OSWEGO – The outlet of the Salmon River at Port Ontario has been deepened and channel maintenance has been performed as crews recently finished removing a buildup of sand that narrowed the channel that boaters use to access Lake Ontario.
The safe harbor, built in 1986, had not been dredged since its construction. The natural currents of the lake, flowing from west to east as the waters move toward the St. Lawrence River, deposited sand and silt in and around the stone breakwalls. This deposition of sand developed a beautiful sand beach along the south side of the harbor, but also created hazardous situations for boaters entering or exiting the harbor when the lake presents large waves.
Any operation of this type must take into consideration its impact on the environment.
“The Regional Dredging Project will facilitate the beneficial reuse of dredge materials for a comprehensive sediment management program supporting natural protective features,” said Joseph Brill, Public Information Officer with the New York State Office of General Services.
The beaches to the north of the Salmon River will benefit from the relocation of sand.
“Sediments suitable for beneficial re-use should be used for ecosystem restoration or erosion management projects,” Brill said.
Dredging equipment arrived on August 9, making its way north from the Port of Oswego. A barge with two types of excavating machinery, and a barge capable of moving and dumping the dredging spoils, along with various support craft, made their temporary home in the mouth of the Salmon River.
The barges were positioned in several areas of the harbor over the course of the project, as the reach of the excavators was somewhat limited. A bright orange floating boom, known as a turbidity curtain, was placed in the river to limit the buildup of disturbed silt on the shoreline, and to protect delicate marine species. The dredging was projected to remove 3,600 cubic yards of material from the channel, in an area beginning from the Lighthouse Marina, extending 1,000 feet into Lake Ontario.
Funding for the project was secured by the Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI) regional dredging initiative. REDI, created by Governor Andrew Cuomo, was put in place to mitigate some of the damage caused by high lake levels, and as an effort to prepare communities for future economic and climate related challenges.
“The objective of the REDI Regional Dredging Project (RDP) is to provide a comprehensive approach to the ongoing dredging needs for harbor navigation channels that are used primarily for recreational boating and refuge in the region,” Brill said. “The completed dredging projects will safeguard recreational access and ensure these waterways continue generating economic activity that is critical for shoreline communities”
This program has funded many shoreline improvement projects on Lake Ontario.
The dredging was completed in a timely manner by Dean Marine Excavating.
According to Dean Williams, “Everything went smoothly with no complications.”
Recreational boaters were able to pass through the breakwalls with no delays during the completion of the project. The newly dredged channel will allow boaters to transit the channel without needing to pass too closely to one another, a hazard that is magnified during darkness, when depth perception is not as efficient. A sandbar that was building up near the northern pier has been removed, creating more room to maneuver.
The Salmon River channel into Lake Ontario will soon become busy with fishermen and women, as the fall salmon fishing season gets underway. This annual tradition draws visitors from many states, some of whom will be using the channel for the first time.
The completion of this dredging project will create a less hazardous situation for those who pass through the channel, especially for those not familiar with the area, or those transiting the passage during periods of darkness. The need to dredge in the future will be determined by the weather and currents of the Lake, two elements that are beyond human control.
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