Governor Andrew Cuomo announced dredging has begun at Little Sodus Bay, a navigation channel in Cayuga County, used by boaters to access Lake Ontario from Little Sodus Bay.
The accumulation of silt, sand, and other debris can cause areas like Little Sodus Bay to become obstructed overtime. The dredging project will remove built-up sediment from the bottom of the waterway to allow for continued safe passage of watercrafts to support the tourism economy and preserve wildlife in the region.
The Little Sodus Bay project will remove approximately 6,000 cubic yards of sediment using a long reach excavator with a clamshell bucket operated from a floating barge. The sediment will be placed in a self-dumping scow barge. The barge will then be tugged to the shoreline east of the navigation channel, where the sediment will be deposited to rebuild and protect the beach.
Future regional dredging initiative sites include:
– Oswego County: Salmon River/Port Ontario
– Niagara County: Olcott Harbor, Golden Hill State Park
– Orleans County: Oak Orchard Harbor, Johnson Creek
– Monroe County: Sandy Creek, Braddock Bay, Long Pond Outlet, Irondequoit Bay
– Wayne County: Bear Creek Harbor, Pultneyville
– Jefferson County: Clayton French Creek Marina, Henderson “The Cut”
– St. Lawrence County: Ogdensburg “City Front Channel,” Morristown Navigation Channel
