Protect Pentwater Harbor Channel
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Pentwater Channel Updates
Pentwater Channel Updates
Pentwater Harbor is OPEN for Summer 2026,
Pentwater Harbor is OPEN for Summer 2026,
and ready to receive transient boaters and returning MAC racers!!!
and ready to receive transient boaters and returning MAC racers!!!
The Pentwater Harbor Channel connects Pentwater Lake to Lake Michigan and is vital for boating, fishing, tourism, and local economic activity. For decades, it has required annual dredging to maintain navigable depth, but federal funding for recreational harbor dredging has been inconsistent, prompting local action in 2012 and 2022. Past emergency dredging projects have been funded by a mix of village funds and private donations.
Thank you to our amazing donors, as the Protect Pentwater Harbor Channel Fund grows, we will be ready to support solutions focused on preserving channel access for generations to come.
June 2026 Update: Great News!! The USACE funded dredging will commence June 9 and conclude in roughly 6 days. Please read the attached notice from the Corps. Pentwater_Dredging_Public_Notice_Gjka0.pdf
Channel Soundings: TBD
Lake Levels:
https://water.usace.army.mil/office/lre/waterleveldata/waterLevelData
Current USACE Funding Status
2026: Federal USACE funding has been appropriated to dredge the Pentwater channel. Work has been awarded and we are awaiting a firm start date in the May - June timeframe. (Source: USACE Great Lakes Shallow Harbor Stakeholders Meeting 4/24/26)
2027: Additional Federal funds have been appropriated for USACE to repair/replace the Pentwater Harbor Wave Attenuators installed in 2002, designed to dissipate wave energy and lessen the damaging effects of wave action on docks and shoreline in Pentwater Lake.
Local Fund:See Donations page
Questions??
James (Toby) VanEss - manager@pentwatervillage.org
Dave Bluhm - dbluhm61@gmail.com Protect Pentwater Channel Committee Co-Chair & Village of Pentwater Trustee; protectpentwaterchannel@gmail.com
Why Keeping the Channel open Matters:
Supports sport fishing, boating, and tourism.
Serves as a harbor of refuge for boaters in distress.
Maintains property values and tax revenues for the community
Long Term Focus: Work with our shallow harbor neighbors to the north and south along the Western Michigan Coastline, establishing a coalition, uniting to secure a restoration of annual funding needed to keep our economies thriving.
Associated efforts: This committee has representives in Pentwater Township and the State DNR /Mears State Park leadership working with the Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Project on preventative measures.
Such preventative measures include sand fencing and sediment monitoring aim to reduce sand deposits into the channel. See memo on Meeting Minutes page.
Historical Pentwater Channel Info
Historical Pentwater Channel Info
pentwaterchannel.org .
Channel Committee Meeting Minutes
Channel Committee Meeting Minutes
Donations
Donations
for non-USACE Dredging Needs
Key Support Links
Key Support Links
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