Sediment deposits that have accumulated along the bottom of Lake Ontario since it was last dredged in 2004 will be removed beginning Monday.

New York state Sen. Chuck Schumer announced Friday that the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) will start the dredging process at the Port of Oswego Authority to remove the excess sediment which has dangerously constricted access to waterways used by ships to deliver cargo. According to a press release, without his efforts to secure funding, the port would have had to delay the much-needed maintenance until 2009.

Silt accumulation in the port was found to be five times the recommended level in October 2007. Periodic dredging is necessary to maintain navigable water depths for the large ships that travel through the port. The port of Oswego is the only deep-water port on the U.S. side of Lake Ontario and maintaining correct channel depths is critical to its continued operations as such.

“Sen. Schumer’s office responded very quickly in a way where they took an overall look at the Great Lakes, saw the decrease in water levels and immediately went to work identifying funds for the port,” explained Jonathan Daniels, director of the Port of Oswego Authority. “Once Congress approved funding, his office contacted us to let us know that $650,000 would be allocated to our port for the dredging.”

In January, Schumer identified $6.5 million earmarked for the ACOE to fund backlogged dredging projects along the Great Lakes and Ohio River. He then contacted Lt. Gen. Robert Van Antwerp, the ACOE’s commanding officer to prioritize the situation at Oswego’s port.
Daniels reported that the lack of dredging was beginning to negatively impact shipping. “Last year, for example, Cargill brought in 45,000 tons of salt. They had to engage in ‘light loading’ – where ships aren’t able to take a full load so they’ll have the buoyancy to navigate the shallower waters in the port. The salt had to be loaded onto four vessels instead of three and the additional transportation costs are passed on to the consumer,” he explained.

Daniels stated that testing has already begun at the port, and scow barges and the deck barge that holds the cranes are already in place and ready to start removing the sediment.

“This is a giant-sized victory for the Port of Oswego and central New York that will allow the port to expand on its impressive growth,” Schumer said. “I am so glad that I could get the Army Corps of Engineers to make this a top priority and identifying the resources available so that dredging could start immediately.”