Dredge Facts

DID YOU KNOW? Over the past 27 years, Barnstable County dredges have removed over 2.5 million cubic yards of material from more than 300 projects on Cape Cod. More than 95% of the dredged material was used to rebuild beaches and coastal infrastructure.

The primary mission of the Barnstable County Dredging Program is to keep our navigational channels on Cape Cod clear of shoaling. The benefits of dredging are numerous, including returning waterways to a healthy ecological state by increasing water flow, improving coastal infrastructure and resiliency, and preserving the maritime economy for recreational, commercial, and fishing vessels that rely on our channels.

Check out these facts about the Barnstable County Dredge Program!

• Fourteen out of fifteen towns on the Cape use the County’s dredge services (except Brewster, as it does not have any harbors or channels along its coast).
• The Dredge program started in 1996 with the purchase of the first cutterhead suction dredge, the Cod Fish I, which was in service through the 2019 season.
• The Sand Shifter was added in 2017, followed by the Cod Fish II in 2019, both of which are cutterhead suction dredges.
• The Dredge program is critical for our region because it helps maintain the changing coastal landscape while protecting its environmental and economic vitality, in addition to offering each town significant cost savings.
• The 2020–2021 season saw 150,591 cubic yards dredged, a County Dredge Program record!
• The demand for dredging on Cape Cod has increased in recent years due to climate change implications, annual sand dynamics brought about by seasonal storms, and the availability of additional state grant funding (MA Dredge) for projects. Dredging of ponds is also being evaluated.

By the numbers, highlights from the 2023–2024 dredge season include:

• Total Cubic Yards (CY) Dredged: 60,833
• Number of Towns with Dredge Projects Completed: 8
• Smallest Project (CY): 357 CY from Great Pond Inlet, Falmouth. This dredging was required to allow the dredge to transit under the bridge into the Great Pond Embayment.
• Largest Project (CY): 9,298 CY from Stage Harbor Approach Channel, Chatham.
• Longest Pipe Run: 2.17 miles or 11,500 feet from Stage Harbor to Cockle Cove, Chatham.
• Savings for Each Town and Taxpayers Compared to Using a Private Dredging Contractor: $6,000,000