The thousands that head to South Haven for Independence Day fireworks will have to find somewhere else to go this summer.

Fox 17 reports that city officials have cancelled the annual July 3rd fireworks display due to high water levels for Lake Michigan.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has recorded all-time records for water levels in January and February and predicts those levels to raise 8 to 10 inches by July.

 The South Haven pier could become submerged, making it unsafe for the show.

City Manager Brian Dissette said in a release.,

“Fireworks are an event South Haven residents and visitors alike have enjoyed over the years, so it is disappointing to reach this decision.The safety of those staging the show, along with those watching, is our primary concern. With Lake Michigan at record levels, we all agreed it would be unsafe to try and host the fireworks off the North Pier, which is really the only place where we could safely launch them and be far enough away from residential neighborhoods.

 

There is a great deal of logistical complexity that goes into July 3 fireworks, which takes months of planning and coordination to execute. We felt it was important to communicate this decision now so that we didn’t invest time and money into planning an event we won’t be able to host safely.”

Dissette says city is considering adding fireworks to South Haven's New Year's Eve celebration.

 

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