Dredging of the Cleveland Harbor federal navigation channel by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District and its contractor, New York-based DMYLES, Inc. began on May 1.

Dredging of harbors like Cleveland’s ensures accessible depths for large vessels, the continued flow of commodities across the Great Lakes, and the economic viability of United States waterways.

The Buffalo District awarded the $9 million contract on March 7 for approximately 180,000 cubic yards of material to be dredged from the lower Cuyahoga River and placed in a confined disposal facility.

Dredging is scheduled to be completed by mid-November 2025.

Dredging of Cleveland Harbor is conducted annually by USACE, based on need and the availability of funding. The harbor was last dredged in 2024, with 250,000 cubic yards of sediments removed.

Cleveland Harbor is a deep draft commercial harbor which handled 9.2 million tons of cargo, including iron ore (53%), limestone (18%) and salt (9%) in 2022. Waterborne transportation facilitated by the harbor supports $421.1 million in business revenue, 1674 direct, indirect, and induced jobs, and $130.2 million in labor income to the transportation sector.

Operation, maintenance and dredging of harbors like Cleveland by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is critical to the economy of Ohio, the Great Lakes region, and the United States.

The Buffalo District delivers world class engineering solutions to the Great Lakes region, the Army and the Nation in order to ensure national security, environmental sustainability, water resource management, and emergency assistance during peace and war.