The Great Lakes will hopefully be more free to flow this summer. Congress recently added $17.8 million towards dredging projects in Michigan and Wisconsin, according to a recent article by the Great Lakes Echo. Originally, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District planned eight dredging projects in Michigan and Wisconsin for 2014 worth $13.2 million, and now, with the added funds from Congress, the district now carry out eight additional projects.
According to the article, Congress allocated a total of $46.5 million in dredging projects for the Great Lakes. The most recent contract was awarded to marine contractor King Co. of Holland, Michigan, in order to remove extra sediment from Grand Haven and Holland harbors. The sediment dredged from the two harbors will then be placed along the nearby shoreline. Aside from helping to clean out the waterways, dredging also will help with beach erosion in the Wisconsin and Michigan lakeside towns.
Other waterways included in the 16 dredging projects are St. Marys River, Detroit River, Saginaw River, Black River and Kenosha Harbor. For more information, visit the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website at lre.usace.army.mil/Missions/Operations.aspx.
The photo above captures the popular west Michigan lakeside town of Grand Haven. Grand Haven Harbor is the most recent harbor added to the list of dredging projects. Photo courtesy of Rachel Kramer.
