SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has plans to start hydraulically dredging the federal navigation channel and nourishing the South Haven Harbor shoreline next week.
The Corps of Engineers will dredge 57,300 cubic yards of material from the Black River Federal Channel, and then put the material on South Haven’s public South Beach from the South Pier and extending 1,900 feet southward.
Beach nourishment returns sediment that becomes trapped between breakwaters to the natural shoreline drifting process. It also helps slow erosion and reduce the flooding risk to the South Haven Water Filtration Facility.
You're asked to avoid the dredging and placement areas until crews can wrap up their work. The Corps of Engineers said fencing and signs will be put around the work area to caution folks to stay away.
Congress named the project into law and funded its contract after residents requested support.
“This dredging is a very cost-effective temporary protection for the water storage facilities and gives the community the added benefit of dredging the harbor. The team is looking forward to completing this work for the South Haven community,” said Elizabeth Newell Wilkinson, Grand Haven resident engineer.
The project will begin immediately following The King Company’s dredging work currently taking place in St. Joseph, Michigan.
“This project has been in the works for some time. It is the first community directed funding project that the Detroit District has received in some time, so there was lots of excitement to do this one right,” said Capt. Samuel Briscoe, the Detroit District project manager. “The project will give the city more time to develop a permanent flood control plan so the water plant can remain safe and operational for the foreseeable future.”
Historic high-water levels early in 2019 threatened still wells contamination used for drinking water outside the filtration facility in South Haven. Putting dredged material along the city’s public beach will offer temporary protection and reduce the risk of flooding, the Corp of Engineers said.
A similar project put about 18,000 cubic yards of dredged material at the South Haven beach back in August 2022.
The $542,700 contract for 2023 dredging and beach nourishment was awarded on Jan. 10 to The King Company, based in Holland, Michigan.
The work is tentatively scheduled to be wrapped up on July 10, weather dependent.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, maintains a navigation system of 81 harbors and channels joining lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, St. Clair and Erie.
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