USACE work plan boosts Lakes Erie and Ontario navigation by $17.6 million

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

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, received a total of $17.6 million in the fiscal year 2024 work plan for Army civil works to bolster navigation and structures across lakes Erie and Ontario.

The total FY24 budget, to include the conferenced budget and work plan, exceeds $226.2 million, paving the way for significant environmental, navigation, and civil works improvements across the Buffalo district area of responsibility.

“This will be the largest budget the Buffalo district has ever delivered for the American public,” said Lt. Col. Lyle Milliman, USACE Buffalo district commander. “Our work will address materials left from the Manhattan Project, rebuild critical infrastructure along the Great Lakes’ shoreline, and prepare many small harbors for dredging once funding is available. The future is bright, and our team is ready to deliver!”

Construction projects funded by the FY24 work plan:

• Bird Island Pier Repair, New York — $5,000,000
• Black Rock Lock Repair, New York — $5,250,000
• Oswego Harbor West Arrowhead Breakwater, New York — $450,000

Engineering and design projects funded by the FY24 work plan:

• Buffalo Harbor South Pier, New York — $260,000
• Cattaraugus Creek Harbor West Breakwater, New York — $500,000
• Pultneyville Harbor East Pier, New York — $1,300,000
• Fairport Harbor East Breakwater, Ohio — $500,000
• Rocky River Harbor East Pier, Ohio — $1,300,000

Many harbors across lakes Erie and Ontario have received funding through the FY24 work plan ($4.68 million total) for sediment sampling, dredging environmental coordination, and to work on dredged material management plans. This work prepares the harbors for future dredging by understanding the type of sediment in the harbor and where it is suitable for the dredged material to be placed.

Harbors funded include:

Dredged material management plans:

• Cleveland Harbor, Ohio
• Conneaut Harbor, Ohio
• Fairport Harbor, Ohio
• Lorain Harbor, Ohio
• Sandusky Harbor, Ohio
• Toledo Harbor, Ohio
• Erie Harbor, Pennsylvania

Environmental coordination:

• Cooley Canal Harbor, Ohio
• Irondequoit Harbor, New York
• Little River Harbor, New York
• Morristown Harbor, New York
• Olcott Harbor, New York
• Rocky River Harbor, Ohio
• Sackets Harbor, New York
• West Harbor, Ohio
• Pultneyville Harbor, New York

Sediment sampling and analysis:

• Cape Vincent Harbor, New York
• Cooley Canal Harbor, Ohio
• Irondequoit Bay Harbor, New York
• Little River, New York
• Morristown Harbor, New York
• Olcott Harbor, New York
• Port Ontario Harbor, New York
• Pultneyville Harbor, New York
• Rocky River Harbor, Ohio
• Sackets Harbor, New York
• West Harbor, Ohio
• Wilson Harbor, New York

Additional information regarding the entire Corps of Engineers’ fiscal year 2024 work plan can be found at https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Budget/#Work-Plans.