LONG running problems for larger Volunteer Marine Rescue boats touching bottom on low tides at Raby Bay will soon end, with extensive dredging under way to deepen channels.
A dredge has been working at the Raby Bay Eastern Channel and William Street public and club boat ramps, the first dredging in the area since the 1980s.
A Redland City Council spokesman said the maintenance would help access to the public boat ramps, Redlands Boat Club and VMR facilities.
Work was planned for completion by about mid-August.
“The majority of the dredge area will be dredged to a minimum depth of 1.8 metres below lowest astronomical tide,’’ he said.
About 43,000 cubic metres of dredge spoil would be taken out of Raby Bay and dumped at the Mud Island disposal area off the Brisbane River.
The dredging is jointly funded by the Transport Department and Redland City Council and will cost $2.1 million.
“Raby Bay was first dredged in the early 1980’s when the Raby Bay Canal Estate was developed,’’ the spokesman said.
“No dredging has been undertaken since then but council has undertaken bed levelling in the access channel during the last 10 years.’’
A Main Roads spokeswoman said the department had put $1.9 million into the project from the Queensland government’s marine infrastructure capital and maintenance program as part of a joint agreement with Redland City Council.
Dredging would include the boat basin and access channel.
The William Street area has become one of Redland city’s busiest marine precincts, with cars often lined up in both directions along Shore Street North on weekends with good weather conditions.
