Vly Creek, Dry Brook Tropical Storm Damage to Be Fixed by NYC Department of Environmental

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection and its county partners in the stream management program have announced the start of several important stream-restoration projects across the Catskills, focusing specifically on streams that suffered damage two years ago during tropical storms Irene and Lee.

The more than $9 million in work will improve water quality and protect communities by stabilizing stream banks, reconnecting streams to their floodplains, and installing other upgrades related to infrastructure protection, and drainage. The work will also reduce erosion that can introduce fine sediments into the City’s reservoirs.

Some of the upcoming projects are:

Vly Creek at Fleischmanns – Middletown: Eroded stream banks will be stabilized and damaged retaining walls will be repaired at multiple sites. Retaining walls are key to this area because of the general lack of available floodplains. Available floodplains will be graded at three sites to reduce water velocity and flood stage. The estimated cost for these projects is $1.3 million.

Dry Brook at Arkville Trailer Park – Middletown: Existing areas of erosion will be stabilized by installing rock and rip rap; and the stream bank and flood plain will be reconstructed to their approximate pre-flood locations. The estimated cost for this project is $400,000.