Many changes are taking place in the world today, many we hardly
notice even though they occur right before our eyes.
An
outstanding change I noticed before I left Port Austin in
mid-November was indeed right in front of all eyes to see.
The dredging of Port Austin’s harbor drew hundreds
of onlookers, and I was one of them every day.
I’ve observed dredging of the harbor many times over
the years. Each was performed in a different manner. The first
dredging I saw was quite simple. They dug up the bottom — mud,
rocks and sand, and loaded it on a barge, then pulled the barge
straight north of the harbor. About two miles beyond the Port
Austin Reef Light, they simply dumped the load in about 80
feet of water. This operation created an underwater island
that comes up to about 50 feet and has been affectionately
referred to by local fishermen as the “Junk Pile.” The
area has been a popular fishery for years and many believe
it to be a nursery for lake trout, walleye and at one time,
perch and whitefish.
As
years passed and scientist and environmentalist studied,
it was decided this type of dredging was unhealthy because
it stirred up sediment — chemicals and waste materials
then deposited them back into the lake.
Another dredging of the harbor I recall was a completely different
operation. A huge, oil-fired dragline on a barge was used.
Black, smoky soot could be seen for miles and much of it settled
on cars, boats, homes and any other items outside. Spoils were
dropped along the shoreline to partially drain back into the
lake. After the piles dried, they were loaded on trucks and
hauled to a dump site. This not only contaminated the air but
spread mud on roads around the dock area, which was tracked
all over town. Needless to say, with little or no scientific
study, this was determined not the best way to perform the
required dredging.
A few years later, the inner harbor and Bird Creek needed to
be cleaned out to continue operation of the marinas, and its
many seasonal docks. There was considerable study done before
this project got under way. A sand sucker type dredge was used
to suck the spoils off the bottom and pump them into a pre-made
storage area. A large hole was dug then lined with vinyl and
water, and relief drains were installed that eventually allowed
water to run off after being filtered through sand. It was
required the creek be partially blocked for a time, but most
businesses were not adversely affected.
The
fact the previous job in Port Austin’s
harbor had worked well was discussed and a similar
project
was set up
years later for the Grindstone basin. No hole was
dug and no lining used, but a sucker type dredge
was set
up with
hundreds
of feet of tube that pumped the spoils into an
old, unused grindstone quarry. It was thought since these
quarries
held water the spoils would be held safely. Unfortunately,
because
the sand stone in the quarries was in layers and
cracks prevailed, the runoff actually washed through
them
and allowed liquids
to collect on beaches and waterfront property.
By
the time dredging concluded, the flow had become
forceful
and a
runoff of green, foul smelling drainage was deposited
all along
the shore. It seems the engineering of this project
was less than
perfect, and many nearby property owners feared
their wells were contaminated.
Millions
of dollars worth of equipment arrived by truck and barges
to accomplish the latest dredging
effort
in Port Austin’s
harbor. To control material runoff, an area to
receive the dredgings was developed, sediment
went from bottom
to barge,
and a continuous fleet of trucks delivered it
to that site. This job is far superior to any
previous
one,
and was a
fine example of modern day progress.
Construction
and maintenance changes on and around the water have advanced
and boats that ply our
waterways are also advancing.
My next column will reveal some of my adventures
into the future of boating — and perhaps
our planet.