This page is moving to a new website! As of July 15, all Great Lakes water information will be available at https://www.lrd.usace.army.mil/water-information/water-management/great-lakes-and-harbors/. Bookmarks leading to this page will no longer work after July 15 and users are advised to update the old URL with the new webpage URL to ensure continued access.
The Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan will close to all marine traffic beginning 11:59 p.m. January 15, or until commercial traffic ceases, through 12:01 a.m. March 25 to perform seasonal critical maintenance.
We are pleased to announce that the 2024 Downloadable Calendar featuring the Top 12 photos from our 2023 Photo Contest is now available! Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone who participated! 1st place winner in 2023 Detroit District photo contest. Purple and orange sunrise at Cheboygan River Crib Light, November 2022. Jason O'Grady.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District’s New Lock at the Soo project in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, awards $213.8 million contract Option 1B (Chamber Wall Monoliths) to Kokosing Alberici Traylor, LLC (KAT) of Westerville, Ohio. Contract Option 1B includes construction of the lock wall monoliths, very large concrete wall portions that make up the sides of the chamber along the north and south side of the lock chamber. The chamber monoliths span between the Upstream wide wall monoliths and Downstream wide wall monoliths.
The M/V Happy Rover and tug Wyoming enter the Soo Locks' MacArthur Lock in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan heading to Lake Superior.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, urges caution around Great Lakes harbor piers and breakwaters, particularly during high wind and wave events. Accidents can occur near harbor structures during turbulent weather late in the year. The lakeshore attracts residents and visitors who may not be aware of the powerful impacts strong winds and storms can bring to shorelines and harbor structures.
The Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center in Duluth, Minnesota celebrates 50 years with an event Thursday, September 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Regulatory Public Notices

LRE-2007-00252-7-S23

1/17/2024
Proposed Annual Mechanical Dredging and Beach Nourishment in Detroit River at Detroit, Michigan

LRE-2007-00938-61-S23

12/14/2023
Proposed Structure Removal, Construction of a Boat House, Boat Well and Hoist, Dock, Seawall, Mechanical Dredging, and Placement of Riprap in Portage Lake at Houghton, Michigan

LRE-1992-560652-S23

12/14/2023
Proposed Annual Realignment of Deer Creek adjacent to Lake Michigan at Shorewood Hills Subdivision in Sawyer, Michigan

Other Public Notices

Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact and Environmental Assessment for Street and Infrastructure Improvements, Washington Square, Washtenaw Street and Ottawa Street, City of Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan

1/16/2024
The USACE proposes partial cost reimbursement to the City of Lansing, Michigan pursuant to Section 219 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1992, Public Law 102-580, as amended. The cost reimbursement would be applied to the tentatively selected plan, which includes combined sewer overflow (CSO) separation, abandonment of deteriorated CSO, cured-in-place-pipe lining of CSO to serve as a storm sewer, installation of new sewer and water lines, reconstruction of steam lines, installation of lateral lines to existing buildings so the owners can separate roof drains from sewer lines within the buildings, and replacement of paving with concrete.

Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact and Environmental Assessment for Hartley Park Green Infrastructure Improvements, Duluth, St. Louis County, Minnesota

12/5/2023
The USACE proposes partial cost reimbursement to the City of Duluth, pursuant to Section 569 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1999, Public Law 106-53, as amended. The cost reimbursement would be applied to the tentatively selected plan, which consists of the diversion and treatment of collected roadside stormwater. The roadside stormwater would be diverted to the Hartley Park Natural Area and treated through an underground sedimentation vault near the road, followed by a dual-purpose wet sedimentation and flood storage basin with the eastern portion providing sediment storage in the deep pond and the western portion constructed as a filtering wetland. A series of terraced biofiltration basins designed to treat and filter the stormwater will be constructed with the final outlet as a diffused discharge prior to entry to a tributary to Tischer Creek, a cold water trout stream.

Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact and Environmental Assessment for Muskegon Walkway and Revetment Rehabilitation

11/8/2023
The tentatively chosen alternative will consist of excavating critical dunes to create access routes and work and storage areas to remove and replace a concrete walkway. The selected alternative includes 3,000 cubic yards (cyds) of excavated dune sand. The excavated sand will be placed west of the project site along the Lake Michigan shoreline. The proposed project will also include removal and replacement of the existing walkway and grouted stone impacting a 7.5ft wide by 2,300ft long area. The new walkway will include seven curb openings with 20ft-by-20ft turnabouts. The proposed project will also include a temporary access route along the walkway with an average width of 16ft and a maximum width of 24ft. Three (3) work and storage areas with dimensions of 70 feet wide by 150ft long and access and storage areas in the existing parking lot and along the existing concrete walkways. The work period is expected to begin in Summer 2024 and last a full construction season.

Latest News Releases

Soo Locks Closing for Seasonal Repair, Maintenance
1/11/2024
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan will close to all marine traffic beginning 11:59 p.m. January 15, or until commercial traffic ceases, through 12:01 a.m. March 25...
Chamber Wall Monoliths Option 1B Awarded for New Lock at the Soo
12/21/2023
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District’s New Lock at the Soo project in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, awards $213.8 million contract Option 1B (Chamber Wall Monoliths) to Kokosing Alberici...
MacArthur Lock closing for seasonal repair, maintenance
11/30/2023
AULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Soo Locks’ MacArthur Lock will close for the Navigation Season 7 a.m. Dec. 17, 2023, through April 24, 2024, to perform dam safety inspections and routine maintenance.The...

News Stories

New Lock at the Soo: Unlocking the Great Lakes
10/20/2022
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich., – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District works on unlocking the Great Lakes by providing a much-needed resiliency at the Soo Locks with the construction of the New...
ERDC, Buffalo District release dredged material guidance manual for Great Lakes region
9/2/2022
Researchers from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Environmental Laboratory and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Great Lakes Districts — Buffalo, Detroit and...
Commitment to high-quality USACE bridge inspections
3/4/2022
Structural cracks, buckled or bent steel, visual fretting corrosion – these are the kinds of things at the forefront of a bridge inspector’s mind. Oh, and don’t forget to quantify the severity and...

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