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Cuomo announces 20 dredging sites along Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River

Office of NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo

Twenty sites along the Lake Ontario shoreline and the St. Lawrence River have been selected for dredging in order to prevent future flooding.  Governor Andrew Cuomo made the announcement during a stop on Wednesday at Sandy Pond in Oswego County.

The first round of dredging is already complete – in Port Bay, Wayne County.

Other locations selected for dredging include Little Sodus Bay, Irondequit Bay, and Long Pond Outlet.

The hope is that by removing the sediment in these areas, the bodies of water will be restored to their original depth, and be more resilient to flooding and fluctuation. The sediment can also be reused, and the deeper bays can support recreation like boating.

Each of the projects is supposed to take about four months, and all of the dredging is expected to be completed by late next year.

Meanwhile, residents in communities like Sodus Point are anticipating a difficult flood season this year because water levels are already higher than average.

Veronica Volk is a senior editor and producer for WXXI News.