Dredge work still not done

The contractor on the Hernando Beach channel dredging project announced this week that the work was finished and he would start demobilizing equipment at the site.

Not so fast, said the county Friday.

Hernando County Director of Environmental Services Susan Goebel has identified a couple more items that need doing before the county can close the book on this 17-year-old project.

Goebel said county staffers this week completed a full assessment of the remaining work and will ask BCPeabody Construction Services Inc. to excavate a high spot in the Tarpon Canal and restore/reopen Caliente Street and other areas affected by dredge activities.

That includes surrounding driveways, canals and culverts.

Hernando County will send a letter to BCPeabody outlining the remaining work and a completion timetable.

Meanwhile, the county is doing a channel survey this week, and the results are expected to be done in the next two weeks. That survey will determine if the dredge is deep enough in the channel.

BCPeabody is under contract to meet the goal of dredging the channel to 6 feet below mean low water.

BCPeabody will be required to check the channel with sonar equipment to locate any debris that may have been left behind during dredge activities. One excavator and barge will remain in the channel to assist with removing potentially heavy objects, Goebel said in an email.

Old channel markers were removed Tuesday, and county staff installed temporary markers where needed.

Permanent markers will be installed when the contractor's activities in the water are completed, Goebel said.

Boaters are urged to use caution while the project enters its decommissioning phase.

The dredging project cost $11 million, with the state kicking in $6 million.

BCPeabody CEO and owner Robert Carpenter said this week that he would demobilize most of his equipment.

"We're very happy that we have accomplished the mission," Carpenter said.

Goebel said she would update county commissioners on the project at their Feb. 14 meeting.