Underwater repairs being made to ice boom cables and anchors

Repairs are being made to the pieces that support the Lake Erie-Niagara River ice boom.

This week, a crane barge has been visible from the Fort Erie waterfront in the area where the boom is installed each year to reduce the amount of ice that flows from Lake Erie and into the Niagara River.

What is taking place currently is anchor cable repair work, the New York Power Authority said in a statement to Fort Erie Radio.

“We are using diver support for disconnecting and connecting the new cables at the anchor heads, and any sediment excavation necessary to accomplish this,” reads the statement.

“To perform this work, we use the steel anchoring spuds to hold the barge in position while the diver performs their work,” the statement continues.

No timeline related to how long the work will take place was provided.

Large formations of ice flowing from Lake Erie into the Niagara River caused a breakage in the boom last January.

The ice boom is designed to allow ice to flow overtop of it when there are high winds creating a lot of pressure on the spans.

It is designed to submerge, when this occurs, and allow the ice to override it until the pressure is relieved.

Each winter since 1964, the boom has been installed near the outlet of Lake Erie to reduce the amount of ice entering the Niagara River. A reduction in ice entering the river reduces the potential for ice jams, which can result in damage to shoreline property and significantly reduce water flow for hydroelectric power production, says the IJC’s website.

The cost of the ice boom is managed by Ontario Power Generation and the New York Power Authority.

Placement of the boom and its spans occurs when the Lake Erie water temperature in Buffalo reaches four degrees Celsius or on December 16, whichever comes first.

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