Channel cleared in Fairport Harbor by Corps
Written by Heather Ervin
The Buffalo Engineer District is wrapping up dredging of the federal channel at Fairport Harbor to provide ease of navigation and safe passage for large vessels carry products vital to the community, Fairport Harbor, Ohio. (Credit: U.S. Army photo by Andre' M. Hampton)
Biennial dredging of Ohio’s Fairport Harbor’s federal navigation channel by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is complete.
Dredging of Fairport Harbor ensures accessible depths for large vessels, the continued flow of commodities across the Great Lakes, and the economic viability of United States waterways.
“Maintaining safe navigation across Great Lakes’ harbors are a core part of our mission and essential to the economic strength of the nation,” said Lt. Col. Robert Burnham, USACE Buffalo District commander. “Our partnerships with the Village of Fairport, the state of Ohio, and our representatives in Congress have made this work possible and will keep millions of dollars in business revenue and labor income flowing through Fairport Harbor.”
“In Northeast Ohio, waterborne transportation, facilitated by Fairport Harbor, supports $71.8 million in business revenue annually and 315 jobs,” said Congressman David Joyce (OH-14). “That is why I fought to successfully secure an additional $4.5 million for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the Fiscal Year 2024 Energy and Water Appropriations bill for dredging in Fairport Harbor. I am proud to see another dredging season completed to support continued commercial traffic in turn supporting our local economy and the flow of commerce across the Great Lakes.”
“We are grateful to the USACE for working collaboratively with both our public and private partners in Lake County to maintain our county’s only commercial port,” said Patrick Mohorcic, executive director of the Lake Development Authority.
This year’s dredging focused on the lake approach channel and the lower Grand River and was completed on September 5. Approximately 110,000 cubic yards of material was removed and placed in both the authorized upland and near-shore placement sites under a $3,844,868 contract awarded to New York-based DMYLES Inc. on July 3.
Dredging of Fairport Harbor is scheduled to be conducted by the Corps every two years, based on availability of funding.
Fairport Harbor is a deep draft commercial harbor which handled 1.8 million tons of cargo, including limestone (76%), salt (15%), sand & gravel (6%), and clay & refractory materials (3%) in 2021.
Operation, maintenance and dredging of harbors like Fairport by the Corps is critical to the economy of Ohio, the Great Lakes region, and the United States.
