Marina Dock Age

Fox Valley Park District trustees approved an approximately $170,000 bid from Stiles Inc. of Rockford, Ill., to dredge Veteran’s Island Marina in Aurora, Ill., according to a Feb. 8 (Ill.) Daily Herald report.

The dredging will restore adequate depth around the newly refurbished boat dock and floating pier. The marina expects to begin dredging by the end of February and be completed by mid-June.

Several floods in 2008 left large deposits of silt in the marina. Later that winter, jagged ice floes were forced ashore and severely damaged the boat dock, according to Jeff Long, park spokesman.

After repairing the launch, rebuilding the dock, and extending the floating pier, crews noticed the silt problem and the low water levels, said Bill Donnell, the district’s director of natural resources, forestry, and special projects.

Local boater Charlie Zine said the long overdue project is needed because eight-foot depths at the marina were now around one to two feet.

“Keeping the marina clear of accumulated silt is an ongoing challenge,” Donnell said. “This is a popular boating area and the district is committed to making the marina and boat launch fully operable at all times.”