finalization of paperwork necessary for this work to begin,
Methods & Equipment: A combination of cutterhead and pipeline dredges, as well as sidecast or hopper units where appropriate, may be used depending on site conditions and environmental windows. Disposal will follow approved placement plans to avoid re-shoaling the cuts.
Coordination: USACE & Cottrell, the NC Ferry Division, Dare & Hyde Counties, and the U.S. Coast Guard will coordinate on temporary aids to navigation, marine safety zones, and any ferry schedule adjustments needed during active dredging days.

Expected Benefits

More reliable ferry service: Restored depths and a wider working corridor at Sloop Channel should reduce weather-related cancellations and loading limits, particularly during strong crosscurrents. Restored depths and widths in Big Foot Slough will also bring the same benefits.
Safety & resilience: A predictable channel lowers the risk of vessel groundings and allows emergency response vessels to reach Ocracoke when minutes matter.
Economic stability: With ferries carrying residents, workers, students, visitors, and essential goods, steady access underpins livelihoods on Ocracoke Island as well as across the Outer Banks and mainland Hyde County.

Funding & Partnerships

The project brings together federal capability and state-local initiative. USACE will execute dredging in the federally authorized channels via Cottrell Contracting, while Hyde County’s use of North Carolina’s Shallow Draft Navigation Fund enables supplemental work that broadens the operational envelope—especially around Sloop Channel—without imposing a local match as Hyde County is a Tier 1 county. This layered approach is increasingly seen as a model for coastal communities facing dynamic waterways and constrained budgets.

What Mariners and Travelers Should Know

Ferry Operations: The NC Ferry Division will announce any temporary schedule changes or loading adjustments tied to dredge movements. Most work is planned to preserve regular service.
Navigation Notices: Commercial and recreational boaters should monitor Local Notices to Mariners and heed any temporary markers, safety zones, or speed restrictions near active dredges.
Environmental Stewardship: All work will proceed under applicable state and federal permits. Timing, methods, and placement sites are selected to protect the environment while preserving the region’s navigational lifelines.

The Bottom Line

This winter’s dredging plan is a practical, partnership-driven investment in Ocracoke’s future. By restoring depths in Sloop Channel and Big Foot Slough, and by widening the working corridor where it matters most—the project aims to deliver safer transits, fewer cancellations, and a more resilient connections for the island when the 2026 season begins.

For updates: Travelers should check NC Ferry Division advisories before departure. Mariners should consult the latest Local Notice to Mariners and observe on-scene instructions near dredging operations

The Environmental Assessments conducted by the Army Corps for these projects can be found at: https://www.saw.usace.army.mil/Missions/Navigation/Dredging/Environmental_Assessments/

Information on the Dare County Waterways Commission can be found at: https://www.darenc.gov/departments/planning/grants-waterways/hatteras-inlet/dare-county-waterways-commission

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