BUFFALO, N.Y. — Another sign of what has been a mild winter for WNY, the removal of the Lake Erie ice boom is underway.
With no notable ice cover on the lake, and the absence of ice in the Maid of the Mist pool below Niagara Falls, crews will begin opening the boom's 22 spans.
This marks the second earliest removal since installation of the boom began during the winter of 1964. The earliest start date was February 28, 2012.
The boom is placed in the lake each year to reduce the amount of ice entering the Niagara River which, in turn, reduces the potential for ice jams which can damage shoreline property and signifincantly reduce water flow for hyrdo-electric power production.
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