A long-term solution to fix a critical harbor for boaters and tribal fishermen in the eastern upper peninsula remains unclear, according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District.
This week, the Corps stepped in to prevent flooding from threatening residential property due to extreme shoaling in Little Lake Harbor.
“We understand the urgency of the situation,” said Detroit District Chief of Operations, Marie Strum in a written statement. “We were able to reprogram a small amount of funds on June 6 that allowed our team to get out there on June 7 to open up the outflow blockage and relieve the water level buildup."
Conditions have become so shallow in the harbor that Operations Manager for the Soo Locks, LeighAnn Ryckeghem, said on a phone call with WCMU that it remains very unsafe for boaters and rocky sediment is visible in several areas.
Tribal fishermen have also been cut off from the harbor. It’s an access point for them to get into Lake Superior.
In the event fishermen or recreational boaters experience an emergency, Little Lake Harbor has been designated by the Corps as a critical harbor of refuge. But the current conditions of the harbor have prevented this functionality.
“The Detroit District has identified the harbor as a critical need for dredging and structure repairs," said Ryckeghem. "The next approach is additional funding to conduct maintenance dredging of the harbor to get it to where it's at least usable."
But funding to dredge the harbor isn't a guarantee. Little Lake Harbor has been in competition to secure dredging money with several thousand harbors across the country.
Problems at the harbor don't come as a shock to Corps officials. In August 2021, the Corps issued a Notice to Navigation Interests to use extreme caution when boating in the harbor.
This week's flood prevention work is one of the more extreme steps the Corps has taken in maintaining the shoaling harbor.
The harbor was last dredged in 2018.
