14 Jul 2022

Corps of Engineers awards contract to dredge Duluth-Superior Harbor

DETROIT – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, awarded a contract for dredging at Duluth-Superior Harbor in western Lake Superior on the Minnesota-Wisconsin border, to begin early August. The $2.72 million contract is awarded to Roen Salvage Co., from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The contract is to mechanically dredge about 76,000 cubic yards of material from the harbor. The dredged material will be placed at Erie Pier Confined Disposal Facility (CDF) and the 40th Avenue West Placement Area. Dredging will begin in early August and will be complete by November 1, with Erie Pier site work complete by March 2023. “Maintenance dredging executed under this contract will allow ships to safely navigate in the Duluth-Superior Harbor and approximately half of the material will be beneficially used for habitat restoration at the 40th Avenue placement site,” said Project Manager Stephen Rumple.

20 Dec 2021

Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center transitions to winter schedule

DULUTH, Minn., – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is transitioning the operating hours of the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center in Canal Park to its winter schedule after the holidays. The Detroit District’s Duluth Area Office Visitor Center winter schedule will begin the week of Jan. 16, 2022 and will be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Visitor Center will be open at the following dates and times during the holidays: • Dec. 20, 23, 27 and 30 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. • Jan. 3, 6-10 and 14-16 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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.

17 Aug 2021

Corps of Engineers repairing its southern Vessel Yard Pier

DULUTH, Minn., – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will begin to repair its southern Vessel Yard Pier beginning the week of Aug. 23, 2021. Repairs will last through Oct. 31, 2021 and resume in the Spring of 2022. The repairs should be complete no later than Sept. 9, 2022, taking place weekdays 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. “Area home and business owners can expect some noise during demolition and construction, including construction vehicle traffic,” said Project Engineer Monica Anderson.

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.