Buffalo Harbor dredging campaign underway

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District recently began operations and maintenance (O&M) dredging of the Buffalo Harbor.

The work includes standard O&M dredging of 114,000 cubic yards, as well as 120,000 CY of strategic navigation dredging funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

It will take approximately 1.5 months for the contractor, Ryba Marine Construction from Cheboygan, Michigan, to complete the work.

According to the Corps, all dredging will take place within the federal navigation channel. Standard O&M dredging is taking place between the river mouth and station 132+00 (about one mile upstream of the Ohio Street bridge).

USACE also added that additional area will be dredged upstream of the South Park bridge. This will have the added benefit of alleviating ice jams in the area. Strategic navigation dredging will target residual contamination in five specific areas throughout the river.

“Regular dredging overseen by Buffalo district ensures a navigable channel for an increasingly bustling Buffalo Harbor,” said Congressman Brian Higgins.

“We’re excited to get to work dredging Buffalo Harbor and help ensure that the harbor remains accessible to commerce,” said Lt. Col. Eli Adams, Buffalo District commander.

The Buffalo Harbor is a major receiving and shipping port and critical Harbor of Refuge on the Great Lakes. The harbor requires approximately 100,000 cubic yards (CY) of dredging every two years to maintain the navigation channel.

The last dredging campaign, which removed around 125,000 CY of material, took place in 2018.