The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is planning to allocate $3.5 million of federal funding to dredge Wells Harbor along the southern Maine coast.

U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King said remnants from Hurricane Sandy and winter storms have created a large shoal at the entrance to the harbor, making it virtually impassable except during high tide.

Because the harbor sustained damage from Hurricane Sandy in late October, it was eligible for funding allocated under the Sandy Supplemental Appropriations bill passed in Congress in January.

Dredging is scheduled to begin later this year.