The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District received a permit application to conduct work in waters of the United States from Connecticut College for proposed work in the western shoreline of the Thames River in New London, Connecticut.

The proposed work involves construction of a shoreline wall and sailing and rowing program dock modifications. The work includes the removal of existing fixed and floating structures including a rowing and sailing program floating docks, associated ramps, and a wooden bulkhead landing.

Material will be removed immediately above and waterward of the high tide line to prepare the site for installation of a new reinforced concrete retaining wall approximately 425 linear feet in length. In total, the new sailing dock will extend approximately 246 feet beyond mean high water and have a footprint of 2,400 square feet. Work includes constructing a new pile supported timber pier leading to the existing, relocated hinged ramp and pile-supported hoist bar that terminates at an anchor and chain-affixed expanded sailing floating program dock system consisting of five new center floats, 14 new dinghy floats and one end “tee” float.

Rowing program dock modifications include construction of a new pile supported ramp landing pier leading to a new 60-foot-long hinged access ramp terminating at a floating rowing dock.
The purpose of these structures is to provide reasonable access to navigable waters for the educational institution’s recreational rowing and sailing program. The improvements area anticipated to improve safety at the site which possesses a wide-open exposure to wind and wave condition and extensive boat wakes.

USACE is soliciting comments from members of the public; federal, state and local agencies; American Indian Tribes; and other interested parties to consider and evaluate the impacts of this
proposed activity. The public notice with more detailed information is available for review on the District website at https://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/PublicNotices, file # NAE- 2021- 00379.

Public comments on this proposed work should be forwarded no later than April 13, 2022, to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Attn: Cori Rose, Regulatory Division, 696
Virginia Road, Concord, MA 01742 or by email to cori.m.rose@usace.army.mil. Please reference file # NAE- 2021- 00379.