Dredging and Capping | Onondaga Lake Cleanup

November 2016 - Capping operations continue in the southwest corner of Onondaga Lake, near the mouth of Harbor Brook.

November 2016 - Topsoil placement occurs near the southwest corner of Onondaga Lake as capping operations wind down this year.

October 2016 - A long stick backhoe places topsoil along the southwestern shoreline.

Near the mouth of Harbor Brook, workers reach shallow areas over heavy equipment mats used to create temporary access roads. A Great Egret can be seen at the shore’s edge.

September 2016 - Near the mouth of Harbor Brook, workers reach shallow areas over heavy equipment mats used to create temporary access roads. A Great Egret can be seen at the shore’s edge.

July 2016 - A small tugboat (foreground) is used to move the telestacker and support barges into position.

The hydraulic capping barge places topsoil near the Onondaga Lake Visitors Center. A bird box for Tree Swallows installed by the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps is visible in the foreground.

June 2016 - The hydraulic capping barge places topsoil near the Onondaga Lake Visitors Center. A bird box for Tree Swallows installed by the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps is visible in the foreground.

The telestacker, a conveyor system that can move side to side and telescope outward, deploys soil, gravel or a mixture of capping materials as needed.

June 2016 - The telestacker, a conveyor system that can move side to side and telescope outward, deploys soil, gravel or a mixture of capping materials as needed.

Near the western (left) and southwest shorelines (background), capping resumes to isolate remaining contaminants and create a new habitat layer in Onondaga Lake.

May 2016 - Near the western (left) and southwest shorelines (background), capping resumes to isolate remaining contaminants and create a new habitat layer in Onondaga Lake.

May 2016 - Gravel is added mechanically to the lake bottom close to shore.

Hydraulic capping resumes on the lake near the mouth of Nine Mile Creek. Work to enhance habitat along the shoreline has also begun (background).

April 2016 - Hydraulic capping resumes on the lake near the mouth of Nine Mile Creek. Work to enhance habitat along the shoreline has also begun (background).

November 2015 - Capping operations continue on Onondaga Lake into late fall. Capping is on schedule to be completed in 2016.

October 2015 - A material handler loads capping material into a hopper leading to the telestacker.

Finer material settles more slowly to the bottom than heavier material. The capping material is creating a new habitat layer for the lake bottom.

October 2015 - Finer material settles more slowly to the bottom than heavier material. The capping material is creating a new habitat layer for the lake bottom.

September 2015 - Hydraulic capping, the placement of capping material premixed with water, continues on Onondaga Lake.

September 2015 - A tugboat pushes a delivery of material for mechanical capping.

A worker on a support boat adjusts a capping line used to transport capping material mixed with water to the hydraulic capping barge.

September 2015 - A worker on a support boat adjusts a capping line used to transport capping material mixed with water to the hydraulic capping barge.

The volume of capping material that will be placed in the lake during the cleanup is equivalent to almost one square mile standing one yard high.

September 2015 - The volume of capping material that will be placed in the lake during the cleanup is equivalent to almost one square mile standing one yard high.

August 2015 - The telestacker is used to place topsoil in a shallow area.

July 2015 - The telestacker (left) deploys a mixture of coarse gravel and sand in this location.

July 2015 - The telestacker places coarse gravel in the southern part of Onondaga Lake, creating a new lake bottom.

June 2015 - Workers circulate surveying cap placement to ensure the cap meets regulatory requirements.

June 2015 - A high tech remotely operated boat called the “Z-boat” is used for precise measurements of the cap.

The Z-boat uses GPS and sonar to collect data on the cap below. Measurements are available by radio link to the team on shore, and used to create 3-dimensional images of the lake bottom.

June 2015 - The Z-boat uses GPS and sonar to collect data on the cap below. Measurements are available by radio link to the team on shore, and used to create 3-dimensional images of the lake bottom.

June 2015 - Data provided by the Z-boat undergo continued analysis to ensure the cap meets specifications.

June 2015 - The capping team takes quality control measurements after material is placed by the telestacker.

Mechanical capping now takes place in several locations at the same time. The Onondaga Lake Yacht Club is in the distance behind this barge.

May 2015 - Mechanical capping now takes place in several locations at the same time. The Onondaga Lake Yacht Club is in the distance behind this barge.

May 2015 - A telescoping radial stacking conveyor, or telestacker (right), is installed on a barge to assist in capping operations.

May 2015 - Granulated activated carbon is mixed with sand to make capping material for the isolation layer.

April 2015 - Mechanical capping on Onondaga Lake takes place near the mouth of Nine Mile Creek.

April 2015 - Capping material is loaded into a barge at Nine Mile Creek for placement in the lake.

November 2014 - A capping barge works along the shoreline near the mouth of Harbor Brook.

Honeywell Syracuse Program Director John McAuliffe, surrounded by community members and elected officials, announces the end of dredging. About 2.2 million cubic yards of material were removed from the lake bottom.

November 2014 - Honeywell Syracuse Program Director John McAuliffe, surrounded by community members and elected officials, announces the end of dredging. About 2.2 million cubic yards of material were removed from the lake bottom.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Regional Director Ken Lynch, left, and Honeywell Syracuse program director John McAuliffe shake hands after signing documents marking the end of dredging in Onondaga Lake.

November 2014 - New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Regional Director Ken Lynch, left, and Honeywell Syracuse program director John McAuliffe shake hands after signing documents marking the end of dredging in Onondaga Lake.

“The completion of the dredging portion of the Onondaga Lake cleanup project is another significant step towards full lake remediation,” said Ken Lynch, DEC Regional Director.

November 2014 - “The completion of the dredging portion of the Onondaga Lake cleanup project is another significant step towards full lake remediation,” said Ken Lynch, DEC Regional Director.

“I’m proud to be partnering with Honeywell in this cleanup,” said Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney. “I’m hoping that people will realize what an asset is being returned as a result of the work that Honeywell has done.”

November 2014 - “I’m proud to be partnering with Honeywell in this cleanup,” said Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney. “I’m hoping that people will realize what an asset is being returned as a result of the work that Honeywell has done.”

“SUNY-ESF has been thrilled with the opportunity to work with Honeywell,” said Quentin Wheeler, Ph.D., SUNY-ESF President. “It really is one of the greatest sources of hope today.”

November 2014 - “SUNY-ESF has been thrilled with the opportunity to work with Honeywell,” said Quentin Wheeler, Ph.D., SUNY-ESF President. “It really is one of the greatest sources of hope today.”

“Eighty-five percent of the labor came from Central New York,” said New York State Assemblyman William B. Magnarelli. “This is a model for other projects we have to do here in Central New York.”

November 2014 - “Eighty-five percent of the labor came from Central New York,” said New York State Assemblyman William B. Magnarelli. “This is a model for other projects we have to do here in Central New York.”

"The transformation of Onondaga Lake, the water quality changes, are nothing short of amazing” said Charles Driscoll, Ph.D., Syracuse University Distinguished Professor of Environmental Systems Engineering. “I hope this moment is a tipping point and Central New York will come to embrace this lake as a resource.”

November 2014 - "The transformation of Onondaga Lake, the water quality changes, are nothing short of amazing” said Charles Driscoll, Ph.D., Syracuse University Distinguished Professor of Environmental Systems Engineering. “I hope this moment is a tipping point and Central New York will come to embrace this lake as a resource.”

August 2014 - Mechanical capping takes place from two barges side by side.

August 2014 - Daybreak nears after nighttime capping operations. A hydraulic capping barge is visible to the right further out in the lake.

June 2014 - A hydraulic capping barge on Onondaga Lake near sunrise.

May 2014 - Assembly begins on a third hydraulic capping barge.

May 2014 - The medium-sized dredge works near the mouth of Nine Mile Creek.

April 2014 - A support boat moves out into the ice-covered lake in preparation for the start of lake activities.

A dredge removes lake bottom material near the barrier wall (lower right corner). Plans are to complete dredging in 2014, a year ahead of schedule.

April 2014 - A dredge removes lake bottom material near the barrier wall (lower right corner). Plans are to complete dredging in 2014, a year ahead of schedule.

April 2014 - A crew on the tender boat adjusts the silt curtain.

April 2014 - The largest of the three dredges removes material close to the shoreline.

April 2014 - Hydraulic capping, placement of cap material mixed with water, also resumes in April.

The double-walled pipeline runs 3.9 miles from the lake along the I-690 corridor to the sediment containment area on Honeywell property.

March 2014 - The double-walled pipeline runs 3.9 miles from the lake along the I-690 corridor to the sediment containment area on Honeywell property.

March 2014 - In late March, the largest dredge is pushed out into the lake to help clear ice in the work area.

February 2014 - Maintenance continues on the dredges during the coldest months.

December 2013 - A snowy owl is spotted on the silt curtain.

Workers inspect and replace pipe during dredging shutdown over the winter months. Here new sections of replacement pipe are welded together.

December 2013 - Workers inspect and replace pipe during dredging shutdown over the winter months. Here new sections of replacement pipe are welded together.

The cap permanently isolates remaining contaminants in dredged areas and nearby areas, and adds a new habitat layer to the lake bottom.

November 2013 - The cap permanently isolates remaining contaminants in dredged areas and nearby areas, and adds a new habitat layer to the lake bottom.

November 2013 - Dredging continues until the third week in November, when operations cease for the winter.

November 2013 - Cap material consisting of larger rocks is applied by equipment mounted on a barge.

November 2013 - A specialized barge applies cap material consisting primarily of sand to the lake bottom.

Cap material consisting of larger rocks is applied by backhoe from a barge (foreground). The cap creates a new habitat layer on the lake bottom.

August 2013 - Cap material consisting of larger rocks is applied by backhoe from a barge (foreground). The cap creates a new habitat layer on the lake bottom.

August 2013 - Dredging and capping continue off the southwest shoreline.

A hydraulic dredge operates close to shore (upper right). Barges at a dock are filled with cap material ready for placement on the lake bottom.

July 2013 - A hydraulic dredge operates close to shore (upper right). Barges at a dock are filled with cap material ready for placement on the lake bottom.

July 2013 - Lake material is suctioned into a pipeline, lower right, and transported to the consolidation area.

July 2013 - Three hydraulic dredges, operating at different times, are used to remove lake material. The two largest dredges are seen here.

August 2012 - The capping barge system is tested with water.

August 2012 - Testing the capping system with sand.

August 2012 - The cutter head on the largest dredge, Marlin, is raised to begin a maintenance check.

August 2012 - Workers perform routine maintenance on the dredge cutter head to keep it free from pieces of debris.

August 2012 - A support boat is ready to push off from the shoreline with captain at the wheel.

August 2012 - Crew on a small support boat heads out to assist operations.

August 2012 - Equipment is loaded onto a support boat at sundown.

August 2012 - A crew prepares for night maintenance work on a support barge.

August 2012 - Early light over Onondaga Lake.

August 2012 - Small dredge moored at dock with cutter head visible.

August 2012 - Medium-sized dredge on Onondaga Lake.

August 2012 - Dredging operations continue 24 hours per day.

July 2012 - Routine inspections and maintenance are performed on dredge cutter heads.

July 2012 - View from the dredge pilot house with cutter head lowered into the lake.

July 2012 - Largest dredge during final testing phase with support boat in the foreground.

July 2012 - A silt curtain is deployed.

July 2012 - A hydraulic capping barge on Onondaga Lake before operations begin.

July 2012 - A capping support area on the western shoreline of Onondaga Lake.

A capping barge on Onondaga Lake. The lake bottom cap will cover about 450 acres of the lake. The cap will provide a new habitat layer, prevent erosion, and isolate any remaining contaminants.

July 2012 - A capping barge on Onondaga Lake. The lake bottom cap will cover about 450 acres of the lake. The cap will provide a new habitat layer, prevent erosion, and isolate any remaining contaminants.

A hydraulic dredge operates in Onondaga Lake. Over the next four years three hydraulic dredges will remove about 2 million cubic yards of material from the lake bottom.

July 2012 - A hydraulic dredge operates in Onondaga Lake. Over the next four years three hydraulic dredges will remove about 2 million cubic yards of material from the lake bottom.