The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chicago District, began hydraulic dredging of approximately 45,000 cubic yards at Michigan City Harbor in Michigan City, Ind., Sept. 6, 2013. Hydraulic dredging of approximately 25,000 cubic yards will be dredged at Burns Small Boat Harbor in Portage, Ind., beginning in a few weeks.
The district awarded a contract in the amount of $551,500 July 15, 2013, to King Company Inc. of Holland, Mich., for these operations. King Company Inc. is certified as a small business concern.
Dredging ensures all vessels have safe access through the two harbors.
“Many times sediment will build up along the bottom of these channels and harbors, raising the elevation of the floor and providing an obstruction for passage of these boats, ” said Roberto Paredes, Chicago District project engineer . “ Hurricane Sandy recently caused a lot of displacement of sediment in the Great Lakes region, providing an opportunity for beach nourishment and replacement for the adjacent Indiana Dunes.”
The dredged material from Burns Small Boat Harbor, which is sand, will be placed in the water along the beach at Ogden Dunes. The dredged material from the federal channel at Michigan City Harbor, which is also sand, will be placed up land on Mt. Baldy Beach.
Dredging is funded by the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 – law-making supplemental appropriations to improve and streamline disaster assistance for Hurricane Sandy and for other purposes.
Though the majority of the Chicagoland area saw negligible effects from the storm that hit the coast late last October, some harbors received significant impacts, including severe shoaling, which created a high risk for vessels to run aground.
The contractor submitted a notice to mariners. Dredging will not impede navigation or public use of the breakwater, harbor and beaches.
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Press Release, September 12, 2013