US Army Corps Of Engineers Gets $159 Million For Great Lakes Projects

st-joseph-harbor-dredging-3-500x281-1
st-joseph-harbor-dredging-3-500x281-1

The Great Lakes is getting great attention in President Biden’s latest proposed budget. $7.4-billion in discretionary funding would to go the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works program, and for the Detroit District, over $159-million has been set aside for fourteen shipping harbor sites. Steve Fisher with the American Great Lakes Ports Association says there’s a different law for every harbor in the Great Lakes that specifies how deep shipping channels needs to be. But some of these harbors are old.

“Sometimes these harbors were first dredged and the channels were created in the 1920s. In some parts of Michigan, they go back to the 1800s.”

With shifting sand, these harbors need regular attention. Fisher said this year’s budget shows priority for our region. South Haven, St. Joseph, and Saugatuck harbors will all be dredged this year.