Just in time for one final boat ride ahead of Labor Day, the dredging operation at Chaudoir’s Dock County Park has been completed. The popular dock and boat launch had been closed since mid-July for the second phase of a dredging project that carried a price tag of more than $551,000. The project was funded through a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and county boat launch fees.

According to the county website, the outer entrance to the harbor was dredged in 2001, again in 2005 during bin wall repairs caused by ice damage, and once more in 2014 because of low water levels.

It is not completely clear sailing for boaters just yet. According to the Door County Parks Department, dredging activity can sometimes bring submerged logs, debris and other hazards into navigable areas. The department urges boaters to use caution as they operate around the harbor entrance in case they encounter one of those hidden hazards.

The park will also be closed Sept. 8 and 9 to accommodate construction equipment needed for the next phase of improvements, which will include resurfacing the upper parking lot. That portion of the project should be completed by Sept. 10.