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Monday, October 9: Town Office & Library

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Flood Mitigation in Canaan

The second and final Hearing on ideas to reduce flooding in the Village of Canaan was held on Tuesday, August 15, 2017.

Prior to the Village Flood Study, a typical flood would result in 23 major structures flooded. Five of those would be flooded cellars. 12 buildings are commercial structures.

The study looked at 10 options. All of the effective options involved a new underpass under Route 4 to pass more water under Route 4.

All the effective options included spillways or large culverts to move more water out of Williams Field and around the lower trestle behind Dale Barney’s house.

At the request of Michael Fogarty, Sean Sweeney of Headwaters Hydrology examined a 11th management strategy which was to widen a passage through rock outcroppings just up-stream of the Grist Mill Hill Bridge. The review of the 11th option indicated that there was no real improvement for the Village. The maximum would be a minimal elevation change for a single house. The biggest problem would be getting permits to remove bedrock from the side of the river for little improvement.

Chris Fournier of HEB Engineers joined Sean Sweeney in discussing Options 2, 4, 9 and 10. All of these options use spillways and underpasses under the Route 4 Bridge by Williams Field.

Option 10

Most expensive. $5.5 million. Uses all box culverts. Still floods Dale Barney, Ricard barn, Majewski print shop, old hardware store, cellar of Assembly of God and Canaan Village pizza for a total of 6. Of these, 3 are cellars only.

Option 9

Second most expensive at $5 million. Uses spillways and 2 Route 4 crossings. The flooding is a total of 5 of which 2 are cellars only.

Option 4

$2.6 million. Uses all culverts and only 1 Route 4 crossing. Same impact as 9.

Option 2

$2.4 million. Uses all spillways and only 1 Route 4 crossing. Total of 7 buildings of which 3 are cellars only.

The two engineers, Selectmen, and public weighed how many buildings would be protected by each option against the cost.

There was also consideration of where the funds would come from. Both engineers thought that national competitive grant awards would be difficult. A variety of other funding options were also considered.

As a way of making the project more affordable and doable by next year, HEB suggested splitting the Route 4 portion off since it is most expensive: OPTION 12

The reduced project would only have two or three spillways between the Route 4 Bridge and Grist Mill Hill. There would be no underpass under Route 4. As with Option 9, there would be a total of 5 buildings flooded of which 2 would be cellars only. The cost would be $670,000 and a likely candidate for State Emergency Flooding Mitigation. Of the original 23 buildings that regularly flood, this plan would save 18 and 2 more would flood only in the cellar. Only 2 are commercial. The cost is very reasonable and only 12% of the expensive plan with almost the same results.

The lack of additional passage under Route 4 would continue to impact Canaan Village Pizza and slightly increase the water flow over part of Route 4 during a 100 year flood to a little over a foot in some areas by Canaan Village Pizza.

If the Route 4 Bridge was reconstructed in the future, the span could then be widened to increase the flow under the bridge to an appropriate amount.

And. . . .

Don't forget to check out the Old Home Day Photos on the Old Home Days Page and the Christmas in Canaan Galleries on the Christmas in Canaan Page

 

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