Boating safety encouraged as construction of Outer Harbor wetland begins

(Image courtesy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District)

Fri June 7, 2024 3:50 p.m.

Press release and image

Submitted by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Buffalo District is urging boaters to use caution as construction begins on the submerged stone wall at the entrance to Shipping Slipway 3 on the Outer Harbor.

The buoys that marked the submerged wall were removed, allowing Ryba Marine Construction Co. to complete the placement of additional bedstone, 4.8 feet of subbed stone, and 7.2 feet of bedding stone. shell.

“We understand that this area is a popular place for kayaking and fishing, so we ask the public to allow some space for heavy machinery when laying the stone,” said Tim Noon, project manager of USACE. “During a few short weeks of construction, followed by the placement of dredged materials, the result will be a project that provides a biodiverse ecosystem with lasting benefits for generations to come. »

Previous construction from September to October 2023 included the placement of 17,200 tonnes of bedding stone at the opening of Berth 3. The placement of the bedding stone late last year enabled the stone from displacing the silty sediments at the bottom of the hold and settling over the winter.

The completed breakwater will span the entire mouth of the slipway, with a portion submerged to allow for connectivity to Lake Erie and improved health of future wetlands. Construction of the breakwater (Phase 1) is expected to be completed in July 2024, after which material dredged from the Buffalo River will begin to fill the slipway (Phase 2).

Additional project information and safety signs will be installed along Fuhrman Boulevard, outside of Slipway 3 and nearby Wilkeson Point to keep the public informed and help ensure safety on site.

Benefiting from partial funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and a cost-sharing partnership with Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp., the overall $14.8 million project of dollars aims to reverse the degradation of coastal wetlands in the Niagara River system and throughout the Great Lakes. Decades of industrial development and shoreline hardening have reduced fish nursery and spawning habitats in these areas.

√ Graphics and photos available at: https://flickr.com/photos/buffalousace/albums/72177720310056773/

√ Site renderings are available at: https://esd.ny.gov/sites/default/files/ECHDC-slip-No3-images.pdf