Corps of Engineers will limit access to Kodiak’s Saint Paul Harbor for 3 days in April during exploratory drilling in harbor entrance channel

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District’s contractor Denali Drilling will drill four exploratory bore holes in the Saint Paul Harbor entrance channel on Kodiak Island.

Drilling is scheduled to begin the morning of April 3 and continue 24-hours-per day to the morning of April 5, 2012. Access to the St. Paul Harbor will be restricted to one lane vessel traffic during this period.

The drilling rig will be mounted on a barge anchored in the Saint Paul Harbor entrance channel. Anchor lines marked with buoys will be used to stabilize the barge, and should be avoided by mariners.

The purpose of drilling exploratory bore holes will be to sample and identify the soil and rock conditions within the entrance channel in preparation for future dredging during the summer of 2013.