en.Wedoany.com Reported - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has officially commenced the annual maintenance dredging project at Ludington Harbor, Michigan. The project is scheduled to continue until August 17, with the specific timeline subject to weather conditions. The dredging scope covers the harbor entrance from Lake Michigan, through the entire harbor area, and extends upstream to the South Lakeshore Drive bridge.
The material generated from dredging will be transported via underwater pipeline and discharged along the shoreline near Buttersville Campground. To ensure navigation safety, USACE will mark the underwater pipeline with orange buoys approximately every 500 feet, and install bright yellow lighted buoys at both ends of the pipeline.
Ludington Harbor is located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, approximately 156 miles (about 251 kilometers) northeast of Chicago and about 67 miles (about 108 kilometers) north of Grand Haven. The harbor features a basin protected by breakwaters and is equipped with multiple docks, primarily handling coal, limestone, and other bulk cargo. In addition to serving commercial shipping, the port is also an important mooring area for yachts and a base for recreational fishing. As a key hub on Lake Michigan, Ludington Harbor provides critical transportation connections and economic benefits to the surrounding region.
The most iconic facility at the port is the home port of the S.S. Badger ferry. Operating on Lake Michigan since 1953, the S.S. Badger is the last coal-fired passenger and vehicle ferry in the United States, traveling between Ludington, Michigan, and Manitowoc, Wisconsin, a distance of approximately 62 miles (100 kilometers), connecting U.S. Highway 10 (US 10) between the two locations.
Shoaling is a common challenge faced by Great Lakes ports. According to previously released project bidding information, this year's Ludington Harbor dredging project is part of the USACE Detroit District's "Fiscal Year 2025 Ludington and Pentwater Maintenance Dredging Project." The dredging will employ the "box method," targeting specific shoaling areas, with target depths ranging from 33 feet (about 10 meters) to 29.5 feet (about 9 meters). The estimated cost of the project is between $5 million and $10 million.
Maintaining navigable depths in the Ludington Harbor channel is of significant importance to the local economy, the recreational boating industry, and the normal operations of commercial shipping. The implementation of this dredging project will help ensure the effective functioning of the port's infrastructure, supporting the continued development of the regional economy and tourism.
