BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is actively repairing the Buffalo South Breakwater, a vital structure for navigation in Buffalo Harbor that was severely damaged by winter weather in 2022 and 2023.
The breakwater is essential to maintaining safe harbor access for commercial ships bringing more than $43 million in business revenue to the region and protecting recreational sites from Great Lakes waves and weather.
- 260 feet of the breakwater being repaired with more than 10,000 tons of stone – some as large as 14.5 tons (approximately equal to a school bus or fire truck).
- Work is being conducted a 100% federally funded $2.2 million contract.
- Buffalo’s breakwaters protect Outer Harbor sites like Buffalo Harbor State Park, the Port of Buffalo’s Small Boat Harbor, Gallagher Beach, and more.
“Buffalo’s South Breakwater is a critical component of the Great Lakes Navigation System, supporting economic growth and strategic value to the nation, as well as great waterfront recreation,” said Lt. Col. Robert Burnham, USACE Buffalo District commander. “We’re proud to deliver this repair for residents and visitors from across the region, ensuring Buffalo’s waterfront continues serving the local community and the country.”
Winter weather in 2022 and 2023 caused a partial collapse of Buffalo’s South Breakwater.
Repairs include fixing the crest and slopes of the structure using a rubble mound and stability berm with a total of more than 10,000 tons of stone in a variety of sizes.
Work is being conducted under a $2.2 million contract to Michigan-based Great Lakes Dock and Material, LLC, with funding from the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022.
USACE has invested more than $17 million in repairs to the South Breakwater in the last decade.
Photos and video of the Buffalo South Breakwater are available at:
About Buffalo Harbor
Buffalo Harbor is a deep draft commercial harbor, interconnected with seven commercial ports across the Great Lakes. The harbor includes more than 4.5 miles of breakwater structures and 5.5 miles of federal channel on the Buffalo River. It serves as both a major shipping and receiving port and a harbor of refuge.
The harbor handled 1.1 million tons of cargo, including sand & gravel (31%), grain mill products (20%), and limestone (18%) in 2022. Waterborne transportation facilitated by the harbor supports $43.1 million in business revenue, 140 direct, indirect, and induced jobs, and $12.3 million in labor income to the transportation sector.
The Buffalo District delivers world class engineering solutions to the Great Lakes Region, the Army and the Nation to ensure national security, environmental sustainability, water resource management, and emergency assistance during peace and war.
For 250 years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been at the forefront of the nation’s engineering excellence, responding when called. From constructing fortifications during the Revolutionary War, to building the infrastructure that saw America’s strength grow militarily and economically, USACE’s mission has always been to deliver engineering solutions for our nation’s toughest challenges. Learn more about the USACE 250th anniversary at www.usace.army.mil/Home/250th.