Engineers Begin Repairs to Hoosic Flood Control Wall
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Construction began Thursday on repairs to the Hoosic River flood control wall off River Street.U.S. Rep. John W. Olver, D-Amherst, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District announced on Wedneday that the project was to get under way construction to replace a segment of concrete wall that failed in the North Branch of the Hoosic River.
The repairs will consist of concrete slabs being poured into place in the flood wall. The Army Corps of Engineers expects the project to take about eight weeks and should be completed by the beginning of September.
"I am very pleased that the Army Corps is beginning the reconstruction of the failed flood wall. For quite some time now, we have been holding our breath hoping that we wouldn't be hit by strong rain before we could get a new wall in place," said Olver in a statement. "This repair should bring renewed peace of mind to North Adams residents with property near the Hoosic River."
"We're very pleased to be able to work with the city of North Adams and Congressman Olver's office to perform these important repairs on this flood damage reduction project," said Dan Falt, project manager for the Army Corps of Engineers.
Olver originally secured these funds in the fiscal 2008 omnibus appropriations bill, which directed the Army Corps of Engineers to set aside $492,000 for the necessary flood wall repairs. The bill was approved by Congress on De. 19, 2007, and signed into law on Dec. 26.
