Sandusky Harbor dredging to move sediment near shore for beach nourishment

Dredging has begun in Sandusky Harbor, with most of the material scheduled for placement near shore to help nourish local beaches, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said.

The Corps' Buffalo District awarded Michigan-based Morrish-Wallace Construction Co. a $628,000 contract in July. Its Oct. 6 announcement sets Nov. 1 as the scheduled completion date.

Crews are to remove about 109,000 cubic yards from the federal navigation channel's Moseley and Straight channels. The Corps said 100,000 cubic yards will go to a nearshore site, where currents can carry the sediment along the coast. The remaining 9,000 cubic yards will go to a designated open-lake site.

The announcement does not identify a specific beach that will receive the nearshore material.

Boaters should keep a safe distance from dredging equipment and work areas. The Corps said it does not expect the work to impede navigation.

The project maintains channels used by commercial vessels, recreational boats and other harbor users. The Corps lists authorized harbor depths of 21 to 26 feet.

Photo: USACE Buffalo, CC BY-ND 2.0. File photo; image unchanged.