Agency Proposes $35.5 Million Dredging Project for D&R Canal

A state agency has proposed a $35.5 million project to improve water flow in the Delaware and Raritan Canal between South Brunswick and Franklin, according to a report on mycentraljersey.com.

The New Jersey Water Supply Authority seeks to remove 240,000 cubic yards of sediment from a 10.5 mile stretch of the canal, from the area of Route 27 in Kingston to Amwell Road in Franklin Township, the report said.

The project, which the agency estimated will take about three years, would be a “proactive measure to ensure adequate water flow through the 180-year-old, 60-mile water way," chief engineer Edward Buss told mycentraljersey.com.

The equipment for the project would float on the water while it pumps out sediment from the canal bottom before draining it, with a plan in place to minimize the impact on fish and other wildlife in the area, the report said.

The project also still needs to be approved by the Department of Environmental Protection and the Army Corps of Engineers.