Flooding ’s foe? Erie Canal icebreakers are ready to go
Tugboats, dredging device to be used in pilot program to try to prevent ice dams
Just in time for the onset of cold weather, the state Canal Corp. has started a pilot program to use tugboats and a dredging device to help keep part of the Erie Canal ice-free in order to prevent ice dams, or the buildup of melting ice that clogs the flow of water and can lead to springtime flooding.
The first phase this winter will involve testing how tugboats can limit the formation of sheet ice in the canal and Mohawk River upstream of the Vischer Ferry Dam past Rexford Gorge. The tugboats are under contract by New York State Marine Highway Transportation Company of Troy. They will be moored at Lock E-7 in Niskayuna.
Additionally, the Canal Corp. has an
amphibious dredging machine. This vessel will be used year-round for canal maintenance and will be tested for ice-breaking operations at Lock E-7 this winter.
The $65 million project to fight ice
jams is part of a larger $300 million, five-year program to “re-imagine the Erie Canal” that Gov. Andrew Cuomo rolled out in last January ’s State of the State address.
“Ice jams have long been a problem throughout the state, especially along the Mohawk River, so in line with our goal of bringing the Erie Canal into the 21st century, we’re piloting several innovative approaches that will reduce the threat of flooding and bring peace of mind to residents, and economic stability in the region,” the governor said in a prepared statement on Sunday.
Other plans include potentially altering the width and depth of the Mohawk River channel in critical locations, retrofitting the Vischer Ferry Dam at Lock E-7 with variable crest gates to enable the raising and lowering of water levels upstream at critical times.
Ice jams can cause problems throughout much of the canal system but the waterfront in Schenectady and Scotia are particularly vulnerable. Broken up ice chunks, which can weigh several tons, often blockade bridges along the
river, causing water to back up and flood lowlying spots like Schenectady ’s Stockade neighborhood.
“As the former mayor of Schenectady, I know firsthand that flooding from ice jams is serious and we believe our efforts this year will begin to help mitigate the ice and high-water challenges that Capital Region communities face each winter,” Canal Corp. Director Brian Stratton said.