Friday, January 13, 2012

Work Starts on the West River Restoration Project


Edgewood Park Duck Pond Improvements - Layout Plan
I'm helping to keep the neighborhood up-to-date on this project.  Connecticut Fund for the Environment is managing this project and working in close cooperation with the City and Friends of Edgewood Park (FOEP).  Here are a couple pix and the Layout Plan (click here for pdf) of the work just begun around the Edgewood Park Duck Pond and a brief overview of the project from Save the Sound's John Champion:

               The construction of two restoration projects on the West River began early in January. Save the Sound, a program of Connecticut Fund for the Environment, is managing the projects which are funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration through the American Recovery and Restoration Act.
                The first project will install three self-regulating tide gates just below Orange Avenue. These tide gates will replace three of the wooden flapper type gates that were installed circa 1920. The new gates will allow more salt water to enter the West River, which will begin to restore the natural habitat.

                The second project will insure that we maintain public access to the amenities of the Duck Pond at Chapel Street. One effect of the self-regulating gates is that the tidal fluctuation at the Duck Pond will result in a soggier area, especially at high tide. Continued access will be provided by a raised walkway and a boardwalk. Water will flow under the boardwalk as the tide ebbs and flows.  Dead trees have been removed and at the conclusion of the project, native vegetation will be planted.
                Terry Contracting & Materials, Inc. is doing the work on the tide gates and Schumack Engineered Construction is doing the work on the Duck Pond. Because of the warm weather, the work on the Duck Pond has started and the project is expected to be completed in mid-spring, depending on the weather conditions. The work on the tide gates will follow approximately the same schedule but the gates will not be opened until the work on the Duck Pond has been completed so that additional water does not enter the system until the access project is complete.
                Milone and MacBroom are the project engineers. Questions regarding the work on the project may be addressed to John Champion from Save the Sound at 203.787.0646, extension 101.