Title 33, Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-110

§426o–1 Great Lakes Dredging Levels Adjustment

Title 33 › CHAPTER 9 — PROTECTION OF NAVIGABLE WATERS AND OF HARBOR AND RIVER IMPROVEMENTS GENERALLY › SUBCHAPTER I — IN GENERAL › § 426o–1

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Great Lake means Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron (including Lake St. Clair), Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario, and it includes the St. Lawrence River up to the 45th parallel. The Secretary must dredge federal channels, harbors, and connecting channels as needed to keep them at their original authorized minimum depths when water levels are, or are forecast to be, below the International Great Lakes Datum of 1985.

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §426o–1

Navigation and Navigable Waters, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Definition of Great Lake

In this section, the term “Great Lake” means Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron (including Lake St. Clair), Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario (including the St. Lawrence River to the 45th parallel of latitude).

(b)Dredging levels

In operating and maintaining Federal channels and harbors of, and the connecting channels between, the Great Lakes, the Secretary shall conduct such dredging as is necessary to ensure minimal operation depths consistent with the original authorized depths of the channels and harbors when water levels in the Great Lakes are, or are forecast to be, below the International Great Lakes Datum of 1985.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

“Secretary” Defined Secretary means the Secretary of the Army, see section 2 of Pub. L. 106–541, set out as a note under section 2201 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

33 U.S.C. § 426o–1

Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110