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Creating a wetlands wildlife habitat at Buffalo Outer Harbor

A $15 million plan would turn Slip 3 near Wilkeson Point into a wetland by closing much of its mouth and filling much of it in.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The agency in charge of Buffalo's Outer Harbor has come under fire by environmentalists for some of its plans, including an amphitheater.

However, the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC) believes another of its efforts, on the opposite end of the harbor, should be pleasing to all.

It involves turning Slip #3 near Wilkeson Point into a wetlands, which ECHDC hopes will become draw for visitors and an oasis for fish and wildlife. 

"This is a project that's going to bring coastal resiliency to the Outer Harbor, and it's going to allow another place for people to come out and enjoy the waterfront," ECHDC president Steve Ranalli said.

The first phase of the work would involve building a stone and rubble break wall across most of the mouth of the slip, built to accommodate freight ships a century ago.

"This will calm the waters keep this from getting choppy," Ranalli said.

The slip would then gradually be filled in with silt dredged from the nearby Buffalo River to make it much shallower than its current depth of 25 feet.

"Anywhere from about 2 to 3 feet deep near Fuhrmann Boulevard to 8-10 feet out near that break wall," Ranalli said, adding, "that material is now clean enough that we can bring it here and use it in a beneficial manner."

The break wall will keep the silt from being swept out into the lake and with the addition of root wads, logs, and gravel piles as seen in the diagram below. ECHDC says it should create an 7-acre oasis for fish and wildlife and provide recreation opportunities for fishermen and kayakers. 

Credit: Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation

"We're incredibly proud to be part of efforts like this," said Lt. Col. Eli Adams, Commander of the Buffalo District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who is partnering in the project with an estimated cost of $14.8 million.

The Corps completed a similar project on the north end of Unity Island.

Credit: US Army Corps of Engineers

"It's a significant amount of money," Adams said. "But in terms of the impacts and benefits we can certainly see that in improving the environment and local community."

While it is hoped that the break wall at the mouth of the slip will be completed by the fall of 2023, the material dredged from the river to form the habitat will be added incrementally, so the entire project won't be completed as envisioned for more a decade.

    

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