DETROIT, Mich. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has announced that the dredging of Muskegon Harbor could begin on Friday or Saturday, depending on the weather.
On April 28, the commercial bulk carrier M/V Kaye E. Barker ran aground on a sand bar at the harbor’s entrance. According to survey results, there was considerable shoaling in the outer harbor that ranged from 18-27 feet below low water datum. Since the shoaling adversely affected the harbor’s commercial navigation, the Corps of Engineers worked on a dredging contract that awarded nearly $1 million to King Co. Inc. of Holland, Michigan on June 2. “We were notified of the grounding the morning of April 29,” said Detroit District Commander Lieutenant Colonel Scott Katalenich. “To get all the pieces in place and award on June 2 is just phenomenal. We were anticipating it would take until late June, but the team really hit this out of the park.”
King Company is expected to dredge an estimated 126,500 cubic yards of material. The material will later be reused as nearshore nourishment material throughout the area.
“The contractor is currently dredging at Grand Haven and planning beach nourishment projects in South Haven and St. Joseph harbors next,” said Muskegon Harbor Project Manager Mike Allis. “However, with the Muskegon Harbor shoaling causing major impacts to commercial navigation we will direct them to Muskegon instead. This will delay the South Haven and St. Joseph harbor beach nourishment work to later in the season, but we will get them back to those harbors as quickly as possible.”
The public is currently asked to remain clear of the placement area starting 3,500 feet south of the Muskegon breakwater and extending south.
