Spring Creek Channel Mechanical Dredging in Bonita Springs, Florida
The City of Bonita Springs contracted WB Williamson Bros. to remove approximately 1,000 cubic yards of accumulated material from Spring Creek Channel after post Hurricane Ian conditions left portions of the channel increasingly difficult for recreational boat traffic.
Spring Creek Channel is located east of Hickory Island and the Bonita Beach Causeway and west of Spring Creek Road. Reduced channel depth had become especially noticeable during lower tides, when boaters had considerably less navigable water available.
The project called for maintenance dredging within surveyed limits, along with containment, transport, and off site disposal of the excavated material.
LOCATION
PROJECT TYPE
Property
Material Removed
Choosing Mechanical Dredging for the Site
Hydraulic or suction dredging was evaluated but was not the right fit for the conditions at Spring Creek.
The location, available access, material handling requirements, and staging logistics favored a mechanical dredging operation. This allowed our crew to excavate directly from a barge mounted long reach excavator and transfer the material into contained roll off boxes for transport.
It was a straightforward method on paper. Executing it inside a shallow tidal channel required considerably more coordination.
Our barges and push boats needed enough water to safely reach the excavation area and transport loaded containers back through the channel. On particularly low tides, there simply was not enough navigable depth to operate.
High winds created additional limitations. Rather than having continuous access to the work area, our crew had to make productive use of workable tide and weather windows while keeping the dredging, transportation, unloading, and hauling portions of the project coordinated. That became one of the defining parts of the job.
How the Spring Creek Dredging Operation Worked
A Link-Belt 250 X4 long reach excavator was positioned on the project’s primary 24 foot by 50 foot barge and moved into the designated dredging area.
Surveyed limits identified where material was to be removed.
The excavator operator worked within those limits, removing material from the channel and placing it directly into 40 yard construction roll off containers positioned aboard smaller spoil transport barges.
Once a container reached its allowable capacity, a push boat transported the loaded barge approximately one mile back to the land based staging area.
A second Link-Belt 250 X4 excavator was stationed there to unload the material. Excavated spoil was transferred to a roll off truck and hauled approximately six miles to the designated disposal site.
The transport barge then returned to the active dredging area for another load.
This cycle continued throughout the project until the required dredging limits and material removal quantities were reached.
Protecting Water Quality During Dredging
Environmental controls were incorporated directly into the excavation process.
Before dredging began, our crew installed a turbidity curtain around the active barge and excavation area. The curtain helped contain suspended material generated during excavation and reduce its movement into the surrounding water.
Water turbidity was monitored multiple times each day throughout the project.
These readings were not simply a documentation requirement. If turbidity exceeded permitted levels, excavation had to stop until water quality returned to an acceptable range.
Maintaining these controls while continuing production required close attention throughout the dredging operation.
Marine & Excavation Equipment Used
The Spring Creek Channel project required equipment on both the water and land sides of the operation:
- One 24′ x 5′ x 50′ working barge
- Two 16′ x 3′ x 40′ transport barges
- Two push boats
- Two Link-Belt 250 X4 long reach excavators
- Two 40 yard construction roll off containers
- One roll off container truck
- Turbidity containment and monitoring equipment
The equipment configuration allowed material to move from the channel excavation area to its final disposal location without requiring a conventional hydraulic dredging system.
Approximately 1,000 Cubic Yards Removed From Spring Creek
By completion, approximately 1,000 cubic yards of material had been mechanically dredged from Spring Creek Channel and transported off site for disposal.
The work addressed the accumulated material that had reduced navigable depth following Hurricane Ian and improved conditions through the designated section of the channel.
For our crew, the project was as much about logistics as excavation. Every loaded container had to move from a working barge, through a tidal channel, back to the staging area, onto a truck, and ultimately to the approved disposal location.
The City of Bonita Springs was pleased with the performance of our team and the completed work.
Experienced Marine Contractors for Dredging in Southwest Florida
Dredging projects along Southwest Florida’s canals, channels, and coastal areas can present very different challenges from one location to the next. Water depth, tides, environmental requirements, equipment access, staging locations, and disposal logistics all influence how the work needs to be performed.
WB Williamson Bros. has worked throughout Southwest Florida since 1996, bringing generations of marine construction knowledge to projects that require practical planning and experienced crews.
For municipal, commercial, or private marine construction projects, contact WB Williamson Bros. to discuss the site and scope of work.
Let's Talk About Your Project
From mechanical dredging and channel access improvements to new construction, repairs, and rebuilds, WB Williamson Bros helps residential, commercial, and municipal clients throughout Southwest Florida with docks, seawalls, boat lifts, dock plumbing, tiki huts, commercial piers, and related marine construction. If your property, canal, dock, seawall, or marine infrastructure needs attention, our team can evaluate the site and help determine the right path forward.
Call 239-283-2013 or request a free quote to schedule a consultation.