Posted on May 9, 2025
The U.S. Army Corps will begin the largest Great Lakes dredging operation in Toledo Harbor this fall, removing 600,000 cubic yards of material by year’s end.
TOLEDO, Ohio — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will launch the largest dredging operation on the Great Lakes this fall, clearing 600,000 cubic yards of material from Toledo Harbor’s federal navigation channel.
The Buffalo District of the Corps and its contractor, Ryba Marine Construction Company of Michigan, will carry out the dredging as part of an $8.6 million, two-year contract.
This fall’s work, covered by a $4.4 million task order, is scheduled to run from September through early December. It follows the initial phase completed in 2024 under a $4.2 million task order and marks the final year of the two-year contract.
The project targets the lower Maumee River and lake approach channel, ensuring the harbor remains at accessible depths for large vessels and continues to support the regional and national economy.
The dredging of Toledo Harbor’s federal navigation channel will require the largest quantity of material to be dredged from any Great Lakes harbor.
Material removed during the operation will be placed in the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority’s confined disposal facility.
“Maintaining the operation of ports like Toledo is a core part of our mission and essential to the economic strength of the nation,” Lt. Col. Robert Burnham, commander of the Buffalo District, said in a news release Wednesday. “We’re proud of our partnerships with the City of Toledo and its port authority, the state of Ohio, and our representatives in Congress that have made this two-year contract award possible, and we look forward to getting dredging underway.”
Toledo Harbor is a deep-draft commercial port that moved 10 million tons of cargo in 2022, including iron ore, coal and lignite, soybeans and salt. According to the Corps, harbor activity generates $592.3 million in business revenue, supports 2,393 jobs and provides $183.2 million in labor income to the transportation sector.
The Corps of Engineers’ Buffalo District oversees engineering and infrastructure projects across the Great Lakes region, with a mission that includes water resource management, environmental protection and emergency response.
