RIVER INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENSURING OUR FUTURE
- A key strategic objective of the Schuylkill Navy is to ensure continuing safe access to the River. We have been engaged in a five-year effort to gain funding for the US Army Corps to dredge the Boathouse Row and National Racecourse areas. (Boathouse Row was last dredged in 1999.)
- Silt build-up threatens the ability to launch from rowing club docks along the row, safe conduct by river users, and the fairness of the Racecourse.
- Last year, we learned that the US Army Corps of Engineers again rejected (as they did the past three years) our requests to fund the Schuylkill River project. Going forward, there will complete elimination of federal funding of US Army Corps projects in areas such as the Schuylkill River at Boathouse Row that don’t move commercial tonnage.
- At present, with our City partners leading the way, contributions are being gathered to fund the needed $4.5 million required for the dredging project. These contributors include area universities with rowing programs, the City, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the 10 rowing clubs of Boathouse Row, the three major regatta organizations (Dad Vail, PSRA, HOSR), and the Schuylkill Navy itself. A funding gap remains but continual progress is being made.
- Concurrently, we are planning a private-public partnership effort to dredge the River at approximately ten-year intervals so that future generations of river users will enjoy safe access and fair competitions.