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Adams Flood Chutes Need CleaningBy Jen Thomas
07:48PM / Sunday, September 23, 2007
ADAMS - The town will have to clear sediment buildup and vegetation along the banks of the flood control chutes.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducted its annual inspection of the chutes last week and, according to Town Administrator William Ketcham, the team had few concerns.
"Generally, I'd say the inspection went well," said Ketcham, noting that the town will receive a full report in the coming months. "There were only a few concerns that I know of."
After their Sept. 17 visit, the engineers cited vegetation and sediment deposits as potential problems in the concrete flood chutes that run from Commercial Street to the Lime Street bridge.
"The engineers were concerned about vegetation and making sure it was kept cut down at the levee banks. Also, they noticed an accumulation of rocks and sediment in the concrete wall channels," Ketcham said.
The town is looking for an engineering firm to determine what can be done about the buildup of sediment.
Completed in 1958, the flood chutes were constructed in response to severe flooding in the 1930s and '40s. The concrete chutes harness 1.2 miles of the Hoosic River in town and features a gravel bottom and concrete walls along most of that length.
This year, the inspection took nearly four hours, longer than that of past years.
"Over time, USACE is becoming much more concerned about the flood control facilities across the nation, so this year's inspection was much more thorough than other years," said Ketcham.
Environmental Impact
Since 1999, several action plans have been outlined by both state and local agencies to help minimize the environmental impact of the flood chutes.
According to a report presented to the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission in 2004, the river is no longer able to support the trout populations that thrive in the south branch of the Hoosic River, as a result of reduced water depth, increased temperatures and lack of natural gravel substrate. In collaboration with the town, several local organizations, including the Hoosic River Watershed Association, have worked to develop a new flood protection plan that would improve aquatic habitat and public access and enjoyment of the river.
"There's been a good deal of discussion within the USACE about balancing the improvement of the fish habitat and maintaining the amount of water that flows into the Hoosic River," said Ketcham. "I understand the desire to remove the concrete and the town supports the concept of improved habitat and aesthetics as long as the capacity of the system to prevent floods is not reduced."
While feasibility studies have been completed, plans have stalled for the revitalization of the river.
"No one is talking about removing concrete at this point," said Eileen Fielding, HooRWA's executive director. "We want ecological soundness for every inch of the river but we can't support it at the cost of huge property damage."
Fielding said some of the options for restoring the river include widening the channel and converting some of the sheer drops in the chutes into ramps, but she did not know whether those ideas had gained any momentum.
"There's a lot of bureaucracy and regulations in the way," she said.
Director of Public Works Thomas Satko and Superintendent of Parks and Grounds David Nuvallie, who attended the inspection, were unavailable for comment. |
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