Coppermine Brook report ready

Press release from public works:

The City of Bristol announced in April 2008 that it would be conducting a study of the Coppermine Brook watershed area. The City recently received the completed Coppermine Brook Drainage Evaluation report from its consultant. The purpose of the study was to analyze storm water flow during rain events in order to identify potential solutions that will mitigate flooding along the brook and within the watershed area.

A public information meeting will be held in the near future to discuss the report and address concerns.

Interested parties may view the report at Public Works (111 North Main Street), the Bristol Public Library (5 Main Street), or at the Manross Library (260 Central Street). An executive summary of the report is available on the public works web site at www.ci.bristol.ct.us/publicworks under News and Information.

Here are the recommendations at the end of the report:

It is absolutely critical that residents and town officials alike recognize that it will not be possible to stop all flooding of structures along Coppermine Brook. The recommendations herein are expected, however, to decrease the severity and frequency of flooding.
Based on the work completed we recommend the following:
1. Pursue the construction of watershed storage areas. The hydrologic analysis
indicated that upstream storage could be very effective at reducing downstream flow
rates. We recommend that the area identified between Maltby Street and Stevens Street
be pursued first. This is because the area appears generally to be upland and state and
federal regulators frown on the use of existing wetlands for flood storage. In other
words, we think this will be the easiest area to obtain permits for construction. Design
and permitting of this basin is expected to be on the order of $50,000 to $75,000
depending on the level of permitting required.
2. Manage flooding at Richards Court through dike improvements, sealing the existing
storm drain through the dike, and channel improvements downstream of Stevens
Street Bridge. The problems at Richards Court are caused by a number of issues.
Regardless of the improvements that are made as a result of this study, the fact remains
that this neighborhood sits atop what was once mapped as floodplain soils. The issues
here are compounded by the fact that much of the improvements suggested are on private
property. The exception is the downstream channel improvements, which would occur
on property we believe to be owned by the City of New Britain. It is not clear what
obligation the City has to repair to former dike, which is located on private property.
Design and permitting of this work is expected to be on the order of $70,000 to $100,000
depending on the level of permitting required and the final solution selected for the
drainage pipe at 72 Richards Court.
3. Make improvements near Farmington Avenue. Flooding at and upstream of
Farmington Avenue is occurring because of floodplain construction and development,
and high tailwater along the low gradient channel. Bridge improvements alone cannot
solve flood hazards, but the combination of removing the private driveway bridge
supplemented by channel improvements may provide some benefit. As with the
improvements at Richards Court, both of these recommendations involve work on private
property. Modification of the Farmington Avenue bridge is not suggested at this time as
this is clearly not the responsibility of the City. That being said, once the upstream
channel improvements suggested herein are completed, the City may choose to discuss
Farmington Avenue with the DOT. Design and permitting of this work is expected to be
on the order of $35,000 to $45,000 depending on the level of permitting required.
4. Make improvements at Frederick Street. The Frederick Street area is subject to
flooding and erosion due to riverine sources, bridge construction, and Pequabuck River

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com