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Sinkhole prompts lock-channel rebuild; DNR to rebuild walls, county to remove foot bridge temporarily
Summary
Committee heard that a sinkhole undermining the lock channel support has widened; staff said the Department of Natural Resources will form new concrete walls, narrow the channel by about 8 feet, backfill voids and that the county-owned pedestrian bridge will be taken out and stored during construction, likely late summer into next spring.
At the June 8 Marquette County Parks & Rural Planning Committee meeting, staff reported a sinkhole forming near the lock channel that has undercut the support for the pedestrian foot bridge.
Staff said the sinkhole was first noted by the sheriff’s department and had widened from about 9 inches to 18 inches in a few days, with voids under concrete supports. The county speaker said state engineers plan to reconstruct the lock walls by forming new concrete walls set four feet inside the existing alignment, effectively narrowing the lock channel by approximately eight feet. The state will backfill and remove deteriorated materials; staff described the work as a DNR-led project paid by state funds under the existing maintenance agreement.
Because the county owns the pedestrian foot bridge (installed on DNR property under a maintenance easement), staff said the bridge will be removed and stored in the parking lot during construction, then reinstated once the work is complete. Construction was described as likely to start late summer, with a goal to have the channel and recreational access restored for the following fishing season.
Committee members asked whether lowering lake levels would be required; staff cited state engineering calculations and responded that gate capacity and other factors mean a full drain is not anticipated. Staff framed the reconstruction as a state-funded repair under DNR’s maintenance and grant responsibilities; the county will serve as local contact for project specifics and staging.
Next step: staff will remain the county point of contact for DNR construction schedules, and the committee will track closure and replacement timing for public notice.
