Cooper River Open Again, But Dredging Work Is Incomplete
PENNSAUKEN, N.J. (CBS) - Dredging work on the Cooper River has been put on hold to allow for rowers and boaters to resume using it.
There really wasn't much of a choice here. Fish spawning season is underway, so the work had to be suspended.
But Camden County Freeholder Jeffrey Nash says much of the dredging has been completed:
"Camden County has already dredged 85,000 cubic yards of sediment. We have another 30,000 cubic yards to remove from the river to make it last for at least a generation."
That should take about two months. The question is, when to do it?
"Once we speak to the State of New Jersey and they can advise us when the best time to continue dredging would be that's when we'll do it," Nash said.
He'd like that to be in September, but that's when the fall spawning begins. So we're probably talking in either July or December. Nash figures it'll take another two months to finish up.
Regattas along the Cooper River were put off this year to allow for the dredging. Competitions are set to resume next year.
