Delaware River, Philadelphia to the Sea

USACE Philadelphia District
Published Feb. 22, 2023
Delaware River, Philly to Sea Bay Portion Project Index Map

Delaware River, Philly to Sea Bay Portion Project Index Map

Delaware River, Philly to Sea Project Index Map

Delaware River, Philly to Sea Project Index Map

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS: DE-AL, NJ-1, NJ-2, PA-2, PA-3, PA-5

APPROPRIATION / PHASE: Operation & Maintenance, General

BUSINESS PROGRAM: Navigation

LOCATION: Delaware River and Bay

DESCRIPTION: The existing project was authorized in 1910 (HD 733, 61st Cong., 2nd Session) and modified in 1930 (HD 304, 71st Cong., 3rd Session); 1935 (R&H Comm. Doc 5, 73rd Cong., 1st Session); 1938 (SD 159, 75th Cong., 3rd Session); 1945 (HD 580, 76th Cong., 3rd Session and HD 340, 77th Cong., 1st Session); 1954 (HD 358, 83rd Cong., 2nd Session) and 1958 (HD 185, 85th Cong., 1st Session). Project channel dimensions are 45’ and 40' deep, and 400' to 1000' wide. When available, the Hopper Dredge McFarland will dredge 70 days in the river to address any spot, edge, or sand wave shoaling within the Federal channel. Additionally, annual contract maintenance dredging removes sediment in high shoal areas. There will also be maintenance work done in the upland disposal areas to assure there is sufficient capacity to accept the dredged material from these events.

The Port of Philadelphia is located in the heart of the Northeast Corridor, with superior connections to New York City, Washington DC, the U.S. Midwest, and Canada. It is estimated that 100 million people live within a day’s drive of Philadelphia. All of the terminal facilities have access to major trucking routes (e.g. I-95), and rail lines. The Port handles many different types of cargo (containers, bulk, break-bulk, fruit). It is ranked 2nd after New York based on total tonnage. It is considered to be the #1 port for perishable cargo in the U.S. 

PROJECT GOALS: The purpose of this project provides for a 96.5 mile channel from Allegheny Avenue in Philadelphia, to deep water in Delaware Bay, six anchorages, construction of dikes and training works for the regulation and control of tidal flow.

PROJECT MANAGER: Timothy J. Rooney