Corps of Engineers working on critical repairs to Buffalo breakwater

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

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is actively repairing the Buffalo south breakwater, a vital structure for navigation in Buffalo Harbor that was severely damaged by winter weather in 2022 and 2023.

The breakwater is essential to maintaining safe harbor access for commercial ships bringing more than $43 million in business revenue to the region and protecting recreational sites from Great Lakes waves and weather.

•260 feet of the breakwater is being repaired with more than 10,000 tons of stone – some as large as 14.5 tons (approximately equal to a school bus or fire truck).

•Work is being conducted via a 100% federally funded, $2.2 million contract.

•Buffalo’s breakwaters protect Outer Harbor sites such as Buffalo Harbor State Park, the Port of Buffalo’s Small Boat Harbor, and Gallagher Beach.

“Buffalo’s south breakwater is a critical component of the Great Lakes Navigation System, supporting economic growth and strategic value to the nation, as well as great waterfront recreation,” said Lt. Col. Robert Burnham, USACE Buffalo District commander. “We’re proud to deliver this repair for residents and visitors from across the region, ensuring Buffalo’s waterfront continues serving the local community and the country.”

Winter weather in 2022 and 2023 caused a partial collapse of Buffalo’s south breakwater.

Repairs include fixing the crest and slopes of the structure using a rubble mound and stability berm with a total of more than 10,000 tons of stone in a variety of sizes.

Work is being conducted under a $2.2 million contract to Michigan-based Great Lakes Dock and Material LLC, with funding from the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022.

USACE has invested more than $17 million in repairs to the south breakwater in the past decade.

Image courtesy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District.

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Buffalo Harbor is a deep draft commercial harbor, interconnected with seven commercial ports across the Great Lakes. The harbor includes more than 4.5 miles of breakwater structures and 5.5 miles of federal channel on the Buffalo River. It serves as both a major shipping and receiving port and a harbor of refuge.

The harbor handled 1.1 million tons of cargo, including sand and gravel (31%), grain mill products (20%) and limestone (18%) in 2022. Waterborne transportation facilitated by the harbor supports $43.1 million in business revenue; 140 direct, indirect and induced jobs; and $12.3 million in labor income to the transportation sector.