In early April, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released its navigation work plan for FY2026. The overall plan outlines resources that will be used for dredging, structure maintenance, and other priorities at every port in the United States.
The USACE Detroit District staff have since compiled a summary/funding analysis of Great Lakes provisions indicating that the Great Lakes region will receive $516.47 million in navigation maintenance funding in FY2026 — an increase of more than $50 million (nearly 11%) over FY2025 levels.
Harbor maintenance spending on the Great Lakes has grown considerably over the last decade. This has been the result of strong advocacy by American Great Lakes Ports Association for full use of Harbor Maintenance Tax revenue, spending down the surplus balance of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, making the case for the region, and the requirement that no less than 13% of annual expenditures go to Great Lakes port and navigation projects.