This Boat Blog is presented by Manistee Harbor Tours, operator of the Princess of Manistee. Book your cruise at www.manisteeharbortours.com.
By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
PENTWATER — Dredging operations are underway at Pentwater Harbor as part of a federally funded project aimed at maintaining safe navigation depths and supporting commercial and recreational marine traffic.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District announced that dredging began June 9 and is expected to continue through the end of June.
The work is part of a broader maintenance dredging program funded through the Corps’ fiscal year 2025 work plan, which allocated approximately $2.2 million for dredging and related harbor maintenance activities at Pentwater Harbor.
According to the Corps, dredging is taking place at the harbor entrance on Lake Michigan and between the harbor’s breakwater heads, where sediment accumulation can restrict vessel access.
Material removed from the channel is being transported through a submerged pipeline and deposited along the Lake Michigan shoreline beginning about 800 feet south of the south breakwater. The discharge area will extend southward in water depths ranging from 4 to 8 feet. Corps officials said the material has been tested and determined suitable for beach nourishment.
The harbor is one of several federally maintained navigation channels along Michigan’s Lake Michigan shoreline that require periodic dredging to ensure safe passage for recreational boaters, charter fishing vessels and commercial traffic.
The tug Barry J, owned by Viking Marine Construction of Holland, Mich., is part of the dredging effort. The boat was built in 1954 by Roamer Boat Co. of Holland. It is 44 feet long, 12 feet wide and has a depth of 5 feet. Its former names were W.P. Coppens, Capt. Art Lapish, and Heather B., according to the 2026 edition of the book “Know Your Ships.”
Boaters are being advised to use caution near dredging operations. The submerged pipeline will be marked with orange buoys spaced approximately every 500 feet and illuminated yellow pontoons at each end. Mariners are urged to follow all posted maritime signals and temporary navigation aids while work is underway.
The Corps said the project is essential to maintaining harbor safety, supporting marine traffic and preserving the economic activity generated by the harbor.
Pentwater Harbor has received federal attention in recent years as local officials and members of Congress sought funding to address recurring sediment buildup that can reduce channel depths and hinder navigation.
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This Great Lakes Boat Blog is presented by Manistee Harbor Tours, operator of the Princess of Manistee. Book your cruise at www.manisteeharbortours.com.
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