A two-stage dredging of Oamaru Harbour will soon be under way, but the second stage will not start until March, the Waitaki District Council says.
In June the council set the budget for the initial dredging of Oamaru Harbour at $500,000 for the first year of the 2018-28 long-term plan, with subsequent dredging at $150,000 every second year from year three.
Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher this month said he expected ``something will be happening very soon''.
A long-reach digger would be required for the first stage, where the harbour entrance would be excavated to a depth of about 3m.
After that work was completed, a dredge would be able to enter the harbour for further work.
Council property manager Renee Julius could not provide a date for the first stage of work to begin, but earlier this month said there were further discussions to be had with the Otago Regional Council (ORC) about the project.
``We are progressing that project; we just don't have a lot to report at this stage,'' she said.
The second stage would begin in March to avoid spreading marine algae.
On February 9 last year, the Jane Marie foundered after attempting to enter Oamaru Harbour, which prompted the ORC's harbourmaster to call for signs at the harbour to warn of the ``inherent dangers'' of entering and also for formal consideration of the ``restoration of the channel shape, alignment and depth'' at the harbour entrance.
Last October, an experienced Oamaru charter boat skipper called on authorities to dredge the harbour, after he helped disabled Dunedin yacht Katherine Johnstone after it struck rocks near Moeraki and called for help to get into the harbour.
In February 2012, the Otago Daily Times reported the council used to put aside $100,000 a year for dredging work, but stopped during the 2012-13 financial year.
