Posted on August 27, 2026
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A portion of Buffalo’s Outer Harbor is getting a makeover, not to make it more attractive to humans, but to area wildlife.
Buffalo’s harbor is a shipping hub, handling more than a million tons of cargo annually. But soon, traffic in the harbor won’t be exclusive to boats. Slip 3 at Wilkeson Pointe is transforming into a home for local fish and birds.
“We’re looking to improve it for natural species,” said Antonio Parker, a project manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Parker, with Andrew Kist, is part of the team of engineers working to turn an abandoned shipping slip into a wetland habitat. The plan is to raise the depth of the slip so that plants can eventually grow.
The material used to fill the slip is locally sourced.
“Eighty thousand cubic yards of sediment, all pulled from the Buffalo River, will be placed here this year,” Kist said.
“We would have to find a place for that dredge material elsewhere, anyway,” Parker said. “So instead of hauling it off to a further site, say in another state, we’re using it right here.”
The project is a plus for both the Buffalo River and harbor.
“Getting any potentially contaminated sediment out of the navigational channel and putting it here helps maintain the good ecosystem,” Kist said.
The sediment can sometimes contain toxic materials. According to Kist, it’s mostly from material flaking off the bottom of boats. Because of that, it has to be disposed of carefully.
“Instead of putting it back out in the open lake, we put it in here to give time for the sediment to kind of settle out and filter through,” Kist said.
The sediment is tested by the EPA to make sure it is safe and will eventually be filtered by the plants.
The project helps save on costs, creates new opportunities for preservation and allows Buffalonians to continue to visit Wilkenson Pointe as a quiet spot to take in the waves.
The Army Corps of Engineers says Slip 3 will reopen for kayaking by mid-September, with plans for the project to be complete by 2035.
