9 Nov 2021

Corps of Engineers and City of Duluth provide information on 2021 Minnesota Point beach nourishment and Section 111

DULUTH, Minn., – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers along with the City of Duluth provide information on the completion of 2021 Minnesota Point beach nourishment, maintenance dredging, beach cleanup and the congressionally funded Continuing Authorities Program (CAP) Section 111 study. The Corps of Engineers awarded the 2021 maintenance dredging contract July 14, 2021 to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, based Roen Salvage Company. The Sturgeon Bay company dredged approximately 53,000 cubic yards (cy) of material from the Duluth-Superior Harbor navigation channel. This material nourished the beach on Minnesota Point. The Corps of Engineers originally planned to dredge and place nearly 100,000 cy. However, they reduced the amount of material due to stringent protocols and significant safeguards put in place to ensure the material was free from man-made debris. Stringent protocols included reducing the size of the transfer screen used to catch debris, adding contract conditions to monitor and stop production if debris is observed and increasing Corps of Engineers’ oversight of contactor operations.

26 Jul 2021

Revised: Corps of Engineers begin 2021 Duluth-Superior Harbor maintenance dredging, Minnesota Point beach nourishment

DULUTH, Minn., – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is set to begin 2021 maintenance dredging and Minnesota Point beach nourishment the week of Aug. 1, 2021. Cleanup of material placed during 2020 continues. “The contractor may begin mobilizing their equipment as early as July 26 but are more likely to start the week of August 1,” said Duluth Area Office Construction and Survey Chief Corey Weston. The Corps of Engineers awarded the 2021 maintenance dredging contract July 14, 2021 to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, based Roen Salvage Company. The Sturgeon Bay company will dredge 40,000 cubic yards (cy) of material.

1 Jun 2021

City, Corps of Engineers explain Minnesota Point Beach cleanup plan

DULUTH, Minn. - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and City of Duluth have a plan to remove debris placed on Minnesota Point during 2020 beach nourishment. “Safety is a top priority for the corps of engineers,” said Corey Weston, Chief of Construction and Survey, at the Corps of Engineers, Duluth Area Office. “We take it very seriously and have from the beginning demonstrated our commitment to the city and community to resolve this issue.” Last fall, after placing dredged material for beach nourishment on Minnesota Point, fragments of decades-old aluminum cans were found on the beach. The Corps of Engineers took responsibility for placing the aluminum fragments and have been working non-stop with the City on a plan to remove them.

22 Jan 2021

Corps of Engineers cleaning debris inadvertently placed on Minnesota Point

DETROIT - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is coordinating cleanup of aluminum cans and can fragments inadvertently deposited on Minnesota Point during dredge material placement in the fall of 2020. USACE placed 49,000 cubic yards of beneficial use dredge material on Minnesota Point at the city’s request during annual Duluth-Superior Harbor maintenance dredging operations in August and September. In 2019, 53,000 cubic yards of dredge material was placed on the south end of Minnesota Point to minimize erosion due to high water and protect old growth trees. The city requested additional material in 2020 to help restore the eroded beach and dune habitat. The debris likely resulted from dredge equipment encountering an area containing trash discarded in the harbor in the 1970s based on aluminum can vintage. About 27,000 cubic yards of dredge material came from the area USACE officials believe contained the debris.