Posted on March 11, 2024
Multiple areas along the St Joseph River leading out to Lake Michigan are too shallow.
Marina owners say the river needs dredging now, and a more long-term maintenance plan for later.
Marina owners are feeling the pinch and if you can’t use the ramps, you can’t access the marinas, and boat traffic is not able to pass through.
Owners gathered Tuesday to discuss and bring awareness of problem areas that need dredged along the St Joseph River.
Dredging is removing sand from the bottom of the river to increase its depth.
One local Marina owner says they need to maintain a depth of about 6 to 7 feet for boats to pass through without grounding. Boating provides a lot of income for St Joseph.
“A lot of charter boats pleasure boats that river in the boating brings in estimated $40 million to the Twin Cities annually,” said Bob Myers, Co-owner of Pier 1000.
Myers walked me through the problem areas that need dredging the most.
“So, this is the area right here that has the silting problem and this is the main navigable waterway that goes all the way out to the lake so this is the area that’s silted in and then also right here where the Morrison channel starts. It’s also filled in,” said Myers.
But there’s only one solution.
“Establishing a maintenance program is what needs to be done so that when it does occur, it’s got funding, and it can be done timely,” said Myers.
But the biggest problems
“it’s always the big problem is getting funding whether it’s from the state or the county or private funding that’s the biggest step and also the permit process,” said Myers.
WSBT also spoke with the St Joseph City harbor master who runs the commercial shipping operations.
He says marinas need dredging just as much as commercial ships.
“They don’t need nearly the depth but if they don’t have enough water, then they can’t get in and out and recreational boating here is a big business,” said Michael Moran, St Joseph city harbor master.
