Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
WAVES POUND the Lake Superior shoreline at the mouth of Oman's Creek on Little Girl's Point Wednesday. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is holding a meeting Oct. 10 at Gogebic Community College to gather public feedback on a plan to build a groin into Lake Superior to reduce sediment buildup at the creek's mouth.
IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP - The Department of Natural Resources is planning a meeting next week to gather public feedback on an effort to reduce sediment build up around the Oman's Creek boat launch at Little Girl's Point.
The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 10 at Gogebic Community College's Lindquist Center and will feature a short DNR presentation followed by a public comment period.
Erosion, sediment build up and storm damage from wave action have long been issues at the boat launch, according to a DNR news release.
As part of the effort to reduce these issues, the DNR has developed a $170,000 design to build a groin structure into Lake Superior at the boat launch designed to interrupt sediment moving down the coast and filling up the creek's mouth, blocking access to the lake from the boat launch.
"Our hope is to gauge public opinion on future investment at the Oman Creek boating access site," DNR regional field planner Eric Cadeau said in the release. "Staff will present the preferred design alternative and discuss the design challenges that were encountered. We'll also ask the public what the most important investment opportunities are at the site. Gathering this input from boaters, anglers, residents and others is critical to the design and funding prioritization process."
The project to build the groin is funded through the Michigan State Waterway's Fund, which uses money from boat registrations and marine fuel taxes for public recreational boating facilities. Money is also coming from a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's sport fish restoration program grant.
-Richard Jenkins
