Historic Mill River Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study US ACOEP roject Inf ®rmati n - sheet__
US Army Corps
of Engineers Mill River Ecosystem Restoration
New England District Feasibility Study
Northampton, Massachusetts
January 14, 2010 696 Virginia Road, Concord Massachusetts, 01742 -2751
STUDY NAME Mill River Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study
STUDY AUTHORITY Section 206, 1996 Water Resources Development Act, as amended.
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Massachusetts — 2nd
STUDY SPONSOR City of Northampton, MA
LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION The objective of the proposed study is to examine alternatives to
restore fish and riparian habitat in the area affected by the project. Project features that would be
investigated include the following:
• Provide fish passage facilities at the South Street Drop Structure and the Smith College Dam to
enable anadromous shad and other species to access the upper watershed.
• Install or modify gate structures at the upper and lower (at the pump station) ends of the by- passed
section of the Mill River to restore flow to the historic connection to the upper and lower Mill
River and the Connecticut River.
• Reconstruct a natural channel configuration in the by -pass section of the Mill River to restore its
capacity to support anadromous and resident fish species.
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tsta� �
4 j .l
Pumping Station
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Figure I — Study Area
EXISTING CONDITION 1 1,c Mill River, including the by -pass channel, _.� the vicinity of the
Northampton Local Protection Project, is a degraded waterway in an urban setting, with impe iments to
fish passage, degraded instream habitat, and insufficient buffers. Diversion of flow through the by -pass
channel, construction of a dam and drop structure, and development along the banks of the former riverbed
have severely reduced the quality of fisheries in the river segment and upstream reaches. The former river
channel represents approximately 1.6 miles of fish habitat that has been lost altogether. See Figure 3 for an
historic map of the Mill River before the Corps flood control project was built. Without this project, the
area will continue to be a degraded, segmented section of river with reduced fish and wildlife habitat value.
Anadromous and resident fish will not be able to access spawning areas and up to 2.2 miles of river and
stream habitat.
RESTORATION OBJECTIVES The overall goal of the study is to select and evaluate feasible
alternatives to restore a riverine migratory corridor to the Mill River and improve the quality of its
ecosystem. The primary objectives of the study are:
• Select a plan to restore a riverine migratory corridor and open up high value habitat to aquatic
species
• Restore flow to the historic river channel thereby re- creating aquatic habitat
• Enhance or restore riparian buffers
The secondary objectives (or non - ecosystem issues) that address identified watershed stakeholder concerns
include:
• Increase recreational use of the river
• Create or increase public access to the river
• Provide aesthetic improvement to the location of the historic river channel
CURRENT PROJECT STATUS The New England District team will initiate a report to identify and
evaluate specific restoration alternatives.
Figure 2
-2-
Mill River Diversion where historic Pumping Station for
channel used to diverge Northampton Local Protection Project
Northampton LPP HabitaL L<.estoration Project
( 1
Date: June 2003 District: New England j
SECTION 1135 PRELIMINARY RESTORATION PLAN
Northampton Local Protection Project — Habitat Restoration
1. Project Northampton Local Protection Project, Northampton, Massachusetts. The project is
located in Massachusetts 1st Congressional District.
2. Location The study area encompasses the Northampton Local Protection Project, a local
flood protection project on the Mill River that runs approximately 3 river miles. The project
is located in an urban area and is characterized by a channel diversion constructed by the
Corps as a by -pass away from the densely developed downtown area and the eastern portion
of the city near the Connecticut River. See Figure 1 for Project Location and Figure 2 for the
principal features of the LPP.
3. Description of the Proposed Project The objective of the proposed study is to examine
alternatives to restore fish and riparian habitat in the area affected by the project. Project
features that would be investigated include the following:
• Provide fish passage facilities at the South Street Drop Structure and the Smith College
Dam to enable anadromous shad and other species to access the upper watershed.
• Install or modify gate structures at the upper and lower (at the pump station) ends of the
by- passed section of the Mill River to restore the connection to the upper and lower Mill
River and the Connecticut River.
• Reconstruct a natural channel configuration in the by -pass section of the Mill River to
restore its capacity to support anadromous and resident fish species.
• Enhance in- stream habitat by constructing riffle and pool habitats and increasing habitat
diversity in the by -pass channel. Place boulders and other structures in the by -pass
channel to provide shade and shelter for fish in an area that lacks such features.
4. Existing Conditions
Without Project Condition The Mill River, including the by -pass channel, in the vicinity of
the Northampton Local Protection Project, is a degraded waterway in an urban setting, with
impediments to fish passage, degraded instream habitat, and insufficient buffers. Diversion of
flow through the by -pass channel, construction of a dam and drop structure, and development
along the banks of the former riverbed have severely reduced the quality of fisheries in the
river segment and upstream reaches. The former river channel represents approximately 1.6
miles of fish habitat that has been lost altogether. See Figure 3 for an historic map of the Mill
Preliminary Restoration Plan 1
Northampton LPP Habitat Project .
River before the Corps flood control project was built. Without this project, the area will
continue to be a degraded, segmented section of river with reduced fish and wildlife habitat
value. Anadromous and resident fish will not be able to access spawning areas and up to 2.2
miles of river and stream habitat.
5. Resource Significance
The project would restore anadromous fish passage (American shad, Alosa sapidissma) and
instream riverine habitats. Anadromous fish are scarce resources, which have been severely
reduced in range because of the historic construction of dams and other obstacles without fish
passage features. Restoring fish passage and the riverine habitats upon which these fish
depend would produce important benefits to National Environmental Quality and contribute
to the objectives of the Anadromous Fish Conservation Act. Anadromous species contribute
to the value of freshwater, estuarine, and marine fisheries. The isolated river segment by-
passed by the Local Protection Project produced a severely impacted and under performing
section of fish habitat. Restoring habitat features to this segment would substantially
improve its resource value. The project would contribute to the New England -wide Coastal
America efforts to restore riverine migratory corridors.
6. Alternatives
Alternatives will be formulated to define the project features described above. Alternative
means of fish passage would include modifications to the existing obstructions or the use of
fish passage structures. Various types of gate structures and operations would be considered
to optimize habitat value and accommodate existing uses of the by- passed channel segment
(e.g. wastewater treatment plant discharges and stormwater management). Various features
and levels of restoration of the former river channel segment would be formulated and
evaluated as well as features that would increase the habitat value of the by -pass channel
itself (consistent with the purposes of flood control).
7. Study Methodology and Anal
The study will evaluate the alternatives for their effectiveness in meeting the project goals
and objectives, cost, constructibility, and environmental effects. Various alternatives will be
formulated with input from the City and other stakeholders and compared to the no- action
alternative, or conditions without the Federal project. Hydraulic modeling will be used to
design project features that are compatible with the existing project purposes. An appropriate
NEPA analysis and cost - effectiveness - incremental analysis (IA) will be developed and
submitted to the North Atlantic Division of the Corps of Engineers for approval. The cost,
benefits, and effects of the alternatives will be displayed and used to identify
recommendations in cooperation with the non - Federal sponsor. The product of the plans and
specifications phase will be final designs of the recommended plan.
2
Northampton LPP Habitat-rcestoration Project
8. LERRDs The parcels that comprise the proposed restoration area have both public and
private ownership. It is estimated that the value of the required real estate would be a high
percentage of the project implementation costs. The city has expressed a willingness to
acquire the necessary land or easement to allow the riparian restoration and establishment
of public access.
9. Relationship to other Projects This project, if implemented, would be a modification to the
Northampton Local Protection Project, originally constructed in 1941. There are no other
Corps of Engineers projects on the Mill River. The proposed modifications would not affect
other Corps of Engineers projects on the Connecticut River.
10. Consistency Statement All of the project modifications would be consistent with the
original project purpose of flood damage reduction.
11. View of the Non - Federal Sponsor The city of Northampton, through the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, will serve as the non - Federal sponsor. A letter of intent is attached.
12. Views of Federal, State, and Regional Agencies The project is strongly supported by the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs and the City of
Northampton.
13. Environmental Compliance Requirements An Environmental Assessment (EA) and a
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) will be prepared for this project based on the
expected magnitude of environmental effects.
14. Costs and Benefits
a. Project Costs: Project costs are expected to be approximately $1,960,000. This includes
preparing project formulation and evaluation documents (e.g. NEPA documentation),
obtaining Federal environmental permits, preparing conceptual designs and plans and
specifications, and construction.
b. Project Benefits: Benefits are expected to be improvements to anadromous fish passage
(measured in numbers of fish passed and/or length of river opened), up to 2.2 miles in-
stream habitat (measured as the increased quality and quantity of fish habitat), and an
increase in riparian habitat (measured in terms of the increased quality and area of
riparian habitat and its contribution to the quality of instream fish habitat).
15. Schedule
Item
Feasibility Study, EA/IA Report
Plans and Specifications
Construction
Duration
Month
Start Date
Finish Date
18
8/03
1105
13
1105
2/06
8
2/06
10/06
Preliminary Restoration Plan 3
Northampton LPP Habitarr<estoration Project
i
16. S upplemen tal Information
The office of Representative John Olver has expressed interest and support for restoration
proposals in Northampton.
17. Financial Data
a. Project Costs (all costs in thousands)
Federal Funding Needs
Item
Project
Non-
Federal
Federal
FY FY +1
2003
FY +2
FY +3
BTC
Report
240
0
240
15 180
45
0
0
P &S
220
0
220
0 0
120
100
0
Construction
1,500
490
1,010
0 0
0
0
1 1,010
Totals
1 1,9601
490
1,470
15 1801
1001
1,010
NOTE: Report, and Plans and Specifications are initially Federally financed, and costs
are distributed as part of the non - Federal share of project costs during implementation.
b. Non - Federal Requirements (in 1000's)
LERRD $570
Cash _$ 80
Work -in -kind $ 0
AnnualOMRR &R $ 15
12. Federal Allocations to Date:
Preliminary Restoration Plan: $10
Detailed Project Report: $0
Plans and Specifications: $0
Implementation: $0
4
Northampton LPP Habitat Project
I
1
Figure 1: Project Location Map
Prelimina R e s t o rati o n Plan 5
Northampton LPP Habitat Kestoration Project
Figure 2: Mill River, Northampton LPP Northampton, MA
6
Northampton LPP HabitaL ,restoration Project
Figure 3: Historic Quadrangle Map depicting the former Mill River channel,
Northampton, MA
Preliminary Restoration Plan 7