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((MUSIC))
In the town of Chincoteague, on Virginia's Eastern Shore, seafood and horses are as important
as the family car.
The 4,000 residents on the island rely on both for tourism and commercial interests.
The wild horses attract many visitors to the community during the warm months, but it is
the seafood industry in this town that continues to generate jobs and money throughout the year.
"It's a ten, twelve million dollar business; that's just in some places, probably a $20
million business in and out of here," Wesley "Red" McDonald
Each year the Chincoteague Inlet, the only route from the harbor for the fishing fleet
to reach the ocean fishing grounds, develops dangerous underwater shoals.
But, thanks to the Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and their ability
to utilize the Corps dredge Currituck, the inlet will remain clear
"They will be dredging for about 21 days and they can move about 6,000 yards a day provided
good weather; over all we will be removing about 80,000 cubic yards of material if everything
cooperates with us," said Gregg Williams, dredging project manager.
Material, that is essentially beach quality sand, will be placed just off shore of NASA's
Wallops Island facility to help slow erosion.
"We're taking the sediment from the inlet and using it as a resource placing it in the
near shore so the waves drive it up to the beach eventually," said Williams
As with any federal project, the ability to dredge the inlet is subject to available funds,
which local business owners hope continues to occur.
"If this inlet fills in and we don't keep it dug out and all, we'll be out of business,
the people working here on the dock, the people in the businesses will be out of business,
it just affects everybody right down the line," said McDonald.