Wells mulls dredging harbor again

WELLS – Officials concerned about a buildup of sand are exploring dredging inside the harbor for the second time in five years.

The last dredge caused a major environmental battle but Harbor Master Roland “Chick” Falconer said moorings are being lost because of a growing sandbar in Wells Harbor. Five were lost last year, and a dozen will be lost this year, he said.

The last major dredging was in 2000, when 180,000 cubic yards of sand were removed to create mooring space for 150 boats and improve navigation.

The sandbar remained because environmental groups argued that it provided habitat for wading birds and helped to protect the marsh on the inside of the harbor.

Now, town officials say the sandbar needs to go.

When Wells Harbor was built in the 1960s by the state and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a breakwater was built perpendicular to the shore to redirect the tide and prevent coastal erosion. Many feel it had the opposite effect.

Dredging is common on the Maine coast. Most of the work is funded by the Army Corps of Engineers, which is responsible for maintaining navigable waters.

But several factors complicated the last dredging of Wells Harbor. The harbor is in the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. Environmental groups objected to the project, fearing it would damage wildlife habitat on the shore and in the harbor.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service opposed the project until the town promised to repair any damage done to the Rachel Carson refuge during the dredging.

Jim Spiller, chairman of the selectmen, said he has not seen the final report but earlier reports have indicated that the marsh was not harmed by the dredging.

Spiller said he believes that if the sandbar were gone, the harbor would have to be just minimally dredged every few years to ensure that the catch basin near the mouth of the Webhannet River is clear.