The Georgia Ports Authority is seeking
to dredge 26 miles of the Savannah River Channel from the current
depth of 42 feet to a desired depth of 48 feet. The portion
of the channel to be dredged leads from the Atlantic Ocean
to the Garden City Terminal. The proposed deepening is desired
for the accommodation of Post-Panamax ships – larger
ships that are expected to travel through the Panama Canal
by 2014. 2014 is when the Panama Canal expansion is anticipated
to be completed.
The GPA has undertaken studies for the project, which can be
found on the website www.sav-harbor.com. There are bi-monthly
meetings regarding the deepening that take place in Pooler, Georgia
and are open to the public. The meeting schedule and announcements
can also be found at the above website.
A Draft Environmental Impact Statement,
authored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is due to be released
for public comment before the end of 2008. Links to this study – once published – should
be available at the Savannah
Harbor website as well.
The following are links to media coverage over the last year
that will help newcomers understand the project.
