DEEP Continues Hartford Projects

Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has announced that maintenance work will begin again this week on the flood control system that flows through West Harford, Newington, and Hartford.

“We stopped work on this project for two weeks to listen to the concerns of residents and to make any appropriate adjustments to our plans,” said DEEP Commissioner Robert Klee. “It is now time to hit the ‘restart’ button on this project so that critical maintenance work can get done to protect property and public safety in these three communities.”

Starting Monday, residents can expect to see work crews at these locations from 7 a.m.to 4:30 p.m.:

West Hartford

• Protection and securing of sediment staging area (Pond#5) on the end of Linbrook and Linnard Roads;
• Finish mowing and log removal from area of Fern Street down to Farmington Avenue;
• Dredging in Pond #2 upstream of the Boulevard bridge.

Newington

• Preparation of area 53 Southwood Drive for sedimentation handling area for Pond #1;
• Hydraulic dredging to commence on Pond #2 and mechanical dredging of Pond #3 in the area of Brookside Drive.

Background on the Project

Construction of the flood control system for the South Branch of the Park River was started in Hartford in 1964. The final segments – Piper Brook in West Hartford and Mill Brook in Newington – were completed in 1992. The project resulted in the South Branch of the Park River and its major tributaries being modified through changes in alignment and hydraulic efficiency, which significantly reduced flood impacts in the three municipalities.

The $4.5 million maintenance project involves clearing tress and vegetation in and around the river channel, as well as removing sediment and obstructions from the floodway that could prevent the system from functioning as designed.

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