In 1907, Buffalo was booming. With her growing needs the city signed a contract with Buffalo Dredging Company. They began work on a 6,600 ft. tunnel from the future sight of the Col. F. G. Ward Pumping Station, to the carefully chosen sight of the new water intake in the Emerald Channel near the Horseshoe Reef Lighthouse.

The water intake crib was designed to take the crystal clear water from the middle of Lake Erie's flow into the Niagara.