The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will allocate $3.5 million in federal funding to complete the full dredging of Wells Harbor, Sen. Susan Collins announced Tuesday.

Wells Harbor was eligible for funding through the Supplemental Appropriations Act because of damage sustained during Hurricane Sandy. The Army Corps is now developing plans and specifications for the project, which is expected to be completed this fall or next winter.

Hurricane Sandy and other winter storms created a large shoal at the entrance to the jetty of Wells Harbor, filling the navigation channel and settling basins. During astronomical high tides, many slips in the harbor are no longer accessible, according to town officials.

“The nation’s small ports and harbors play an important role to local economies, and there is an ongoing need to address the maintenance backlog to ensure they are properly maintained and can continue to provide economic benefit locally, regionally and nationally,” Collins said in a prepared statement.