SANDUSKY, OH -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District awarded a $1,372,000 contract to Michigan-based Luedtke Engineering to conduct dredging of the federal navigation channel in Sandusky Harbor and will begin on September 18 through mid-October.
With partial funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), material dredged from the harbor channel will be placed in the Cedar Point Causeway Wetland Project Site, helping rebuild wetland ecosystems on the shores of the Great Lakes.
Recreational boaters who routinely use the channel should take caution and be aware of the changes within the channel marked by the buoys. Boaters are asked to go slow and stay away from the marine equipment, stay clear of the pipeline, and stay out of the perimeter of the placement area.
“Maintaining infrastructure which enables large commercial vessels to access our ports is more critical than ever to the economic strength of the nation,” said Lt. Col. Colby Krug, commander of the Buffalo District. “Sandusky Harbor is an important commercial hub along the Great Lakes Marine Highway supporting $130 million in business revenue, more than 570 jobs, and $43 million in labor income to the transportation sector annually.”
Dredging will focus on the harbor’s Moseley Channel and is scheduled to take place from mid-September through the end of October, 24 hours per day though the work could be completed sooner.
A total of approximately 140,000 cubic yards of material is contracted to be dredged from the federal navigation channel and placed in the Cedar Point Causeway Wetland Project site.
Dredging of Sandusky Harbor is normally conducted by USACE every year and is subject to the availability of funding. Dredging ensures federally authorized depths are maintained and the harbor remains accessible to large vessels for the continued flow of commodities across the Great Lakes and the nation.
Sandusky Harbor is a deep draft commercial harbor. From 2015 to 2019, it handled an average of nearly 2.5 million tons of cargo. Operation, maintenance and dredging of harbors like Sandusky by USACE is critical to the economy of Ohio, the Great Lakes region, and the United States.
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Buffalo District delivers world class engineering solutions to the Great Lakes region, the Army and the Nation in order to ensure national security, environmental sustainability, water resource management, and emergency assistance during peace and war.