Breakwaters: New York State

Historically, most of the breakwaters in New York State were made of wooden frames filled with sand. Today, the most well-known of these, the breakwater protecting the city of Plattsburgh from Lake Champlain, is no longer functioning. But on Lakes Erie and Ontario, many breakwaters still protect the ports and are coupled with lighthouses that help navigation. Few breakwaters are found in NY's marine district.