The City of Port Moody is selecting a contractor for overdue dredging at Rocky Point Inlet.
The work is scheduled to be complete before March 2023, according to Anna Mathewson, general manager of community services.
The removal of sediment in the inlet last took place in 2016 and usually happens every five years. However, when the work was last completed, the area under the docks was skipped as there wasn’t enough budget.
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At low tide, the city-owned docks are grounding out on the mud flats, according to a staff report. The work is needed to “ensure safe accessibility to all marine recreational boat traffic,” according to a staff report to council.
The docks and nearby boat launch are important pieces of infrastructure for boaters in the Lower Mainland. The boat ramp at Rocky Point Park is one of a handful in Metro Vancouver that allows users to access the inlet.
Earlier this summer, council tripled its budget—$750,000 from $250,000—for the work after testing unearthed persistent organic pollutants from samples of the underwater muck.
“We anticipate the dredging will be completed within the available budget,” said Mathewson.
The level of pollutants was higher than the national allowable amount, so the excavated materials have to be transported to a landfill rather than dumped back into the water at a different location, which couldn’t be done for the initial budget.
Once the contractor is selected, they will be responsible for selecting the landfill, per B.C. regulations, said Mathewson.
