It's time for the annual installation of the ice boom in the waters off western New York.
The ice boom is installed each year at the eastern end of Lake Erie, where it empties into the Niagara River, to restrict the amount of lake ice entering the river.
That helps minimize ice jams in the river that can damage docks and cause flooding. It also maintains water flow in the river for production of hydro-electric power.
The two-mile ice boom is a chain of floating steel pontoons that is strung from Buffalo to Fort Erie, Ontario.
It's slated to be installed on Monday and will be removed in March or April.
