More than $1.8 Million to Stabilize and Safeguard West Barrier Bar Park Shoreline
Nearly $719,000 for King Street Boat Ramp and Parking Area Improvements to Ensure Continued Access to Boat Launch During High Water Events
$656,500 to Stabilize Shoreline and Protect Lake Street Pumphouse
$487,600 to Repair and Elevate Retaining Wall at Cottage Street Public Park, Mitigating Future Flooding
Part of New York State's $300 Million Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of a series of flood resiliency projects in the Village of Fair Haven, Cayuga County. The Village was awarded $3.7 million to complete four projects through New York State's Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative. These REDI-funded projects will help mitigate the impact of future high-water events and improve the resiliency of Cayuga County's shoreline.
"New York has a special responsibility to be stewards of the Great Lakes and protect them for the people who live in these communities and the businesses that operate here," Governor Hochul said. "While residents who live and work along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River have faced tremendous challenges in recent years, New York is taking action to help build stronger, more resilient communities. Today's completion of improvements in Fair Haven will help protect the village from future high-water events and ensure that it prospers for future generations."
In 2019, Lake Ontario had record high water levels that resulted in devastating floods throughout communities along the lake's shoreline. These severe weather events degraded public infrastructure and restricted public use of popular tourist destinations like the West Barrier Bar Park, negatively impacting public safety and local economies. The village was awarded $5.25 million by the REDI Commission for a total of six projects. The $1.45 million Philips Park Walkway REDI project is ongoing. The village's sixth and final resiliency project, the Standbrook Park improvements project, received $73,900 from the REDI Commission and is anticipated to begin later this spring. Today's announcement of completed projects are:
West Barrier Bar Park, $1,863,381: Continued flooding and intense wave action eroded the shorelines of the barrier bar, causing sections of the park to become inundated and inaccessible for public use. The West Barrier Bar Park flood mitigation project included regrading the Lake Ontario shoreline to return the beach to ideal conditions that allow the public to access the water and make an enjoyable beach and park experience. Additionally, an offshore rock sill was installed to help create a living shoreline to reduce wave energy and protect the Little Sodus Bay shoreline from erosion.
King Street Ramp, $718,619: The King Street boat ramp and parking area is located on the west side of Little Sodus Bay. The boat launch is one of the main access points for recreation in the bay, drawing tourists from across the State. Maintaining the use of the boat ramp and parking area during high water events was critical for supporting local businesses located around the bay. Resiliency measures undertaken at the King Street boat ramp and parking area included raising the elevations of the existing retaining walls, replacement of heaved concrete boat ramp slabs, and the installation of guardrails along the top of the retaining walls.
Lake Street Pump House, $656,500: High lake levels left the Lake Street pump house vulnerable to inundation, placing this important public utility at risk for failure and compromising water quality. The pump house serves Fair Haven State Park and local residences. Flood mitigation implemented in the project included the installation of steel sheet piling and rip rap along the shoreline to control erosion and mitigate future flooding.
Little Sodus Harbor/Cottage Street Public Park, $487,600: Cottage Street Public Park is located on the east side of Little Sodus Bay and is a main access point of recreation in the bay. Ensuring that the park's boat ramp and docking area remain usable during high water and that there is continued access to the Little Sodus Bay is important to support the local tourist economy. Mitigation measures implemented in the Cottage Street Public Park flood resiliency project included the repair of the existing concrete boat ramp, raising the heights of existing retaining walls, and adding a guardrail on top of the retaining walls. Additionally, the current wooden dock was replaced with a floating dock and the asphalt drive to the launch was repaired and regraded.
In response to the extended pattern of flooding along the shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, New York State established REDI to increase the resilience of shoreline communities and bolster economic development in the region. Five REDI Regional Planning Committees, comprised of representatives from eight counties (Niagara and Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Cayuga and Oswego, and Jefferson and St. Lawrence) were established to identify local priorities, at-risk infrastructure and other assets, and public safety concerns. Through REDI, the State has committed up to $300 million, to benefit communities and improve resiliency in flood prone regions along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.
Since the creation of the State's REDI program in the Spring of 2019, 134 REDI funded local and regional projects are underway, including 41 projects in the design phase, 41 projects in the construction phase, and 52 projects completed.
For additional information, project profiles and REDI news, click here.
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