Dredging underway at Oak Orchard Harbor

New York Governor, Kathy Hochul, announced yesterday that dredging is underway at Oak Orchard Harbor, a navigation channel in Orleans County.

The accumulation of silt, sand, and other debris can cause areas like Oak Orchard Harbor to become obstructed overtime.

According to Hochul, the dredging project will remove built-up sediment from the bottom of the waterway to allow for continued safe passage of watercraft to support the tourism economy and preserve wildlife in the region.

Dredging of the navigation channel is part of a $15 million Regional Dredging Initiative through the State’s Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative.

“Communities along Lake Ontario have been forced to grapple with the impacts of extreme weather and flooding for the past several years and New York is doing everything within its power to bolster the shoreline and ensure we do not see a repeat of 2019,” Governor Hochul said. 

“By undertaking these types of dredging and resiliency efforts, we are not only keeping people safe and easing the minds of lakefront homeowners, but also protecting the wildlife in the coastal habitats and helping boost tourism by creating safe recreational access for boaters.”

The Oak Orchard Harbor project will remove approximately 8,400 cubic yards of sediment using mechanical dredging. 

The dredging fleet for the Oak Orchard project includes a barge, excavator and two dump scows, as well one tugboat and one work boat to support the overall operation.

Removed sediment will be placed in a designated nearshore area to the east of the harbor.