As part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's Capital for a Day in Utica, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and New York State Department of State (DOS) announced the state will provide $9.4 million for flood resiliency and community reconstruction projects in Oneida, Herkimer and Montgomery counties.
The state will award $8.1 million for NY Rising Community Reconstruction Plan projects in response to 2013 Mohawk River flooding in Oneida, Herkimer and Montgomery counties with each county receiving $2.7 million. DOS, in consultation with DEC, led the planning efforts for NY Rising and continues to work with communities by providing planners to oversee development of local reconstruction plans to ensure a focus on resiliency. These plans identify projects needed to reduce risk and expand economic development in NY Rising communities.
“The New York Department of State is proud to support NY Rising community resiliency planning efforts throughout the state to rebuild from floods and other severe weather-related damage,” said New York Secretary of State Cesar A. Perales. “This new investment by the state today will advance these locally created plans and will help make our State as resilient as ever and be prepared for future disasters.”
An additional $1.3 million will be made available to Oneida and Herkimer counties to implement resiliency projects identified in a 2013 state-commissioned study. The study assessed risks to 13 watersheds in the Mohawk Valley where flooding caused significant problems. These studies identified the causes of flooding and provided specific project recommendations. The projects identified will provide both short and long-term solutions to significantly reduce flood water levels within these affected communities.
Acting DEC Commissioner Marc Gerstman said, "Governor Cuomo has placed a priority on New York building back better after extreme weather events in the state. DEC continues to fulfill its responsibility to improve resiliency against flooding. Today we had productive discussions with local officials and organizations about the challenges in reducing flood hazard risks in the Mohawk River watershed. The funding awarded today will help these communities prepare for extreme weather emergencies and better protect their residents."
In addition, $150,000 in grant funding is available for Mohawk River Watershed communities to implement the Mohawk River Basin Action Agenda, which was developed to promote coordinated management of the environmental and cultural resources of the Mohawk River and its watershed. Action agenda goals are defined by five key areas: fish and wildlife, water quality, flood hazard risk reduction, community revitalization, and working landscapes. Proposals will be accepted for projects to: conserve, protect and restore fish, wildlife & their habitats; protect and improve water quality; and promote flood hazard mitigation and enhanced flood resiliency.
One of the issues brought up in today's round table discussion was flooding at the Otsego Street Bridge in the Village of Ilion. DEC and DOT will work expeditiously with all parties to find a solution to the problem flooding.
To improve the Mohawk River’s water quality and habitat, the Department of Environmental Conservation will also install a water quality monitoring station on the Mohawk River at Ilion and develop strategies to restore water quality in the Utica portion of the river.
These projects will make Mohawk Valley communities more resilient and better equipped to mitigate the risks of loss and damage associated with future flooding. As New York continues to build back stronger and more resilient, well-planned, innovative solutions will protect our residents, our communities and our critically important natural resources.
The specific projects are:
HERKIMER COUNTY
|
Cost
|
Municipality
|
Description
|
|
$60,000
|
Norway (T)
|
Install approximately 150 linear feet of stacked and pinned stone along the streambank to protect Newport-Gray Road.
|
|
$10,600
|
Frankfort (V)
|
Replace a collapsed pipe and rehabilitate access road to the Village’s drinking water holding tank.
|
|
$514,000
|
Newport (T)
Poland (V)
|
Rehabilitate and fill the washout, build an access road, fill the erosion area, install an erosion blanket and fence, and replace compromised drinking water transmission line.
|
|
$264,000
|
Manheim (T)
|
Rehabilitate damaged ditch along Timmerman Road to prevent recurring flooding and reduce risk of damage to the road and recent repairs.
|
|
$420,000
|
Little Falls (C)
|
Rehabilitate and restore creek bottom to Cemetery Creek headwaters area and stabilize approximately one-half mile of the streambank in the City of Little Falls.
|
|
$100,000
|
Danube (T)
|
Install approximately 300 linear feet of stacked and pinned stone along the streambank on Creek Road in the Town of Danube.
|
|
$750,000
|
Frankfort (V)
|
Restore and rehabilitate the Moyer Creek bank failure near Lehman Park in the Village of Frankfort.
|
|
$581,400
|
Herkimer (T)
|
Restore the West Canada Creek streambank supporting the East German Street Extension.
|
|
$483,000
|
German Flatts (T)
|
Stabilize the left stream bank failure to the south of the intersection of Route 28 and Route 168 intersection. This will involve the armoring of approximately 300 linear feet of Fulmer Creek and re-vegetation of the slope.
|
|
$141,986
|
German Flatts (T)
|
Develop engineering design to stabilize the massive bank failure to the west of Route 168. Design will include armoring and relocation of the stream channel, and construction of a wall along the toe of the existing slope. Drainage at the top of the bank also needs to be redirected.
|
|
$200,000
|
Ilion (V)
|
Utilize the 2014 MMI report, existing data, and modeling to complete further planning and engineering analysis to develop a plan for the implementation of various projects within the Steele Creek corridor from the Route 5s bridge to the Spinnerville Gulf bridge.
|
|
$140,000
|
Herkimer (V)
|
Develop engineering design for a floodplain reclamation project along Bellinger Brook. The design will include increasing the existing stream channel dimensions, establishing a multistage compound channel, and inclusion of a floodplain bench.
|
|
$3,664,986
|
Total
|
|
ONEIDA COUNTY
|
Cost
|
Municipality
|
Description
|
|
$85,000
|
Kirkland (T)
|
Stabilize the streambank upstream of the College Street bridge and clear debris to realign and restore the creek to its previous alignment.
|
|
$30,000
|
New Hartford (T)
|
Stabilize the streambank, restore original course and floodplain along Sauquoit Creek adjacent to Washington Mills Park and repair athletic park and fishing pier with handicap access.
|
|
$100,500
|
Whitestown (T)
Whitesboro (V)
|
Remove debris from storm sewer system, realign and elevate the pipe to mitigate future flooding and backups at the Main Street Bridge in Whitesboro.
|
|
$456,000
|
Paris (T)
Whitestown (T)
|
Stabilize streambanks on Sauquoit Creek at Paris Highway Garage in Paris and Dunham Park in Whitestown employing a mixture of techniques including vegetation, rock riprap, and in-stream rock structures.
|
|
$110,000
|
Marshall (T)
|
Improve the Earl Manor Road bridge, culvert and roadway with appropriate long-term materials including French drains to improve drainage and mitigate future flooding.
|
|
$160,000
|
Paris (T)
|
Fill in plunge pools with heavy stone fill and stabilize the banks along Tuckers Creek and two unnamed creeks at their crossings with Oneida Street in the Hamlet of Sauquoit, Town of Paris.
|
|
$135,000
|
Steuben (T)
|
Upgrade three culverts and stabilize streambanks on Fraser Road.
|
|
$175,000
|
Kirkland (T)
|
Upgrade Grant Road Bridge with one of appropriate size to allow for improved water flow and transportation.
|
|
$250,000
|
Vernon (T)
|
This project would Upgrade the Skinner Road Bridge over Dean’s Creek with one of appropriate size to allow for transportation and water flow and improve the adjacent retaining wall.
|
|
$1,198,500
|
Countywide
|
Countywide program of creek restoration and capacity improvements including rightsizing of culverts and bridges, clearance of stream debris, removal of dams and/or creek restoration.
|
|
$335,014
|
Oriskany (T)
|
Removal of a low-head dam on Oriskany Creek. This non-functional dam significantly increases upstream floodwater elevations during high flow events and floods Valley Road and surrounding homes and commercial business within the Town of Oriskany.
|
|
$3,035,014
|
Total
|
|
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
|
Cost
|
Municipality
|
Description
|
|
$1,000,000
|
Fort Plain (V)
|
Design and construct 1,400 linear feet of upgraded storm sewer, reconfigure outfall pipe and use green infrastructure to reduce the quantity of runoff into the storm sewer system on Willet Street.
|
|
$150,000
|
Fort Plain (V)
|
Design and construct upgrades to the Honey Hill Road drainage channel to result in flood conveyance away from homes and Otsquago Creek under NYS Route 80.
|
|
$250,000
|
Minden (T)
|
Design and construct a dry channel with landscaping between the Town Barn and the Park to absorb and divert stormwater during flood events. Design and construct a second floor area in the Town Barn to allow for safe storage of public records and address building code compliance including HVAC and fire protection.
|
|
$35,000
|
Minden (T)
|
Purchase and install approximately 1,000 linear feet of new guard rail along the Town-owned portion of Spring Street to ensure safe movement of vehicles.
|
|
$350,000
|
Montgomery County
|
Purchase and install 23 permanent stream gauges countywide to provide early warning of potential and actual flooding to residents, businesses, the Montgomery County Emergency Management Office, and first responders to enable the community to be better prepared for flood emergencies.
|
|
$915,000
|
Fort Plain (V)
|
Rehabilitate and restore Otsquago Creek Channel. Engineering design, including hydraulic modeling, and construction for specific locations on Otsquago Creek Channel for restoring stream and banks.
|
|
$2,700,000
|
Total
|
|
