Posted on October 24, 2022
Michigan-based Luedtke Engineering began dredging Sandusky Harbor on September 18. Due to shallow water levels, they have had to extend the sediment pump-out pipeline. Boaters should go out to the navigation channel before heading out into the lake to avoid dredge operations. Please see attached map of new area.
Recreational boaters who routinely use the channel should take caution and be aware of the changes within the channel marked by the buoys. Boaters are asked to go slow and stay away from the marine equipment, stay clear of the pipeline, and stay out of the perimeter of the placement area.
Dredging will focus on the harbor’s Moseley Channel which began on September 18 and is scheduled to continue into November. The 24-hour operation could see the project completed sooner.
With partial funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), a total of approximately 140,000 cubic yards of material dredged from the harbor channel, will be placed in the Cedar Point Causeway Wetland Project Site, helping rebuild wetland ecosystems on the shores of the Great Lakes.
“Maintaining infrastructure which enables large commercial vessels to access our ports is more critical than ever to the economic strength of the nation,” said Lt. Col. Colby Krug, commander of the Buffalo District. “Sandusky Harbor is an important commercial hub along the Great Lakes Marine Highway supporting $130 million in business revenue, more than 570 jobs, and $43 million in labor income to the transportation sector annually.”
USACE dredges Sandusky Harbor annually based on available funding. Dredging ensures federally authorized depths are maintained and the harbor remains accessible to large vessels for the continued flow of commodities across the Great Lakes and the nation. Sandusky Harbor is a deep draft commercial harbor. From 2015 to 2019, it handled nearly 2.5 million tons of cargo. Operation, maintenance and dredging of harbors like Sandusky is critical to the economy of Ohio, the Great Lakes region, and the United States.
More photos available at: https://flickr.com/photos/buffalousace/albums/72157714753598288
