Posted on June 8, 2022
SOUTH HAVEN, MI — The U.S. Army Corps is shoring up eroded beaches this summer along Lake Michigan using dredged sand from harbor mouths.
The Army Corps will dredge 18,000 cubic-yards of sand starting this week in St. Joseph from the St. Joseph River channel mouth. The Black River channel mouth in South Haven will be dredged starting June 15.
The two projects follow similar efforts that took place in Holland and Grand Haven in May.
The King Co. of Holland is dredging more than 85,000 cubic-yards of sand from the four communities under an Army Corps beach nourishment contract.
Dredged sand is being placed south of the breakwaters.
“Nourishing beaches using shoaled sand into these harbors rather than trucking in new material is very functional and cost effective,” said Elizabeth Newell Wilkinson, Army Corps Grand Haven resident engineer. “It allows for both dredging and beach nourishment.”
The Army Corps says it sampled the sediment to ensure it is suitable for use in beach nourishment. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) issued water quality certifications for the projects.
