Just days after work was completed to protect the motor housings on controls for the Dyckman Avenue Bridge in the community of South Haven, the work is proving to have been fortuitous indeed as a midweek storm surge has once again caused widespread flooding in the South Haven Harbor along the Black River.
The churning winds and waves, excessive rain, and the already record high levels on nearby Lake Michigan teamed up this afternoon to bring some pretty startling views of marinas, docks, and other properties all along the Black River as captured by South Haven photographer Tom Renner who shared them with us so you could see first hand what the day has been like in the waterfront community.
The bascule bridge motor housings were not breached in an earlier surge last fall, but city officials realized it would be wise to have them raised to avoid potential damage at a later date, not expecting that such a date would come just days after the bridge had been repaired and reopened back on Friday.
One of the major marinas had already been officially closed for the entire boating season this year due to high water levels, and today’s striking imagery helps graphically depict why.
All photos here are courtesy of Tom Renner of South Haven. Click the link to see five additional photos he has shared:
