The materials in this series encompass over thirty years of Wisconsin state government involvement with the dredging of the state's coastal harbors for the purposes of improving navigation and port access. The actual engineering and labor in this process was (and is) conducted by the United States Army Corps of Engineers; the role of the state of Wisconsin was, through offices of its Department of Natural Resources, to approve and monitor the Corps' activities; to review Corps engineering studies and environmental impact statements for dredging projects; to issue permits and water quality certifications for the disposal of dredging spoil and other waste products; and to ensure Corps compliance with state environmental regulations.
The variety of the records creators in this series demonstrate the cross-divisional significance of harbor dredging projects in Wisconsin. A number of DNR agencies were involved, most importantly the various offices from the Divisions of Enforcement and Environmental Standards (later Environmental Quality). These include the Bureau of Water Regulation and Zoning; the Bureau of Water Quality Management; the Bureau of Environmental Impact; and the Bureau of Industrial Wastewater Management. Much of the material is comprised of correspondence between these agencies and the Corps of Engineers, most often concerning specific dredging projects. Besides the Department of Natural Resources and the Corps of Engineers, several other state government entities were responsible for some of the records contained here, including the Governor's Office; the Coastal Management Program; and the Public Service Commission. Communications from Wisconsin localities concerning the dredging activities in their ports are sometimes included as well. This range of concerned institutions indicates the vital importance of unimpeded navigation along Wisconsin's coastal and port areas.
Records include correspondence to and from DNR and other state agencies; reports and studies conducted by DNR and the Corps of Engineers; and other records concerning dredging operations, such as meeting summaries, certification requests from the Corps, etc. The majority of these records date from the 1970s-1980s, although some extend back into the late 1950s, when the Public Service Commission bore primary responsibility for dredging project supervision.
