Project record

Buffalo Harbor 2026 dredging and Slip 3 wetland placement

Aerial view across the U.S. Coast Guard Buffalo Station, Buffalo South Pier and Buffalo River in May 2022

U.S. Army photo by USACE Buffalo District

USACE Buffalo District awarded Ryba Marine Construction a USD 2.3 million contract for approximately 190,000 cubic yards of mechanical dredging from Buffalo Harbor's outer-harbor and river federal channels. The published plan sends about 110,000 cubic yards to confined disposal facility #4 and about 80,000 cubic yards to Shipping Slip 3 for a future 6.7-acre wetland.

Project signal

Award in United States

Keep the navigation contract and wetland build-out on separate acceptance records. The dredging package needs mobilisation, measured quantities, route-specific placement and post-dredge channel evidence. Slip 3 then needs verified fill levels, habitat works and later ecological monitoring before the wetland is described as delivered.

Current status USD 2.3 million Ryba award confirmed; field start scheduled from 18 July 2026 Source confidence Confirmed

Location

United States / Americas

Segment

Port infrastructure

Status

USD 2.3 million Ryba award confirmed; field start scheduled from 18 July 2026 / Confirmed

Evidence reviewed

17 July 2026

Controlled taxonomy

Related sectors

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Knowledge context

Related knowledge topics

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Project anatomy

Scope, counterparties, and execution logic

Client / authority
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District
Delivery parties
Ryba Marine Construction Co.
Contract route
USD 2.3 million federal maintenance-dredging contract awarded in April 2026
Execution window
Dredging expected to start as early as 18 July 2026; Slip 3 placement estimated for 1-25 August 2026
Works package
Mechanical dredging of approximately 190,000 cubic yards, with about 110,000 cubic yards routed to CDF #4 and about 80,000 cubic yards routed to Shipping Slip 3
Marine interfaces
Federal navigation channels in Buffalo's outer harbor and river channel, mechanical dredging, split sediment routing, confined disposal and staged wetland placement in an abandoned shipping slip
Commercial read
The contract is specific, funded and close to its planned start, but the 17 July release is still a start notice. The two receiving routes have different capacity, environmental and acceptance conditions, so one total quantity cannot close both work fronts.
Next milestone
Accountable evidence of mobilisation from 18 July, followed by route-specific measured placement and post-dredge channel surveys

Material change register

What changed, when, and what it proves

Only source-bound events that alter phase, scope, counterparties, delivery, completion, commissioning, or acceptance are listed. A change can advance the record without proving the next gate.

USACE published the 2026 start plan and two-route material split

The release identifies Ryba, a USD 2.3 million award, approximately 190,000 cubic yards, a start as early as 18 July, and separate CDF #4 and Slip 3 quantities. These are contracted and planned values, not measured field results.

Read controlling source

The Outer Harbor wetland entered its staged construction sequence

USACE and Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation described a 6.7-acre Slip 3 wetland requiring approximately 285,000 cubic yards over an estimated three dredging cycles, followed by planting and habitat features. That programme baseline does not establish current fill or ecological performance.

Read controlling source

A prior Buffalo campaign set a historical Ryba baseline

USACE awarded Ryba a separate USD 991,500 contract for approximately 80,000 cubic yards routed to the harbor CDF. That earlier contract shows recurring two-year maintenance but is not evidence of 2026 production.

Read controlling source

Delivery watch

Evidence needed next

Accountable evidence of mobilisation from 18 July, followed by route-specific measured placement and post-dredge channel surveys

Decision watchpoints

  • Ryba plant mobilisation and the actual first day of dredging
  • Measured quantity removed from the outer harbor and river channel
  • Actual split between CDF #4 and Shipping Slip 3
  • Sediment testing and receiving-site acceptance records
  • Survey confirmation that the federal channels returned to their maintained depths
  • Slip 3 fill level, later planting and the 6.7-acre habitat outcome

Related records 2

Project availability status

This public project page is a tracked market record rather than a tender notice, contractual commitment, or commercial instruction. Use the status, confidence label, evidence-review date, and source note together when judging how much weight to place on the signal.

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Record control

Evidence reviewed date is not a project-event date.

IMWO changes phase, participants, scope, completion, or acceptance wording only when a dated source establishes the change. The review date records when the evidence set was checked; it does not claim that physical work changed on that date.

Evidence reviewed 17 July 2026 Sources in this record 5

Source record

USACE's 17 July 2026 release controls the current award, contractor, 190,000-cubic-yard scope, planned start and 110,000/80,000-cubic-yard routing split. That release stops before mobilisation, production or completion. The December 2023 wetland release defines Slip 3's 6.7-acre target and approximately 285,000 cubic yards over several dredging cycles; the current 80,000 cubic yards is one planned contribution, not wetland completion. The Buffalo Harbor and CDF #4 fact sheets provide channel and facility baselines. The 2022 Ryba award is historical campaign context only.

Phase: award. Evidence reviewed: 17 July 2026.

Project sources 5