Posted on September 12, 2022
Dredging underway in South Haven’s harbor aims to remove 18,000 cubic yards of material, according to the city of South Haven.
The King Co., Inc. of Holland started the work this week. It is funded through the federal appropriations budget, South Haven City Manager Kate Hosier said in a Sept. 9 update about the work.
The sand and sediment is being removed from the harbor to maintain the federal navigation channel up to the Dyckman Bascule Bridge, Hosier said. The material will be placed south of the harbor’s South Pier, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said.
“We understand the eroded area in front of the water treatment plant may seem the logical placement site, however, we do not have National Environmental Policy Act approval to place there this year,” Elizabeth Newell Wilkinson, Grand Haven resident engineer, said in a news release. “We are hard at work on the required Environmental Assessment to evaluate whether or not we will be able to place material there next year and are hopeful in the results.”
South Beach is an “accretion zone” that accumulates more sand because of changes to natural sand migration caused by the federal harbor structures, the agency said.
“We will apply for a permit with Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy to place material on the beach if we demonstrate the beach is eroding,” Wilkinson said.
The work is expected to last about two weeks, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said. Photographer Tom Renner captured some images on the morning of Friday, Sept. 9.
The public should remain clear of dredging and placement areas. Fencing and signs will be posted at the nearshore placement area for this project, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said.
