Municipal Services Committee Discusses Updates on South Fox Meadow Stormwater Improvement Project

The Municipal Services Committee met Wednesday evening to receive an update on the the South Fox Meadow Stormwater Improvement Project from contractors Dvirka & Bartilucci, who have reached 80 percent completion in a $3.1 million project — a series of restored wetlands, large dry retention basins, drainage inlets and rain gardens that will alleviate flooding from George Field to Scarsdale High School.

Thanks to a petition towards Westchester County Flood Meditation, a grant will fund 50 percent of the project. 

Project Details 

According to Rob Digiorgio of Dvirka and Bartilucci, the seven-stage plan will provide flood mitigation within Fox Meadow Brook, reduce peak runoff rates in the Bronx River watershed through dry detention storage, rehabilitate and preserve natural landscapes and wetlands through invasive species management and reconstruction and improve water quality. 

Ranging from George Field Park and ending in the SHS parking lot, the intricate chain of storm water control mechanisms begins with an 80 x 800-foot dry detention pond, which will store up to 7 acre feet (2,300,000 gallons) of water storage at a depth of 1-3 feet. 

Additionally, the field will be transformed into rehabilitated, reconstructed into 40,000 square feet of wetlands by eliminating invasive species and planting native vegetation that will enhance water quality and help water flow from Greendale Road. 

Both the dry pond and rain garden will retain water in storms and flash floods and drain within 48 – 72 hours after a rainfall, releasing a controlled flow of water downstream. 

Stages two and three include cleaning, televising and potentially lining the drain pipe from George Field Park to Cooper Green and installing positive drainage in the low-lying area on the private property of 8-10 homeowners living along Cambridge Road. Agreement will have to be reached with homeowners before the drainage system can be installed on their lots. 

On Cooper Green itself, a 2,900-square foot detention pond holding 2.5 acre-feet (815,000 gallons) of runoff storage will be built, along with a rain garden bordering a previously-existing walking path planted with native vegetation including New England Asters, Elderberry and Grey Twig Dogwood. If constructed, the proposed rain garden will be the largest rain garden in the Hudson Valley. 

Water will then go into an open watercourse that runs along Post and Fenimore roads to Murry Hill. With the permission of homeowners, vegetation and silt will be cleared from the watercourse. Segment 5 would be dependent upon the Village purchasing a plot of land on Murray Hill Road to build an additional detention pond holding 2.5 acre feet of storage (815,000 gallons) in order to eliminate a bottleneck at the confluence of Murray Hill and Post Road. Segment 5 is not intended for bidding when the plan is completed in December. 

The final two project segments involve raising the Scarsdale High School parking lot two inches with the 20,000 cubic yards of soil unearthed from George Field Park and Cooper Green and restoring optimal stream geometry. These steps will alleviate flooding on the lot's gravel surface and allow the water to trickle down into the stream that borders the parking lot. Re-using soil instead of disposing of it will save the Village 300,000

According to Digoraio, the proposed construction will reduce peak flows at George Field by 70 percent and peak flows at Cooper Green by 58 percent, delay water flow towards Murray Hill and reduce the Bronx River's peak flow by 30 percent — all resulting in a significant reduction in flooding. 

Audience Feedback  

Village Hall was packed nearly to capacity with residents from Cayouga, Canterbury, Catherine and Seneca roads whose properties had suffered flooding damage from Tropical Storm Irene. 

"I have a neighbor on Greendale Road, and my heart goes out to her because I've seen her throw out town of stuff from inside her house," said Steve Salzinger of 15 Greendale Road. "She lives in front of the opening neck at the side of George Field Park."

Salzinger went on to describe the frustration of his next door neighbors, whose car was totaled by water traveling 60-70 across the street into their garage before noting that a large detention basis at Windmill Acres was always empty. Why, he wondered, did water run around the basin instead of into it? 

"After each flood, we have sewage flowing down the road. How can we let kids and animals there?" said another Geendale Road resident. "I feel like I'm living in a third-world country." 

The Project's Future

At the meeting's completion, Trustee Robert Steves said that he would meet with his colleagues and recommend they move forward with the project.

Bidding is scheduled for December 2011, with contracts awarded in February, 2012. Construction is expected to begin in March or April 2012 and finish in December 2012.