Serving Grand Haven · 20 minutes from our yard
We handle all permits — EGLE, Army Corps & County
Grand River & Lake Michigan specialists
Grand River docks. Marinas and boat slips. Lake Michigan shoreline. We build walls that handle current and ice, dredge slips deep enough to use, and handle every permit for you.
20 min
from our Fruitport yard to Grand Haven
200,000
cubic yards dredged on one lake job
40+ yrs
team experience on Great Lakes waters
100%
of permits handled for you
River, harbor & shoreline
Grand Haven sits where the Grand River meets Lake Michigan. That means river current, harbor traffic, shifting sand and big-lake waves. Each needs a different wall design and dredging plan, and often different permits.
Lower Grand River
Current and changing levels scour the base of riverfront walls and banks. We drive sheet deep enough to resist scour and repair walls that are being undermined.
Most requested: river seawalls · bank stabilization · wall repair
Marinas & private slips
Low Great Lakes water leaves slips too shallow for many boats. Precise mechanical dredging between docks, with sediment testing and a disposal plan, keeps your season running.
Most requested: slip & channel dredging · bulkheads
Open Great Lakes shoreline
Grand Haven Twp and Port Sheldon properties face big waves and moving dunes. Now, with lower water, is the time to repair or plan protection before the next high-water cycle.
Most requested: revetment repair · Shore Savers™ · planning
Port Sheldon
A small lake with a channel to Lake Michigan. Shallow edges and aging walls are common, and its connection to the big lake affects how projects get permitted.
Most requested: dock-area dredging · seawalls
Just upstream
Connected to the Grand River at Spring Lake and Ferrysburg. It's our home lake, with fast site visits from our Fruitport yard.
Most requested: seawalls · canal dredging
More about Spring LakeCommercial & municipal
Commercial docks, bulkheads, boat yards and oversized moves. In-house engineering, 135-ton jacking and route permits.
Most requested: bulkheads · heavy hauling · vessel moves
Services in Grand Haven
Grand River current scours the base of walls. We drive heavy-gauge sheet deep enough to resist scour and repair walls that are being undermined.
Pigeon Lake, bayous and private frontage: we plan sediment testing and disposal up front. That's especially important for Grand River sediment.
Grand Haven marinas and private slips lose depth when Lake Michigan is low. Mechanical dredging between docks keeps boats moving.
Grand Haven Twp and Port Sheldon bluffs and dunes: revetments repaired to the drawings, or Shore Savers™ to keep your beach usable.
Also around Grand Haven: dam repair, waterfront excavating and building moving & heavy hauling.
In 2025 the Army Corps dredged about 43,000 yd³ from Grand Haven's inner harbor so freighters could keep using it. Private slips silt in the same way.
Grand River sediment has been tested for contaminants like PFAS. We plan testing and disposal up front so your permit doesn't stall.
Start the Joint Permit Application this fall or winter so your project is ready before boating season.
Permits in Ottawa County
Most Grand Haven waterfront projects need more than one approval. We prepare the drawings, file the applications and deal with the agencies.
State + federal: EGLE & Army Corps
One Joint Permit Application covers both for most seawall, dredging and shoreline work.
County: soil erosion (Part 91)
Earth changes within 500 ft of a lake, stream or drain need a Part 91 permit from the Ottawa County Water Resources Commissioner.
Local: city, village or township
City of Grand Haven, Grand Haven Twp, Ferrysburg, Spring Lake and Port Sheldon Twp each have their own zoning and shoreline rules.
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Estimated volume to remove
667 yd³
Dump-truck loads*
56
Area
0.21 ac
Likely best method
Mechanical dredging
*~12 yd³ per 3-axle dump truck. Volume = length × width × depth ÷ 27.
Communities we serve
From the Grand Haven pier to Port Sheldon and up the Grand River.
Contractors Marine LTD
2966 Farr Rd, Fruitport, MI 49415 · (616) 836-1911
Proven on West Michigan lakes
At Mirror Lake we tested the sediment, got the EGLE permit, built a 4.5-acre spoils pond about ½ mile away and dredged ~50,000 yd³. The lake was usable for boating as soon as we finished.
"Returned calls, completed project on time and budget, very knowledgeable and professional!"
Yes. Grand Haven is about 20 minutes from our yard in Fruitport. We work on the Grand River, in marinas, on Spring Lake, on Pigeon Lake and along the Lake Michigan shoreline.
Most waterfront projects need an EGLE / U.S. Army Corps Joint Permit Application. Earth changes within 500 feet of a lake, stream or drain also need a Part 91 permit from the Ottawa County Water Resources Commissioner, plus any city or township zoning approvals. We handle all of it.
Yes. We use mechanical dredging between docks and plan sediment testing and disposal in advance. On the Grand River that planning is especially important for getting permits approved.
Most riverfront owners do best with heavy-gauge steel sheet piling driven deep enough to resist scour, with proper tiebacks. We'll explain the trade-offs of steel, vinyl and aluminum at your site visit.
Yes. We install and repair rock revetments to the permit drawings, and also offer Shore Savers™. Low water is a good time to repair before the next high-water cycle.
Local crew. Honest advice. Permits handled. Book now for next season.
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