Niagara River AOC Habitat Restoration and Sediment Remediation Work

On this page:

Buffalo Outer Harbor
Ralph Wilson Park
Buckhorn Island/ Grass Island
Emerald Shiner Fish Passage
Spicer Creek Wildlife Management Area
Completed Projects

Restoration Project: Buffalo Outer Harbor Slip #3 Restoration Project

Aerial image of breakwall installed at edge of slip. (Credit: USACE Buffalo District)

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) began placing clean sediment that was dredged from the Buffalo River into the slip in August 2024. Construction began in fall 2023 with the installation of a breakwater at the end of the slip.

Clean sediment that was dredged will be placed into the slip over three biannual cycles, concluding in 2028. After the final placement cycle, USACE will shape the sediment and provide additional final habitat features, including rock piles, tree root wads, and gravel beds.

When complete, the project will create 6.7 acres of shallow water habitat. The new habitat will provide improved conditions for submerged and emergent vegetation types that are important to native fish and birds.

The project was identified as an important management action by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and other AOC partners to address the Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat BUI.

Restoration Project: Ralph Wilson Park Habitat Restoration

Aerial of the construction area with equipment and the seawall.

The Ralph Wilson Park Habitat Restoration Project began construction in fall 2023 and will be nearly complete in fall 2024. Plantings plantings and shoreline site restoration work will continue in 2025.

The project involves removing a collapsing section of seawall, improving the resilience of the shoreline, and createing a new embayment as a habitat feature.

Approximately 5.6 acres of restored and created shallow water habitat will provide habitat for fish and other species.

When complete, project will advance efforts towards the removal of the Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat BUI.

Restoration Project: Buckhorn Island/ Grass Island

Grass Island is a 13.5-acre lobster shaped partially submerged marshland off Buckhorn Island State Park. The island provides spawning and nursery habitat for fish and nesting habitat for waterfowl. Furthermore, it is a key stopover site for purple martins during migration as they spend one- or two-weeks during May and August before going to South America.

With the goal of maintaining and expanding wetland and aquatic habitat, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funded $5.5 million in habitat restoration projects at several locations. The restoration package included adding new rock reefs, root wads and aquatic vegetation to Grass Island. The installation of rock reefs protects vegetation from waves and ice scour. The construction of the rock reefs has helped lure birds back as seen with the return of a robust purple martin populations to the area.

The Grass Island Restoration project is one of four habitat restoration sites that is considered to have a significant impact on the removal of the Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat and Degradation of Fish and Wildlife Populations BUIs.

Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat
Degradation of Fish and Wildlife Populations

Restoration Project: Emerald Shiner Fish Passage

In May of 2022, the Emerald Shiner Fish Passage restoration project was completed along the Niagara River adjacent to Broderick Park in the City of Buffalo. Funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), this project repaired approximately 78 feet of the existing seawall and installed baffles designed to reduce the water velocity below what is necessary to support emerald shiner migration.

Phase II of the project, which includes the extension of the baffles along the remaining 700 feet of the seawall is anticipated to be complete in December 2026.

Once the project is complete, Emerald Shiner will have migratory access to Lake Erie. The improved fish passage will help meet Fish Community Objectives and will contribute to the removal of the Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations BUI.

Restoration Project: Spicer Creek Wildlife Management Area

Spicer Creek Wildlife Management Area is a 34-acre area managed by The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Located in Grand Island along East River Road, the area includes approximately 26 acres of wetland, 8 acres of brushland and woodland, and a portion of the Niagara Riverbed. Historically, the Niagara River had extensive coastal wetlands however most of the wetlands have been degraded by industrialization, development and pollution.

DEC and U.S. EPA in collaboration with state and federal partners, restored wetland habitat through the promotion of shallow-water vegetation growth near the shoreline with the placement of low-profile berms. In total, this restoration project restored 16 acres of habitat along the Grand Island Shoreline and approximately 3,760 linear feet of shoreline. Construction was completed in 2022. This $2.2 million project was funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

Restoring the Spice Creek Wildlife Management Area will have a significant impact on the Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat and Degradation of Fish and Wildlife Populations BUIs.

Completed Projects

Restoration Project: East River Marsh Extension

Map of Habitat Restoration Improvements to East River Marsh. Map courtesy of NYSPRHP. — Habitat Restoration Improvements to East River Marsh. Map courtesy of NYSPRHP.

The New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (NYSPRHP) received Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funding in 2003 to expand on improvements to the East River Marsh. The East River Marsh Project area faced several challenges including shoreline erosion, loss of habitat, lack of wetlands along the river’s edge, and few places for fish and wildlife to breed. This project was completed the summer of 2019 and included the installation of five rock reefs that will protect the shoreline, stabilize riverbanks, and reduce erosion. This will encourage submerged and emergent vegetation growth and expand river wetland habitats.

Additionally, the project included two areas of shoreline dredging creating potholes, channels, and open water. The project also included the installation of cable logs, rock sills, and crib boxes, extensive planting of native aquatic vegetation, shrubs and trees. The restored riparian area will provide habitat for a variety of fish, birds, and other wildlife.

Photo of An aerial view showing the constructed rock reefs protecting the shoreline. Image courtesy of NYSPRHP. — An aerial view showing the constructed rock reefs protecting the shoreline. Image courtesy of NYSPRHP.

Protection and enhancement of shallow water coastal wetlands has been identified by the Remedial Advisory Committee for the Niagara River AOC as a priority action required for the removal of the following BUIs:

Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat
Degradation of Fish and Wildlife Populations

An interagency subcommittee has prioritized this and five related projects along the Grand Island shoreline due to the perceived opportunities to restore this threatened and valued habitat type. The East River Marsh Extension Restoration Project enhanced over 9 acres of habitat along more than 1,000 feet of shoreline.

Restoration Project: Burnt Ship Creek

Photo of Channeling, potholing and past dredging work in the Burnt Ship Creek is shown from an aerial photo. Image courtesy of NYSPRHP. — Channeling, potholing and past dredging work in the Burnt Ship Creek is shown from an aerial photo. Image courtesy of NYSPRHP.

The Burnt Ship Creek was a former stream channel that had been encroached by hybrid cattail. This encroachment restricted aquatic and wildlife passage and reduced biodiversity and productivity.

The restoration project involved dredging out extensive cattail growth along Burnt Ship Creek and planting a variety of native submerged and emergent vegetation. This will restore the stream channel, increase open water, and improve water movement through the marsh. These enhancements provide access and use of the marsh by fish and wildlife, allowing fish passage into the wetland and habitat enhancement for fish, waterfowl and other wildlife, while increasing native plant diversity and resilience.

Construction was completed in 2020. The project included about 900 feet of dredging for fish passage, cover habitat enhancements and open water habitat feature enhancements. The project also reconnected the Niagara River to an extensive wetland at Buckhorn Island State Park, providing access for fish and wildlife again.

The photo shows the extensive wetland at Buckhorn Island State Park. Burnt Ship creek is the access into that wetland from the Niagara River. Image courtesy of NYSPRHP

The Burnt Ship Creek Restoration project is considered to have a significant impact on the removal of the following BUIs:

Degradation of Fish and Wildlife Populations
Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat

Black Rock Canal Cleanup

photo of An aerial photo shows the Black Rock Canal between unity island and the sewage treatment plant in the foreground and the City of Buffalo in the background. — An aerial photo shows the Black Rock Canal between unity island and the sewage treatment plant in the foreground and the City of Buffalo in the background.

The Black Rock Canal is a Federal harbor in the Niagara River Watershed in Buffalo, NY and falls within the Niagara River AOC. This project involved the planning, design and removal of about 180,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments from the navigation channel in order to support the removal of several BUIs. The dredging removed legacy sediment, material which contained industrial contaminants from years past. The sediment was dredged in 2014 and 2015.

This project was considered a strategic navigation dredging project under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, because the Canal was not planned to be dredged by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and it was a necessary project for BUI removal.

Completion of the project advanced efforts towards the removal of the following BUIs:

Degradation of Benthos
Restrictions on Dredging Activities
Bird or Animal Deformities or Reproduction Problems

The Black Rock Canal Cleanup Project was a collaborative effort among the following project partners:

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers