Buffalo River Revitalization: Shoreline Access and Habitat Restoration

By Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper and Great Lakes Commission

Lt. Gov. Hochul, Congressman Higgins join Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, 

Great Lakes Commission and NOAA to celebrate start of construction

Buffalo, N.Y. - As the 10-year effort to remove toxic sediment from the Buffalo River nears completion this summer, the focus now shifts to shoreline access and habitat restoration along this once-dead river. After nearly five years of planning and design work, construction is beginning at RiverBend and seven other locations along the Buffalo River that are essential for removing the river from the federal list of Great Lakes Areas of Concern by 2016.

To celebrate this next phase in the river's restoration, New York's Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Congressman Brian Hig gins (D-NY, 26th District), together with other state officials and local leaders, met today across from the RiverBend site. Restoration work there will transform the shoreline into a healthy and viable ecosystem and enhance recent economic development activity at this former brownfield site.

"This revitalization effort is a product of a thoughtful and historic public-private partnership that is restoring habitats and strengthening our local economy," said Lt. Gov. Hochul. "It was almost unheard of decades ago to imagine this site attracting new outdoor recreational opportunities - like fishing and boating - to our beloved shorelines. Today, it is clear that this investment has finally brought this dream into a reality."

"Federal investments combined with community-based action are bringing the Buffalo River back to life and breathing new life into our city," said Congressman Brian Higgins. "This progress was made possible thanks to the great collaboration of federal partners committed to the Great Lakes, private partners committed to investing in western New York's future and community partners, including outstanding leadership by Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper whose commitment is truly transforming Buffalo for generations to come."

When fully implemented, the projects will restore nearly two miles of shoreline and 20 acres of habitat at eight sites on the lower Buffalo River: RiverBend (east and west shorelines), River Fest Park, Blue Tower Turning Basin, Old Bailey Woods, Ohio Street Boat Launch, Toe of Katherine Street Peninsula and Buffalo Color Peninsula.

RIVERKEEPER FORUM: Unexpected Voices of the Great Lakes

 Join  Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper this Wednesday from 6:30pm-8:30pm for a very special event at the Albright-Knox Gallery: Unexpected Voices of the Great Lakes, a panel discussion featuring internally acclaimed photographer Edward Burtynsky, whose artwork is pictured below. Burtynsky will discuss how his connection to the Great Lakes shaped his craft and the predominant theme in his images, "nature transformed through industry." The panel discussion following Burtynsky's talk will include:
    •    Allan Jamieson, a member of the Wolf Clan of the Cayuga People. He has worked with numerous native communities on issues related to water access. He is a founder of Neto, a Native American nonprofit based in Buffalo that started the Buffalo Creek Treaty Canoe Paddle held annually on the Buffalo River.
    •    Sandy Smith Cunningham, an educator from Nichols School in Buffalo whose innovative seventh-grade science curriculum teaches the principles of chemistry through the lens of the Great Lakes and environmental resources. She has been deeply involved in Great Lakes education and outreach.
    •     Jill Jedlicka, executive director of Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper. Jedlicka is a recognizable local expert on water quality issues and Great Lakes policy. She will provide a rare insight and reflection of her own personal journey to lead one of the world's largest Waterkeeper organizations.

The panel also will include a student from South Park High School in Buffalo who is active in his school's efforts to educate and inform a new generation about the importance of the Great Lakes and its tributaries.

This event is a collaboration between Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper and the International Joint Commission's Great Lakes Water Quality Board.  


Please RSVP here. This event is free and open to the public. We hope to see you at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery (1285 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, New York) on Wednesday, May 13 from 6:30-8:30pm!

The Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper Team

[Click image to enlarge]

VIDEO: Buffalo - America's Best Designed City

RIVERKEEPER Educates Anglers about Polluted Fish

Buffalo Niagara RIVERKEEPER^® and GROW 716 are piloting a mobile messaging campaign called “Catch Of the Day.” Anglers are encouraged to text COD to 877-877, which then directs them to online information about local fish consumption advisories and healthier ways to eat local fish. The campaign encourages picture sharing of their “catch” on the GROW 716 webpage to show the incredible success of Western New York anglers! "Catch Of the Day" photos are posted to our facebook page: facebook/BNRiverkeeper

We have received some great press coverage from local and national media!  

Article in the Buffalo News: "Buffalo [Niagara] Riverkeeper educates immigrant anglers about dangers of WNY fish"

Associated Press article "Campaign teaches NY immigrants about polluted fish"

Read the article in the Wall Street Journal

Informational materials and booklets can be obtained by contacting Ba Zan Lin at 852-7483 ext 26 or blin@bnriverkeeper.org. Online information is available at EatFishWNY.org.

Share your fish photos and tell your friends to text COD to 877-877!!

EVENT: CITY of NIGHT - Saturday, Sept. 8, 4pm-2am

For details on activities at the CITY of NIGHT event, Click Here.

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Check out Silo City on the Buffalo River continues to emerge as a site for interesting artistic collaborations at Artvoice.

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Does anyone recall a song that mentions "City of Night"? It also mentions "City of Light." The song has nothing to do with the City of Night Event in Buffalo (The City of Light), but here is part of one verse:

"Are you a lucky little lady in the city of light?
Or just another lost angel, city of night, city of night,
City of night, city of night, whoa, come on!"

Click here for the answer and turn up the sound volume.
 

Public Workshop: Buffalo River Watershed Study

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is hosting a stakeholder workshop.

Saturday, April 30, 2011

9:30am to 12pm

West Seneca Senior Center

4620 Seneca Street

West Seneca, NY 14224 [Map]

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Buffalo District, is assessing the opportunity for a Buffalo River Watershed Study and has partnered with Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper on this effort. This workshop is the first opportunity to collaborate ideas that will lead to the completion of a reconnaissance-level study by the USACE. Significant remediation and restoration projects are slated to be implemented in the watershed over the next three years and your input will help to identify problems and opportunities to build upon this success and improve the health of the watershed.

The purpose of this workshop is to introduce the project and identify Buffalo River watershed concerns, opportunities and priorities. Your participation and input is requested as we work to identify problems and opportunities for protection and restoration of the water resources in your community.

The Buffalo River watershed encompasses nearly 280,000 acres (446 square miles) throughout Erie, Wyoming, and Genesee counties. The Buffalo River, and its three major tributaries (Buffalo Creek, Cayuga Creek, and Cazenovia Creek), flows through 21 municipalities prior to emptying into Lake Erie. [Click map to enlarge]

Please visit the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper website for additional information and to complete the Buffalo River Watershed Survey. We request that you complete the survey and bring it with you on the day of the meeting. If you are unable to attend the meeting, please return the survey via mail or email prior to April 30 , 2011 (submittal details included on survey form).

For questions, additional information, or to RSVP please contact Richard Tindell, Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper at 716.852.7483 ext 14 or rtindell@bnriverkeeper.org

Public-Private Partnership to Clean Up the Buffalo River

A unique public-private partnership is seeking to restore the Buffalo River channel to its pre-industrial quality by dredging over a million cubic yards of contaminated sediment and also clean up the river side slopes over the next three years.

The partners include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Army Corps of Engineers, NY state Department of Environmental Conservation, Honeywell and Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper.

“It has economic and ecological benefits ..." said Jill Jedlicka, director of ecological programs for Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper. “A restored river will not only benefit the Great Lakes, it will benefit local communities that use [that] resource, as well as future planned and proposed economic redevelopment within the region.”

$6 million has already been invested in the planning and research and evaluation of the studies. The cleanup cost is estimated at more than $40 million.

The Army Corps of Engineers will conduct the first phase, removing contaminated sediment in the federal navigation channel. The project is scheduled to begin June 15 is expected to be completed by Nov. 15.

In the spring of 2012, the second phase, to be implemented with the oversight of the U.S. EPA, will get under way to clean up the side slopes of the river along a 6.2-mile stretch of the lower river and a 1.4-mile stretch of the City Ship Canal, which is designated as a federal Area of Concern.

A public meeting was held on January 25. The partners are still seeking public comment on a preferred action plan, which is available at the DEC website.

Below is a map of the Buffalo River showing the location of the proposed dredging and restoration areas.

[click image to enlarge]

Volunteers - Spring Shoreline Sweep

Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper is seeking citizens to join the Spring Shoreline Sweep, to help clean up the shorelines in Western New York on Saturday, April 17, 9:00am to noon. We encourage all volunteers to participate in the movement to beautify Buffalo and Niagara’s waterways.

Families, community groups, employee groups, service clubs, scouts and individuals can help at 37 sites across Erie and Niagara Counties. Sites in great need of volunteers include: Scajaquada Creek, Broderick Park, Hoyt Lake, Seneca Bluffs, South Park, and more. For a complete list of sites, a map, and to register, Click Here .

For additional information, contact Adrienne Kina at 716.852.RIVER (7483) ext. 19, or akina@bnriverkeeper.org.


Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper cleanups are a part of, and made possible by, the Great American Cleanup, a nation-wide effort to Keep American Beautiful.

Restoring Greatness to the Great Lakes

Last year I posted a report on the need to clean up the Great Lakes, including then presidential candidate Obama's campaign promise to do just that.

President Obama has now signed legislation approving $475 million of funding as part of his Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Realizing the importance and scope of the cleanup, he has promised that the funding will add up to $5 billion over five years.

As reported by Jerry Zremski in The Buffalo News on November 6, 2009:

The funding greatly enhances the odds that Buffalo will receive federal funding for a $60 million project to remove contaminated sediments from the Buffalo River, said Julie O'Neill, executive director of the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper. It also boosts the chances of winning local funding for a habitat rehabilitation project on the Niagara River, O'Neill said.

Cited today in an Buffalo News Editorial entitled "Help for the lakes":

Not only will it help put Americans to work during this jobless recovery, it also takes advantage of the Great Lakes Compact, the 2008 agreement by the eight Great Lakes states to do their part to preserve the lakes. Tourism and fishing industries should also benefit, and with Buffalo’s waterfront about to take a giant leap ahead, that’s more good news for Western New York, whose fishing opportunities are unique.

See also earlier Re-ENERGIZE BUFFALO posts dealing with the Great Lakes.

Celebrate Boundary Waters Treaty: June 12

Friday, June 12, 5pm-11pm, Central Warf, Buffalo River

[click image to enlarge]

For more information about the Boundary Waters Treaty, read the article at Buffalo Rising and visit the website for Our Shared Waters.