Addressing Bronx River Flooding
The Westchester County Executive’s office announced last week that it was ready to move forward with an $800,000 capital project to restore over three acres of wetlands and riverbanks just north of Fisher Lane and east of the Bronx River Parkway in Greenburgh.
The site is one of seven capital projects named by the Astorino administration last year as part of a $9 million effort to address chronic flooding along the Bronx River and Sound Shore. The bond act has been sent to the Board of Legislators for approval.
“The causes of flooding in this county are a result of many complex factors that cannot be fixed overnight or without significant capital investments beyond the means of the county. But the county can and must continue to do whatever it can on its own to address this problem,” County Executive Rob Astorino said in a prepared statement. “It is important that we target achievable projects in problem areas in order to reduce and prevent future flooding.”
The site is part of the county-owned Bronx River Parkway Reservation, which allows for speedier approvals since the county owns the property.
To enhance the site’s capacity for storing and absorbing floodwaters and improving water quality, the project includes: removal of invasive and non-native plants in the wetlands and along the river; replacement of existing, problem culverts with larger, more technologically advanced culverts; excavation of shallow swales and depressions within the wetlands; and regrading and stabilization of river banks.
The project will also help to improve the site’s appeal for motorists and pedestrians, in addition to benefiting and diversifying the plant and animal communities.
Other local projects slotted for design later this year include a Bronx River channel re-alignment and bank stabilization at Garth Woods with a cost estimate of $1 million and stream bank stabilization and channel modification in the Harney Road vicinity with a cost estimate to be determined.
Additional flood mitigation projects have been proposed for New Rochelle, Mamaroneck and Larchmont.
