Posted on May 30, 2025
DETROIT – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District is scheduled to begin maintenance dredging operations in the federal navigation channel Sunday, June 1 in New Buffalo Harbor.
The dredging will remove about 15,000 cubic yards of shoaling in the harbor, which will be then used for renourishment about 1,500 feet south of the South Breakwater. Material will be placed from the shoreline to about 8 feet deep in Lake Michigan.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy previously approved a water quality certification for sediment to be placed in the area with a Section 401 water quality certification.
“Maintenance dredging presents an excellent opportunity to nourish beaches from erosion at New Buffalo Harbor,” said Liz Newell Wilkinson, the operations manager at the Grand Haven Office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District. “We are able to support both marine traffic and our Lake Michigan beaches at the same time with these important projects. It is a win-win for southwest Michigan.”
Beachgoers and boaters are encouraged to avoid the active dredging areas for their safety, especially the outfall from the dredging pipe where conditions take on a quicksand-like condition. The public should adhere to safety buoys, caution tape and signs around the construction site.
Recreational boating traffic in the harbor may also see delays during active dredging due to the narrow harbor width. A Local Notice to Mariners provides boaters with additional safety information.
King Co., of Holland, Michigan, was awarded the $465,000 contract for the project. The contractor will use two 12-hour shifts to complete the work as quickly as possible. Dredging is scheduled to conclude June 7, pending weather conditions.
The Detroit District, established in 1841, encompasses 3,150 miles of shoreline and 81 harbors and channels joining lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, St. Clair and Erie. In addition, the district boundaries cover projects and regulatory oversight throughout the state of Michigan and portions of Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
