Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino on Feb. 9 announced $9 million in funding for seven capital projects aimed at addressing chronic flooding along the Bronx River and the Sound Shore.
The projects will complement a host of efforts that have already gotten under way despite limited funding, county and municipal officials said last week.
After decades of studies by the Army Corps of Engineers and expensive proposals, the county and a number of municipalities have placed a larger emphasis on small-scale projects.
Included among the capital projects announced by Astorino are several channel re-alignment and bank stabilization projects along the Bronx River, the rehabilitation of the Oak Street pump station in Yonkers, wetland restoration in Greenburgh, drainage improvements in Larchmont, a culvert replacement in New Rochelle and a sewer line replacement in Mamaroneck.
“We don”™t have an endless supply of money ”¦ but we do have money for projects like this,” Astorino said.
While a federal stimulus aimed at flood mitigation would certainly benefit the county, Town of Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner said that at present, the best approach is to pursue smaller-scale projects that are more affordable.
“They”™ve been talking about an Army Corps of Engineers project (in Elmsford) that would be tens of millions of dollars and that”™s been studied for 50 or 60 years and nothing”™s happened,” Feiner said. “So I feel like some of the smaller action steps that are being taken is probably the best we can do at this point.”
Westchester County Legislator MaryJane Shimsky chairs the Saw Mill River Stormwater Advisory Board and has led efforts to clean up debris from the river.
Shimsky said the river clean-up efforts and bank stabilization projects are a good start, but that more is needed to limit the effects of flooding in the region. Future efforts, she said, should include an increased emphasis on public works projects such as sluice gates and increased vigilance when it comes to new development projects.
“With all of the real estate development we”™ve had in the county over the last generation, the ground has become less absorbent,” she said. “So we”™re going to have to look at various techniques to help increase the ground cover we have and make sure future development occurs in a way that will be more effective from a storm water management standpoint.”
