Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
A MASSIVE dredging barge is docked at Saxon Harbor Sunday. The harbor was closed for the summer today as the rebuilding process continued following the devastating storm of July 11, 2016.
By RALPH ANSAMI
SAXON, Wis. - Dozens of boats trolled for trout and salmon on the clear glass surface of Lake Superior Sunday out of Saxon Harbor, on the last weekend that will be possible for quite awhile.
The harbor was closed for repairs beginning today as the reconstruction project continued on several fronts. The dredging is necessary after the harbor filled with sand and debris in the July 11, 2016 storm that dumped 11 inches of rain in about four hours.
The entire harbor, including the marinas for the boat docks, must be dredged deep enough to accommodate boats. The entire harbor area is closed and the Iron County Forestry Department advises all spectators to stay clear of the many workers at the site.
The two creeks at the harbor are also being dug out by private contractors to their pre-flood stages.
Sunday fittingly concluded with two kayakers paddling toward shore and a young couple taking a leisurely stroll down the beach.
Fishermen trolled all the way to nearby Little Girl's Point, where the Oman's Creek boating access site has been inaccessible and will officially be closed for improvements beginning May 21.
On Sunday, no boats could get onto the lake from Oman's Creek, where the dock wasn't installed and dredging was needed. There was only a trickle of water running into the lake from the creek after almost no rain this spring.
The rising level of Lake Superior continues to erode the lakeshore at the Point, where driftwood is abundant.
Oman's Creek improvements include restoring the mouth of the creek to pre-July 2016 flash-flood dimensions and building up the shoreline to prevent erosion.
The boat landing at Oman's Creek is expected to be completed by June 29, according to Dan Dowdy, supervisor of the Department of Natural Resources' Baraga construction crew. A total of $140,000 in funding for the project is being provided through a Waterways Capital Outlay Fund.
In addition, Black River Harbor, managed by the U.S. Forest Service, will be closed indefinitely for repairs and improvements through the summer.
Anthony Holland, of the Ottawa National Forest's Bessemer Ranger District, said Black River Harbor will be closed until further notice.
Alternate Michigan boating access is available at the Union Bay boating access site at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, east of Black River Harbor, and at Chequamegon Bay, via the Second Landing Boat Launch in Ashland.
Some Saxon Harbor boaters were talking about towing their boats as far as Cornucopia.
Up until today, one boat landing had remained open at Saxon Harbor and it has received heavy use all spring.
