HOUGHTON COUNTY, MI— Dredging crews are returning to Grand Traverse Harbor in Houghton County this summer, according to the Department of Natural Resources.
The crews are removing copper mine tailings known as stamp sands from the Buffalo Reef fish spawning habitat. Harbor dredging efforts by the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and others have kept the waterway open for fishing, boating and other recreation.
The Buffalo Reef Task Force continues to formulate a plan to combat the problem. It decided ultimately to construct an upland facility for disposal of stamp sand removed from the Lake Superior shoreline. In addition, a 2,000-foot-long jetty would be constructed to intercept the sand as it migrates south. Geotechnical work and design of the placement facility is underway.
The most recent cost estimate for completing the long-term project is $2.1 billion over the length of its timeline.
