June 14, 2021
Dredging in the St. Joseph Harbor is underway. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ordered emergency dredging due to the water being as shallow as 13 feet in May, making it impossible for larger vessels to reach the inner harbor. Congressman Fred Upton says that put in jeopardy several construction projects in the region, including the US-31 expansion to I-94. The commercial harbor receives shipments of limestone, sand, gravel, armor stone, cement, slag, salt, and petroleum products. An emergency allocation of $500,000 is paying for the dredging, which is being done by Great Lakes Dock and Materials LLC from Muskegon. The company is taking 11,500 cubic yards of material out of the harbor and dumping it at the Southwest Michigan Regional Airport.
Even as emergency dredging in the St. Joseph Harbor is getting underway this month, Congressman Fred Upton isn't sitting around waiting for future action by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He has dispatched a letter today asking for support of dollars in the FY22 budget for dredging in three Southwest Michigan harbors. The St. Joseph Congressman has sent a letter today to the leaders on the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies asking them to support President Biden's FY22 Budget Request for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' operations and maintenance budget which includes funds for beach nourishment at seven harbors across Michigan. Specifically, the President's budget request includes $108.88 million for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' operations and maintenance program, with funds for dredging at several key harbors in Southwest Michigan including the Holland Harbor, South Haven Harbor, and St. Joseph Harbor. Upton says, &quo
Congressman Fred Upton is glad to receive news the Army Corps of Engineers will start emergency dredging of the St. Joseph Harbor in the coming days. He tells
2 DETROIT - The President’s Budget for fiscal year 2022 includes $6.793 billion in discretionary funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works program, which is the highest annual budget ever proposed for the Army Corps. This includes approximately $595 million set aside for Detroit District projects, including $480 million for the New Lock at the Soo Locks facility in Sault St. Marie, Mich.
The Civil Works budget funds the operations and maintenance program, including Great Lakes federal shipping channels and navigation structures within the Detroit District’s area of responsibility across Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. This includes funding for the Soo Locks, in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., which is a critical infrastructure project for the nation.
St. Joseph Harbor dredging starts soon May 25, 2021, by Zlatan Hrvacevic
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will early next month begin St. Joseph Harbor emergency dredging, expediting the process to restore critical navigation.
USACE identified a shoal restricting the channel depth during this year’s annual channel survey. In some areas the restriction was as little as 13 feet below low water datum, effectively closing the inner harbor to commercial navigation.
“This is a true team effort,” said Detroit District Project Manager
Alicia Smith. “We worked with Congressman Fred Upton’s office, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the City of St. Joseph and local sponsors to award this contract in an expedited manner to restore critical navigation.”