Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The mild Winter in Western New York is allowing crews to begin removing the ice boom at the mouth of Lake Erie and the Niagara River in Buffalo. Many see it as a sure sign of Spring.
The 1.7 mile long boom consists of 22 spans of floating steel pontoons that are chained together.
The boom holds back ice from flowing downriver, where it can jam up hydro-electric power intakes and cause damage to shoreline property.
This year there was no notable ice cover on the lake, which is allowing the early removal process.