Lack of dredging a rising concern for Hudson Oka ferry crossing

Owners of the Hudson Oka ferry crossing are calling on the provincial government to dredge the channel in the Ottawa River before the waters become too shallow for their boats to operate.

Nearby streams that run into the river carrying sediment and sand have created a buildup over the years on the riverbed, according to Claude Desjardins, owner of the ferry company.

Desjardins says the problem areas are near both landings on the Oka and Hudson shorelines.

The river was last dredged in 2005, and while high waters present no risk of the boats running aground this year, ferry operators say time is nonetheless running out.

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“There is not enough sediment to stop the boats from passing,” Desjardins said. “But they are most likely going to be scraping the ground and affecting the riverbed.”

Desjardins says the channel is supposed to be dredged every 20 years.

He would like for it to be done every 10 years, though, so as to cut down on costs and labour.

The Quebec Transport Ministry was responsible for the dredging operation in 2005, but officials say that was an exception.

The river crossing does not fall under the transport ministry’s jurisdiction but that of the environment ministry.

Global News reached out for comment concerning the issue but officials did not get back in time for publication.

Desjardins claims he has been in discussions with the government on the issue since 2014.

In 2010 and 2017, Desjardins says, he did have to act himself by clearing the landings as sand built up.

If needed, he would do it again, but says, “It’s not my riverbed. I don’t own it.”

Desjardins hopes to have the dredging operation done in the next year before the issue becomes serious.