Scope and ContentStatistics about the Kalamazoo River and Saugatuck Harbor from a report by the Chief of Engineers, U. S Army, to the U. S House of Representatives, on January 15, 1932. --- At the village of Saugatuck, located about 2 miles above the mouth of the river on Kalamazoo Lake, a body of water about 3,400 feet long and 2,000 feet wide, there are several landing places for small steamboats and one for translake boats. At the village of Douglas, located on the south shore of the lake, there is a steamboat pier. These terminal facilities are available for general use, and, though none of them have railroad connection, are adequate for the existing traffic, which is entirely local in character. The greater part of Kalamazoo Lake is shallow, about three-fourths of the area being less than 13 feet deep, but suitable frontage in the vicinity of Saugatuck could be easily developed should a need for additional terminal facilities arise. There are no public wharves at Saugatuck Harbor. The commerce of the harbor has never been heavy, the average tonnage handled for the past 36 years being only 12,215 tons. During the past five years the commerce has been 1200 to 1,678 tons annually, consisting principally of shipments of fruits and vegetables, and receipts of sand and gravel. In 1926 a regular line of package-freight steamers operated tri-weekly between Saugatuck and Chicago from June to September, but only 150 tons of freight were handled at the harbor on these trips. In 1927 and 1928 the channel was not maintained and no regular boat line operated from the harbor. In 1929 regular service to Chicago was, resumed for the summer months, 12 trips being made, but receipts and shipments by this service amounted to only .797 tons. Regular service was again abandoned in 1930. The principal commodities handled in recent years have been fresh fruits and vegetables, grown locally and shipped to the Chicago markets, and sand and gravel received for road construction in the vicinity. The week-end sailings of the regular steamers when operated were arranged chiefly for the convenience of passengers going to and from the many summer resorts in this region and were not suitable for the fruit and vegetable products which must reach the market quickly. Consequently, much of this business has been diverted to Holland Harbor, 7 rules to the north, and South Haven Harbor, 19 miles to the south, from which daily shipments can be made.