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| Emergency Steps Taken to Help Prevent Further Bank Erosion Along Section of Mill Creek in Lowville 12/02/18 10:30am By: Nick Altmire |
private landowners, emergency measures were recently taken to help protect the stream bank along a section of Mill Creek from further erosion. Conditions have continued to deteriorate over the past few years in a section of the creek in the Village of Lowville- mainly from Cemetery Road continuing downstream through the Village, causing significant bank erosion and concerns for property owners. The creek originates on the Tug Hill, picking up other streams along the way, before emptying into the Black River near Beeches Bridge in the Town of Watson. One major area of concern is the stretch along E. State St., continuing below the Iseneker Funeral Home property on Waters Rd. The Lewis County Soil & Water Conservation District (Soil & Water) has been working on solutions with landowners and trying to secure grant funding for stream bank protection measures for a number of years. Due to the stream being classified as a class D non-trout stream by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), it does not rank well for grant funding opportunities, according to Soil & Water District Manager Nichelle Billhardt. "The straw that broke the back was the thaw that occurred in January, when gauges reported the highest levels ever recorded along the creek, causing more damage to previously eroded areas," Ms. Billhardt said. (Click here for a brief linkinglewiscounty.com video taken on January 12 at the E. State St. bridge during the height of the thaw.) In April, Douglas J. Iseneker filed a notice of claim against the village of Lowville, citing $100,000 in property damage to the Iseneker Funeral Home property, located at 5702 Water St. Mr. Iseneker's claim alleges that the village's dumping of snow, removed from village streets, into the creek at the wastewater treatment facility property has contributed to ice jams that flood his property routinely. The issue was first brought to the attention of the Village in 2010. This fall, landowners along that section of the creek began meeting with local officials seeking emergency measures to prevent further eroding of the creek bank. "Something had to be done before this year's thaw and spring melt," Ms. Billhardt said. "We determined it necessary to perform an emergency triage to a 100-foot section of the creek to protect from impending failure." Crews began work on the section around the E. State St. bridge on October 29, taking about three weeks to complete. Ms. Billhardt explained that the permitting process for the work is different depending on the section, with sections of the creek west of the bridge classified as non-navigable and east of the bridge (toward the Iseneker property) being classified as navigable. While acknowledging that the Iseneker property is the greatest area of concern, Ms. Billhardt noted that the process of obtaining the proper permitting to complete work there is still pending. The section completed just upstream from the property needed to be completed prior to any work downstream, and should assist those properties some as well. "This initial phase of stream bank protection came about through the cooperation of the local municipalities and private landowners after a series of meetings this fall," Ms. Billhardt said. With everyone involved realizing that some immediate action was needed, a plan was devised to complete some emergency work. The three municipalities with interests in the area are Lewis County, which owns the E. State St. Bridge, and the Village and Town of Lowville, which both own property along the creek. Sewer and water lines run through this section of the creek as well. Three private landowners were included in the initial work:
The County and Village provided equipment and manpower for the project, with the Town providing manpower. Soil & Water oversaw the work and purchased the rock used for the stream bank protection up front, with the three landowners agreeing to reimburse the cost of the rock based on creek frontage. This phase of the project mostly consisted of placing large rock along a 100- foot section of the creek, diverting more of the water to the center of the creek as opposed to the banks. (Pictures before and after the work below) Next up will be a two-step project below the bridge, including the Iseneker property, according to Ms. Billhardt. Soil & Water is in the process of obtaining proper permitting and continues to seek grant funding to assist with the costs of the project. The work will likely take place this spring, but could be done sooner if the conditions are right when the permitting is finalized. Ms. Billhardt said other areas along the creek also need to be addressed, where different tactics may be needed. "With more intense rain and snow events in recent years, serious erosion along the banks of Mill Creek continues to be a main concern," Ms. Billhardt said, noting that the January event actually moved the creek bed in places. She thinks that with the continued cooperation between all of the entities impacted, a solution can be reached to protect the interests and properties of all involved. |
