BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — If you've been to Wilkeson Point at Buffalo's outer harbor lately, you may have noticed brown, murky water in one of the slips. The temporary discoloration is part of a multimillion-dollar restoration project that will transform slip three into a coastal wetland.
Gallons of sediment are being pumped into the slip to create an area of the harbor shallow enough to support a new natural habitat. The slip provides a place to put sediment dredged from the bottom of local waterways to clear the shipping navigation channel, before eventually supporting vegetation and wildlife.
"This helps maintain a good ecosystem in both the Buffalo River and Buffalo outer harbor," said Andrew Kist, the engineer for the Buffalo dredging project with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Kist said the sediment is tested in partnership with the EPA to ensure it is suitable for wildlife.
"It's also tested with our Engineering Research and Design Center in Mississippi - they do sediment sampling to make sure it's suitable for use here and won't pose any harmful effects to the wildlife here," Kist said.
Though the water is cloudy during the sediment placement, Kist says that will subside.
WATCH: Buffalo outer harbor slip to become coastal wetland
This is the first cycle of dredging and sediment placement for the multi-year project, which is costing $14.8 million, funded by the EPA and Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation, and won't be completed until 2035. That's because sediment takes time to build up, so the process is set to be repeated once every two years until approximately 2034. After that, vegetation will be planted to create the coastal wetland.
Despite the lengthy timeline, those enjoying the outer harbor Tuesday welcomed the plans.
"Restoring natural habitat along the coast of Lake Erie, I think, is a great thing," Tom Blalock said. "It's good for everybody; it's good for the environment, it's good for the animals, so I'm all for it."
Gary and Maria Michalski also expressed support for the project.
"I think it's an excellent idea because it promotes the nature," Gary said.
"Knowing nature is going to be just propagating here is wonderful; it will make it more peaceful," Maria agreed.
