The
Lake Erie-Niagara River Ice Boom, a device designed to control ice buildup in
the Niagara River, is set to go in the water this year on Dec. 16 or when the
water temperature reaches 39 degrees Fahrenheit.
The ice boom is a series of steel
pontoons strung together by steel cables, said Keith Koralewski, chief of water
management at the Army Corps of Engineers.
“The boom reduces the risk that ice
blockages will interfere with reducing hydropower production and reduces ice
damage to shoreline property,” Koralewski said.
The ice boom was created 55
years ago to reduce the amount of ice passing between Lake Erie and the Niagara
River.
When in position, the 8,800 foot ice
boom reaches across the outlet of Lake Erie, near the water intake of the city
of Buffalo.
The International Niagara Board of
Control installs, operates, and removes of the ice boom. The Army Corps performs the day-to-day operations
of the ice boom.
The boom is removed by April 1 of
each year, unless there is more than 250 square miles of ice remaining in the
eastern end of Lake Erie. By Gabrielle Kime and Conner Wilson
