Ice on Lake Erie delays American Mariner's transit, boom removal

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — What seemed like another large ship stranded in the ice on Lake Erie Monday wasn’t actually the case.

The American Mariner, according to the United States Coast Guard, was stopped as a standard part of the vessel’s transit process. The Coast Guard said the vessel is simply waiting for a pre-planned tug to navigate nearly 500 square miles of ice — which is close to three feet thick — still covering the lake.

“They got underway this morning and they were waiting in the basin area for the tug assist to reach them,” said a USCG Sector Eastern Great Lakes spokesperson.

The Coast Guard said Monday’s situation was different from when the Manitoulin got stuck in January. The vessel can move this time — but it needs help getting to open water.

Help came in the form of Canadian Coast Guard Ship Griffon and G-tug Oklahoma around 4 p.m.

“In prior years, we hadn’t seen a case like this. So, for it to continue into April around this area is out of the norm for what we’ve seen recently,” said a USCG Sector Eastern Great Lakes spokesperson.

The only thing standing in the way of the ice going down the Niagara River is the ice boom.

“The frequency and duration of ice coming down is what the boom is meant to prevent,” said Lou Paonessa from the New York Power Authority.

Paonessa said the removal of the ice boom usually marks the change of the season here in Western New York. And while it is spring, the ice boom is here to stay for at least the next couple of weeks.

“The IJC (International Joint Commission) gives us the order of approval to remove the ice boom when there’s less than 250 square miles of ice, or April 1, whichever comes first. Unfortunately, this year, April 1 is going to come before there’s less than 250 square miles of ice,” said Paonessa.

This is the first time since 2019 that the ice boom hasn’t been removed by the start of April. Paonessa added that the boom is still damaged, with over 10 pontoons being dislodged this year, compared to an average of two in the past.

“This is one of the worst winters as far as finding loose pontoons and even a break in the boom itself. One of the anchor cables that anchors to the bottom of the lake and spans up top was broken,” said Paonessa.

I spoke off camera with West Seneca residents who live on Lexington Green, a street in West Seneca that has had its fair share of floods due to ice jams. They said that despite the conditions, all has been well with very little ice making its way down Buffalo Creek.

“Nothing to be worried about right now,” said Paonessa.

Paonessa said that the New York State Power Authority, the Army Corps of Engineers and the International Joint Commission will be meeting again this week to discuss next steps for the boom’s removal, but for now its fate is in the hands of Mother Nature.

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