The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Buffalo District began dredging Sandusky Harbor in Ohio on October 6, with completion scheduled by November 1.
The district said the $628,000 contract, awarded in July to Michigan-based Morrish-Wallace Construction covers the removal of about 109,000 cubic yards (83,300 cubic metres) of sediment from the federal navigation channel.
The work will use mechanical dredging in the Moseley and Straight Channels to maintain safe navigation on Lake Erie for recreational boaters and commercial vessels.
The nearshore site will receive about 100,000 cubic yards (76,500 cubic metres) for beach nourishment.
USACE said currents in the area are expected to carry the material along the coastline, as occurs through natural nourishment. The other 9,000 cubic yards (6,900 cubic metres) will be deposited at a designated open-lake site.
USACE said the work is being coordinated to minimise disruption and is not expected to impede navigation. Boaters are advised to take care around active equipment and remain a safe distance from work areas.
The harbour’s authorised channel depths range from 21 to 26 feet (6.4 to 7.9 metres), with the shallowest in Straight Channel and the deepest in Moseley Channel.
The harbour was last dredged in 2025, when about 9,000 cubic yards (6,900 cubic metres) were removed and placed in the open lake.
The Buffalo District also began dredging Lorain Harbor in September under a separate $2.5 million contract covering about 45,000 cubic yards (34,400 cubic metres), with sediment sent for recycling and beneficial use.
