The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division Commander BG, Mark Toy, last week toured the USACE Unity Island Beneficial Use of dredged sediment project.
The first of of its kind project on Lake Erie is a model for future projects on the Great Lakes, and an example of ”whole government“ working together, USACE said.
The beneficial use of dredged sediment Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) is a formal agreement between the City of Buffalo and USACE that allows the project to move forward with design and eventually construction.
As part of the project, the dredged sediment is being placed to create wetlands and allow for the planting of emergent and submerged plants throughout the North Pond. In addition, the existing stone dike was opened recently to connect the Niagara River with the North Pond, thereby allowing fish to pass between them.
The “beneficial use” project is the first of its kind in the Great Lakes, and is being done in conjunction with an ongoing demonstration project at Unity Island to replace invasive species in the region with native species to help promote the expansion of native biodiversity.