Blind Sodus Bay Dredging Starts

New York State Office of General Services Commissioner, RoAnn Destito, last week announced the start of dredging at Blind Sodus Bay in Wayne County as part of the State’s $15 million REDI Regional Dredging Project.

The initiative is addressing a backlog of projects at harbor navigation channels along the southern shore of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.

The dredging is a significant aspect of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s $300 million Resiliency & Economic Development Initiative (REDI) to repair and build resiliency in communities recovering from damage caused by high water levels and flooding.

“Governor Cuomo knows how eager people will be to enjoy all the great outdoor recreational opportunities New York State has to offer once restrictions on activities are lifted, and the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus is minimized,” Commissioner Destito said. “We know boaters are looking forward to that day, and the dredging at Blind Sodus Bay will provide them with greater opportunities to access Lake Ontario. It will also help support the tourism-related economic activities this region of the state depends on.”

Following the successful completion of dredging at the first project site at Port Bay in Wayne County late last year, the Blind Sodus Bay project is expected to take from two to five days, depending on conditions at the site and the weather.

A longarm excavator operating from the shore will be used to remove approximately 1,300 cubic yards of sediment and woody debris, clearing the way for boats to enter and exit through a 150-foot-long navigation channel located at the east of a barrier bar that extends across the mouth of the bay.

The dredged material will be placed just east of the channel and will be used to help fill in shoreline areas eroded by previous high water levels.