Inner St. Joseph Harbor dredging underway

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District yesterday began dredging operations to maintain the federal channel at the inner St. Joseph Harbor.

According to the Army Corps, Dean Marine & Excavating of Mount Clemens, Michigan, will perform the mechanical dredging to maintain safe passage for vessels at the upstream docks as the Corps of Engineers contractor. The work is scheduled to conclude by July 30.

A navigable path through the St. Joseph River will remain open during the work; however, boaters should avoid the dredge and supporting operations, said USACE in the release.

The contractor will use a long reach excavator to remove shoaling from the channel onto a floating scow, which will then be transferred to trucks at Dock 63. The sediment will be trucked to a site at the Southwest Regional Airport.