SCHUMER ANNOUNCES FEDS HAVE AGREED TO CRITICAL FIRST STEP IN DEVELOPING ICE-CONTROL PLAN FOR WEST SENECA TO LIMIT ICE JAMS & FLOODING ALONG BUFFALO CREEK – FOLLOWING SCHUMER’S PUSH, ARMY CORPS TO LAUNCH STUDY; SENATOR URGES STUDY TO BE COMPLETED QUICKLY & WILL PUSH FOR PLAN TO BE IN PLACE ASAP

Schumer Urged U.S. Army Corps to Work with West Seneca to Develop Plan to Install Ice Control Devices in Buffalo Creek Following Numerous Ice Jams That Flooded Hundreds of Homes

Army Corps Has Agreed To Execute Ice Jam Study in West Seneca & Identify Potential Solutions – This is An Important Step Toward Preventing Constant Struggle Local Homeowners Face Each Winter

Schumer to Army Corps: Ice Jam Study is A Good Start; Must Lead to Action

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has agreed to begin a study of the ice jam problem in West Seneca along Buffalo Creek, a critical first step toward implementing an ice-control plan that would limit flooding caused by ice jams in Buffalo Creek. Schumer visited West Seneca last winter to urge the Army Corps to take action since ice jams have become a major problem for many communities in Western New York, and have led to particularly severe flooding in West Seneca along Buffalo Creek. Schumer noted that the USACE has implemented ice-control plans in the region before, including in Cazenovia Creek, where it installed steel and concrete pylons. Other ice control options include sediment removal and bank stabilization.

Schumer said this USACE study will assess the underlying problems causing the ice jams and propose potential solutions. The study is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year and will be done in coordination with West Seneca officials. If USACE is able to determine that the project is in the federal interest, with cost-effective solutions, the next step after this initial study would be a feasibility study to analyze solutions in greater detail. Schumer vowed to push the USACE to complete both of these studies as soon as possible and he said he will continue to push the USACE to get a plan in place as soon as possible to alleviate the ice jam problem.

“This Army Corps of Engineers flood study is an excellent first step toward a long-term action plan that effectively deals with these dangerous and unpredictable ice jams,” said Schumer. “This is a problem that affects hundreds of residents along Buffalo Creek, who have to deal with flooding all winter long, and I am pleased the Army Corps has agreed to identify ways to solve it. There are many ice-control measures that have been proven to work on other waterways, and we need the Army Corps to identify which ones will work best here so we can prevent this type of flooding from happening again. Once we have identified the appropriate measures to take, they should be implemented right away. We cannot let this get stuck in bureaucratic red tape.”

"The flooding of Buffalo Creek due to ice jams has become a serious quality of life issue for West Seneca residents," said Town Supervisor Sheila Meegan. "The funding for this study is a positive first step towards solving this problem, and we appreciate Senator Schumer's tireless advocacy on our behalf."

Ice jams are formed after chunks of ice build up in a river or creek following an inordinately long stretch of freezing temperatures. These ice chunks come together to form a dam-like structure that causes flooding upstream, and then eventually causes flooding downstream when the ice jam breaks. These ice jams have been a major problem for many communities in Western New York this winter, and have led to particularly severe flooding in West Seneca along Buffalo Creek. West Seneca town officials estimate the damage done to homes along the creek could exceed $700,000 and emergency sandbags, and pumps have had to be put into place to help prevent additional flooding.

Schumer, in a visit to West Seneca last year, urged the USACE to work with West Seneca to develop a plan to install ice control measures that have been successful at preventing ice jams and flooding along other Western New York waterways. These ice control measures include the steel and concrete pylons that USACE installed in nearby Cazenovia Creek, spring debris and sediment removal, and bank stabilization projects. Schumer said all of these options should be on the table for Buffalo Creek and West Seneca in order to prevent ice from jamming and causing flooding in future years.

Schumer explained that, in the past, USACE has used funding provided by Congress for its CAP Section 205 program – a program that conducts studies, planning, design and construction aimed at reducing flood damage – to advance projects like the West Seneca ice-jam mitigation project Schumer is proposing. Schumer also said he wants USACE to prioritize ice mitigation projects like the ones he is proposing in West Seneca for funding in their Section 205 program, given the extreme winter we’ve experienced. To qualify, programs must be under $7 million total. CAP Section 205 would allow the Army Corps to cover 100% of the study of a project, up to $100,000, and 65 percent of the total planning, construction and implementation cost. In addition to this program Schumer is also pressing FEMA, and DEC to consider allocating funds from their federal and state Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to help support projects in Buffalo Creek. 

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