Degradation of Benthos – BUI 6 Report on Buffalo River

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper held a virtual outreach on Zoom on Wednesday, May 24, 2023 at 6 p.m. to update the public about ongoing efforts to restore natural resources in the Buffalo River Area of Concern (AOC) and the proposed removal of the ‘BUI 6: Degradation of Benthos’ (BUI).

Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, in partnership with Erie County and DEC, coordinates these restoration efforts under the Buffalo River AOC Remedial Action Plan (RAP).

The video has been uploaded to YouTube and can be seen below. 

The Buffalo River AOC is located in the City of Buffalo, Erie County, and includes the historically industrialized portion of the river beginning at its mouth (where it outlets to Lake Erie), and continuing upstream approximately six miles to the Bailey Avenue bridge.

The Degradation of Benthos BUI was originally designated as impaired in the 1980s due to low diversity and abundance of the benthic macroinvertebrate community and evidence of sediment toxicity. Extensive sediment toxicity and benthic community assessments completed after the removal of contaminated sediments in the river indicate no impairment to benthic organisms due to sediment contamination currently exist, and that the criteria established to remove the Degradation of Benthos BUI have been met.

A draft report, which details the completed actions and assessments supporting the BUI removal, is available below.

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