Benton Harbor City Commissioners have approved joining a St. Joseph River Harbor Authority with the city of St. Joseph and St. Joseph Township.

At a meeting Tuesday, the commission approved the resolution to do so without comment. The authority would have the ability to approve an assessment near the areas to be dredged, whenever it’s needed. That’s as the river depth last year was reported as getting too low to allow for boat traffic and it was realized there’s not currently a body in place to collect funds for such dredging.

Berrien County has since secured a permit from the state to allow dredging this year and is waiting on final approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. However, it won’t pay for the dredging.

Berrien County Community Development Director Dan Fette told us Tuesday that final permit from the Army Corps could come any day now and that marinas in the area are talking about raising funds to cover the dredging this spring, although he’s not involved in the talks.

Meanwhile, with the Benton Harbor City Commission now having voted to join the new Harbor Authority, St. Joseph City Commissioners and St. Joseph Township Trustees will have to do the same. If all goes as planned, there could be a Harbor Authority up and running by this summer.