DETROIT, Mich. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has announced that it will place South Haven harbor dredge material near-shore to nourish South Beach. The dredging will begin on August 26.
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, about 18,000 cubic yards of material from the federal navigation channel will be placed south of the South Pier. Sampling results had previously confirmed that the proposed outer harbor dredge material is suitable for beneficial reuse as nourishment material.
The dredging will be done by Holland’s The King Co., Inc. The company worked on dredging in Holland and Grand Haven earlier in the season, and is currently working on Muskegon and Manistee. In total, The King Co. will dredge 250,000 cubic yards this season from six West Michigan locations. Work in South Haven is expected to continue for about two weeks.
The public is asked to avoid dredging and placement areas. Fencing and signs will be posted at the nearshore placement area.
“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,” said Grand Haven Resident Engineer Elizabeth Newell Wilkinson. “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.”
Dredging in South Haven will begin on August 26.
