Fuss & O'Neill Services- massFM Conference

Fuss & O’Neill Services massFM Conference October

Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program Experience

Fuss & O’Neill is a leading Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) consultant assisting Massachusetts communities secure grant assistance, achieve designation as a Massachusetts MVP community, and execute their MVP priority projects.

Through the MVP process, communities prioritize actions that enhance climate change resiliency with consideration for local infrastructure, environment, and society. Eleven professionals from Fuss & O’Neill are certified MVP providers. The MVP team is experienced in municipal projects, environmental services, civil site engineering, stormwater management, and emergency management. Certified MVP communities have access to MVP Action Grants to assist in funding their MVP priorities.

RELEVANT MVP PROJECTS

Town of Lexington, MA

The Town was awarded MVP Planning Grant assistance to identify and prioritize local climate change needs. The Town received additional grant assistance to update their Hazard Mitigation Plan. Fuss and O’Neill teamed with Jamie Caplan Consulting for mitigation planning. Jamie Caplan has significant experience in developing comprehensive hazard mitigation plans in the Commonwealth and nationally. The team of Fuss & O’Neill and Jamie Caplan is integrating these planning efforts to ensure that both plans are comprehensive and accurately prioritize Lexington’s actions, determined by local stakeholders, to reduce long-term risks from climate change, natural hazards, and disasters.

City of Brockton, MA

Participants in the City of Brockton’s CRB workshop identified flooding and the collective impacts of heavy precipitation and stormwater as one of the City’s top hazards. In response, the City was awarded an MVP Action Grant to develop an integrated all –waters approach to increase flood resiliency City-wide. This project also includes the initial phase of a business improvement and economic development plan to support local business and assist the business community become more resilient. These efforts will advance the economic, social, infrastructure, and environmental objectives that increase Brockton’s resiliency to climate change impacts.

Town of Carver, MA

At their MVP Community Resilience Building workshop the Town prioritized risks from drought associated with climate change risks: specifically risks to fire fighting in the Myles Standish State Forest and risks to local cranberry growing. We assisted the Town secure almost $200,000 from the MVP Action Grant program to conduct a detailed vulnerability and risk assessment of surface water supply, with particular focus on water to support fire suppression activities and maintain successful agricultural production.

City of Pittsfield, MA

Fuss & O’Neill facilitated the Community Resilience Building Workshop and simultaneous Hazard Mitigation Planning process for the City. Fuss & O’Neill continues to work with the City on a funded $815,000 high priority culvert redesign and construction project. This project emerged as a result of the concerns raised by both the public works and emergency response officials during the two planning processes.

MVP PLANNING GRANT COMMUNITIES - 2017 - 2021

TOTAL GRANT AWARDS: $636,2330

Ashland, Belchertown, Blackstone, Brockton, Carver, Charlton, Dighton*, Framingham, Haverhill, Holden, Leicester, Lexington*, Mattapoisett, Northampton, Paxton, Pittsfield*, Rehoboth, Sherborn, Shirley, Shutesbury, South Hadley, Southampton, Southwick, Spencer, Swansea, Templeton, Walpole

* Includes hazard mitigation planning

Towns of Charlton and Spencer, MA

Fuss & O’Neill assisted both communities in the MVP process and worked with the Towns to secure $300,000 from the MVP Action Grant program to perform a detailed vulnerability assessment of roadway, bridges, and culverts. Green infrastructure, Low-Impact Design, and other naturebased solutions will be integrated with hard-infrastructure improvements to establish approaches that will be robust in the face of natural hazards and climate-change scenarios. Priority projects identified through the initial Action Grant have since received additional MVP funding for design and construction.

MVP ACTION GRANT COMMUNITIES (2017-2021) TOTAL GRANT AWARDS: $4.8 MILLION

Auburn, Belchertown, Brockton, Carver, Charlton, Easthampton, Haverhill, Holden, Pittsfield, Rehoboth, Shirley, Southwick, Spencer, Swansea, Uxbridge, Walpole

Climate Resiliency and Adaptation Services

Climate change is happening now and the climate will continue to change into the foreseeable future. Increased temperatures and precipitation, rising sea levels and extreme weather are affecting communities here in the Northeast and throughout the United States. The effects of climate change are broad, with implications for infrastructure, ecosystems, and human health. Understanding these implications and developing strategies to address them are the foundation of climate resiliency.

Fuss & O’Neill combines experience in natural systems and the built environment to help communities adapt to ongoing and anticipated changes in climate. In projects throughout

Environment Infrastructure Community Energy

the Northeast, we’ve worked to mimic or restore the resiliency of natural systems and combine that with decades of experience in building, protecting, and maintaining critical infrastructure. We have completed climate vulnerability assessments, adaptation planning and designs for coastal and inland projects, and we work with clients to identify climate mitigation actions including greenhouse gas reduction and alternative energy sources.

Preparing for climate change requires financial resources. We know how to help our clients get funding for their projects – from both traditional and innovative sources – and put those funds to the best use. In many cases we use innovative approaches that help position our clients for additional sources of funding.

CLIMATE RESILIENCY PROJECTS:

Coastal Hazard Analysis and Resiliency EvaluationMattapoisett, MA

• Performed engineering evaluations of eight critical water and wastewater facilities as part of a Climate & Coastal Resiliency Analysis.

• Identified improvements to protect infrastructure.

• Developed construction cost estimates.

Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness - Various, MA

• Successfully assisted 10 Massachusetts municipalities complete their Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness grant applications to begin the planning process.

• Allows communities to define extreme weather and climate-related hazards, develop/prioritize actions, and identify opportunities to reduce risk and build resilience.

Herring River Salt Marsh Restoration, Wellfleet, MA

• Evaluated alternative tide control and bridge/culvert structures.

• Identified flood control provisions to protect upstream properties from increased water surface elevations during storm events and from future sea level rise.

• Identified and evaluated public access and natural landscaping elements to improve safety and to blend with site’s natural character.

• Conducted workshops with the Committee and Town of Wellfleet to present and discuss alternative approaches.

Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment, Mitigation and Adaptation Plan – New Bedford, Acushnet, and Fairhaven, MA

• Through coastal modeling, identified potential impacts from coastal storms and sea level rise on wastewater pumping stations and CSO outfalls.

• Compared existing structure elevations to several coastal storm scenarios to determine potential risk.

• Assessed critical improvements, provided opinions of cost, and prioritized the projects.

ADDITIONAL CLIMATE RESILIENCY PROJECTS:

Aguntaug Cedar Swamp Restoration - Westerly, RI

Bayview Beach Flood Resiliency EnhancementsMilford, CT

Blackamore Pond Wetland and Floodplain RestorationCranston, RI

Bride Brook Coastal Restoration - East Lyme, CT

Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment for Water Quality Infrastructure - New Bedford, MA

Landfill Photovoltaic System Hartford, CT

Farm Pond Coastal Restoration Oak Bluffs, MA

• Evaluated approaches to reduce flooding, including use of a customized tidal control structure enabling adaptive management of the culvert opening based on future sea level rise conditions.

• Developed designs to improve tidal flushing and restore shellfish beds along the coastline of Martha’s Vineyard.

Narrow River Salt Marsh Elevation EnhancementNarragansett, RI

Pawcatuck River Flood Resiliency Restoration - CT and RI

University of Hartford Micro-Grid - West Hartford, CT

Watershed Management

Fuss & O’Neill partners with organizations to develop and implement watershed management plans that identify problems and threats to water resources and to provide a framework to address these issues within a specific watershed. We work with watershed groups, municipalities, and state agencies on watershed planning projects throughout New England to restore impaired waters (U.S. EPA Nine Elements watershed-based plans), to protect healthy watersheds and public drinking water supplies, and to enhance the resilience of watershed communities to flooding and climate hazards.

Our watershed planning process involves a stakeholder-driven approach to identify practical planning recommendations and to implement projects with strong local support. We emphasizes the use of nature-based approaches (green infrastructure, ecological restoration, riparian corridor and floodplain restoration, land conservation, etc.) to provide multiple benefits such as water quality, resilience, ecological, and community enhancements. We take pride in working with our clients to produce high-quality planning documents that are comprehensive and understandable by the general public.

RELEVANT WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROJECTS

Deerfield River Watershed-based PlanGreenfield, MA

• Developed a watershed-based plan to maintain and improve water quality and to increase climate change resiliency in the watershed.

• Conducted field assessments and developed designs and cost estimates for land conservation, geomorphic restoration, and riprarian corridor improvement projects.

Nurse Brook - Leverett, MA

• Designed and permitted a culvert crossing of a stream within a reservoir watershed.

• Prepared a Major Fill/Excavation Project Certification pursuant to the MassDEP Wetlands and Waterways Regulations (310 CMR 9.00) and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, as well as coordinated filings under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act.

Environment Infrastructure Community Construction

Children’s Beach Flooding Mitigation and Watershed Study - Nantucket, MA

• Conducting a hydrologic and hydraulic study of this watershed to identify green and gray infrastructure to mitigate flooding and enhance community resilience.

Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration On-call Services - MA

• Providing on-call services to plan and engineer solutions that restore degraded natural resources and improve their resilience to future impacts.

ADDITIONAL WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROJECTS

Plymouth-Carver Aquifer Watershed Protection Plan - MA

State of the Watershed Report - Oyster Bay, NY

Newport Water Watershed Protection Plan - RI

Maidford River Watershed Assessment - RI

Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Flood Resiliency - Southern RI and Southeastern CT

Regulating and Moswansicut Reservoirs Watershed Management Plan - Cranston, RI

Vernal Pool and Watershed Assessment - Pittsfield, MA

• Assessed a vernal pool (including the collection of data on physical and biological characteristics) and investigated its associated watershed at a college campus.

Upper and Lower Woonasquatucket WatershedsProvidence, RI

Pocasset River Flood Resilience Watershed Plan and Design - Johnstown, RI

Pequonnock River Watershed Management PlanBridgeport, CT

Tankerhoosen River Watershed Management Plan - CT

Goodwives River Watershed Restoration ProjectDarien, CT

Rooster River Watershed-based Plan - Bridgeport, CT

Quinnipiac River Watershed-based Plan - Meriden, CT

Hatch Pond Watershed Plan - South Kent, CT

West River Watershed Management Plan - New Haven County, CT

Pomperaug River Watershed-based Plan - Woodbury, CT

Flood Control

Fuss & O’Neill has completed hundreds of flood and water control projects throughout Southern New England. Our experience ranges from relatively simple evaluations of floodplain encroachments (e.g. new bridges) to much more complex systems such as unsteady flow (dam breaches) to evaluating flood control levee systems. As part of our services, we develop hydrologic and hydraulic models of complex water systems such as rivers and wetlands using models such as HEC-RAS, SWMM, TR-20, TR-55 and HEC-HMS. We have significant experience with coastal flooding and restoration projects and have been permitting water resource projects for over 40 years. We understand the challenges of working on restoration projects both from the technical and construction standpoint, as well as the financial viewpoint, and have been successful in helping our clients overcome these challenges.

Our capabilities include identifying and evaluating alternative approaches to build, repair, and/or improve levees and dams. We develop alternatives that address the flooding risk while considering potential constraints such as wetlands, existing structures, and neighboring environments. An important part of our approach is developing innovative alternatives to address cost, technical, and regulatory challenges. We provide geotechnical engineering expertise to addresss embankment stability issues, seepage control, and to ensure compliance with FEMA requirements.

RELEVANT FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS

Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Flood Resiliency - Mattapoisett, MA

• Performed engineering evaluation and Coastal Hazard Analysis of eight critical water and wastewater facilities.

Sheffield Brook Stream & Floodplain RestorationOld Lyme, CT

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Installed tidal controls on the culvert to manage flooding during tidal surge events.

InfrastructureCommunity ConstructionEnvironment

Dike Repair & Maintenance Project - Hartford, CT

• Prepared permits and contract documents, as well as provided construction administration services for the repair of a seven-mile system of dikes and flood walls to protect 3,000+ acres of developed area within the City.

Shandon Neighborhood Flood ControlColumbia, SC

• Conducted feasibility study to identify green infrastructure solutions to address flooding issues.

NRCS Floodplain Restoration Design - West Warwick & Cranston, RI

• Provided engineering design which included hydraulic modeling and bioengineering techniques, permitting & construction oversight for 3 projects as part of on-call contract.

ADDITIONAL FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS

Bedford, Fairhaven & Acushnet, MA

City of Gardner Flood Protection, MA

Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Flood Resiliency, Mattapoisett, MA

Bayview Beach Flood Improvements, Milford, CT

Clean Water Infrastructure Climate Resiliency, New Naugatuck River Rlood Control System Inprovements, CT

Pocasset River Watershed Plan, Cranston & Johnston, RI

Pawtuxet River Stabilization and Resiliency, Coventry, RI

Ninigret Pond Salt Marsh Elevation Enhancement, Charlestown, RI

Blackamore Pond Flood Abatement & Floodplain Restoration, Cranston, RI

City of Cranston Flood Control Projects, RI

Pawcatuck River Watershed Flood Resiliency Plan, RI/CT

Pocasset River Floodwall, Cranston, RI

Stormwater Engineering

Fuss & O’Neill has been solving complex stormwater management issues for municipalities, campuses and other public and private sector clients for decades. This expertise includes the use of infrastructure, policy, and regulation to better manage stormwater rate, quantity, and quality issues. Fuss & O’Neill offers a comprehensive suite of MS4 stormwater planning services to address the needs of regulated municipalities, both small and large, to comply with the requirements of the MS4 program. We developed innovative approaches to stormwater policy and design through the development of these statewide manuals as well as similar drainage and stormwater design manuals for a number of municipalities.

In many ways, stormwater management is as much of an art as it is a science. Oftentimes, new systems can be over-designed by engineers who take an overly simplistic view of design that results in excessive construction costs. Retrofitting existing systems presents its own challenges trying to work within existing right-of-ways and minimize costs and impacts to residents. We work closely with our clients to design upgrades such that they clearly understand the drainage benefits they are getting for their investments. A simple upgrade could allow a system to manage a 2- or 5-year frequency event, while more substantial improvements could be required to manage a 10- to 25-year event. Our designs routinely incorporate green infrastructure controls and water quality controls as required to comply with regulatory requirements. We use innovative stormwater management tools such as SWMM, StormCAD, and HydroCAD models, which use TR-20 as their hydrologic methodology.

RELEVANT STORMWATER DRAINAGE SYSTEMS PROJECTS

Green Street Design for Water Street - Warren, RI

• Designed first green street in Rhode Island.

• Included linear bioretention system and porous pavement in park’s parking lot.

Lincoln Boulevard - Bridgeport, CT

• Incorporated green infrastructure measures for stormwater and sustainable plantings, such as pervious pavements, green gutters, and biofiltration basins.

InfrastructureCommunity Construction

Central Massachusetts Regional Stormwater

Coalition MS4 Implementation

• Hosted training workshop for municipal staff responsible for compliance with the IDDE requirements and Good Housekeeping and Pollution Prevention requirements of the 2016 MS4 Permit.

• Created a series of training videos and developed written guidance materials.

Eastman Stormwater Management, Eastman, NH

• Generated a Corrective Action Maintenance Plan to repair and solve erosion problems for a series of beaches along the shore of Eastman Lake.

• Developed innovative designs for shoreline protection, vegetative outlet protection of channels and culvert pip ing, and stone channel path crossings, which integrated site erosion control plan and beach sand replenishment.

ADDITIONAL STORMWATER ENGINEERING PROJECTS

MS4 Stormwater Master Plan - Pawtucket, RI

MS4 Stormwater Master Plan - Danbury, CT

Bank Street Drainage Project - New London, CT

Downtown Stormwater Modeling ProjectNew Haven, CT

Interior Drainage and Inundation Study - Hartford, CT

Bayview Beach Drainage Design - Milford, CT

Slavin Center, Providence College - Providence, RI

Green Infrastructure - Shandon Neighborhood, Columbia, SC

• Retrofitted existing neighborhoods with pervious pavement, bioretention bumpouts, and subsurface storage to significantly reduce capital costs.

Taft School Drainage Master Plan - Watertown, CT

Southern Connecticut State University Stormwater Master Plan - New Haven, CT

Hanscom Air Force Base Stormwater Management Plan - Bedford, MA

MA Port Authority On-call Services for Stormwater Improvement Program - MA

Smith College Storm Drainage ImprovementsNorthampton, MA Stormwater Management Plan, Evergreen Walk - South Windsor, CT

Stormwater Oversight and Management

Fuss & O’Neill is considered a regional leader in the design and implementation of innovative stormwater management practices to resolve drainage, flooding, and water quality issues associated with stormwater runoff. We authored the Connecticut Stormwater Quality Manual and have written Low Impact Development design updates, as well as dozens of municipal stormwater management plans throughout Southern New England. We have also authored several technical chapters of the Rhode Island Stormwater Design and Installation Standards Manual. We consider long-term maintenance requirements when identifying appropriate stormwater treatment systems. We began incorporating Best Management Practices (BMPs) into our land development designs when stormwater quality first became an issue in the 1980s. Our designs range from conventional BMP methods, such as grassed swales, detention basins, and other proprietary systems, to alternatives such as sand filters, bioretention systems, and water quality buffers. We employ the latest investigative and design technology, including hydraulic/hydrologic computer models, and use GIS technology in the development of utility systems for quantity/quality assessments and alternatives for drainage and water quality mitigation. We also have extensive experience in MS4 Permit Compliance ranging from assisting municipal clients costeffectively comply with existing permits, to designing innovative stormwater controls, to addressing flooding and water quality challenges (e.g., first green street designs in New England), to developing regulatory policy and design standards. We assist municipalities with MS4 program implementation, including developing training programs, preparing land development regulations, mapping storm drainage systems, conducting illicit discharge detection and elimination surveys, and annual reporting to USEPA and state agencies.

RELEVANT STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROJECTS

Central Massachusetts Regional Stormwater Coalition - Various, MA

• For 31 communities in central Massachusetts, provided municipal stormwater technical assistance materials to help implement the 2016 MS4 Permit.

• Held training workshops, created training videos, developed guidance materials, and provided web resources.

Stormwater and LID Bylaw DevelopmentBelchertown, MA

• Developed a new stormwater, Low Impact Development (LID) bylaw, as well as associated regulations.

MA Port Authority On-call Stormwater Improvement Program - MA

• Provided on-call stormwater consulting services to the Massachusetts Port Authority.

Dry Weather Outfall Surveys - MA

• Obtained grant funding for our clients, provided training, and developed special procedures that limit the potential for false positives

Eversource, Compliance Structure Replacement Project – 393 Line Hancock MA

• Conducted monitoring and reporting of stormwater controls and other BMPs along the 393 line. Stormwater compliance is based on the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) prepared by Fuss & O’Neill for work on-site by including Northern Land Clearing and PAR Electrical Contractors, Inc. (PAR).

ADDITIONAL STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROJECTS

MS4 Services - Walpole, MA

MS4 Services - Holden, MA

Waterfront Stormwater Management PlanNew Bedford, MA

Category 4B Plan for Shawsheen River HeadwatersBedford, MA

Holyoke Mall Stream Channel ImprovementsHolyoke, MA

Brightview Canton E&S Design and MonitoringCanton, MA

Hanscom Air Force Base Stormwater Management Plan - Bedford, MA

Dam Repairs - Brockton, MA

Canal Restoration - West Bridgewater, MA

North Street Drainage and LID Design - Pittsfield, MA

Herring River Tidal Restoration - Wellfleet, MA

Integrated Water Infrastructure Vulnerability Assessment and Economic Development for Climate Resiliency

City of Brockton, MA

Fuss & O’Neill is providing an updated hydrologic model and a new hydraulic model that will provide an accurate understanding of risks associated with flooding events and climate change that threaten public safety (dwellings, evacuation routes, critical services, etc.), economic activities (retail operations, large employers, recreation, etc.), infrastructure (culverts, bridges, dams, roads, treatment facilities, etc.), and the environment (21E sites, brownfields, landfills, etc.).

Modeling data will allow the project team to identify potential nature-based solutions to reduce flooding and enhance or restore the corridor along Salisbury Brook and the Salisbury Plain River. Focusing on the Westgate Mall and Kmart Plaza, this project also uses model data and stakeholder engagement to define resiliency and environmental mitigation opportunities that couple with the City’s economic development and redevelopment goals.

Deliverables include public infrastructure and private development risk assessments that will categorize both the level of risk associated with a flood event and potential impacts on tax revenues and economic development (e.g., jobs) in the City. Additionally, the City utilized our GIS services to provide information and garner feedback to the community via a user-friendly website that we created for them.

This project continues Brockton’s commitment to better understand opportunities and threats associated with their urban waters.

The City, using the model data, will prioritize actions and response to residents, public infrastructure, and privately-owned development.

Nature-based Solutions for Flood Resiliency

City of Brockton, MA

In 2019 the City of Brockton received a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Action Grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. This funding was used to conduct a study that would develop an accurate understanding of risks to infrastructure, environment, and residents resulting from flooding events in the City and to identify solutions to address those risks and increase flood resiliency along Salisbury Brook and the Salisbury Plain River.

In order to develop a plan to address these flooding issues on a citywide scale, rather than on a site-by-site basis, the City partnered with Fuss & O’Neill to design a project to assess the viability of using nature-based solutions (e.g., restoration of wetlands and floodplain or implementation of green infrastructure to address both riverine flooding and stormwater drainage-driven flooding) and to prioritize future projects to increase flood storage capacity and mitigate flooding risk.

Fuss & O’Neill used hydraulic modeling to develop a cost-effective, high-impact solution that will create additional flood storage at key points in the river system, resulting in up to 18-inch reductions in flood elevations during more frequent flood events.

We identified a suite of nature-based approaches to increase flood storage volume along the Salisbury Plain River and Salisbury Brook. Targeted resilience projects at Ellis Brett Pond and three undeveloped parcels along the river will reduce existing flood inundation limits (shown in red) to the area shown in dark blue.

Blackamore Pond Flood Abatement & Floodplain Restoration

Natural Resources Conservation Service– Cranston, RI

Fuss & O’Neill was selected by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to prepare an engineering design which included hydraulic modeling and bioengineering techniques, permitting and construction oversight for a flood abatement and floodplain restoration project in Cranston, Rhode Island as part of our on-call contract with NRCS.

An existing stream alignment exiting out of Blackamore Pond was routed into an undersized culvert passing through a residential neighborhood. During larger storm events, this culvert overflowed and caused flooding to houses located within the vicinity of the culvert. After presenting several alternatives to the City, the preferred alternative was to relocate the stream from the culvert and redirect it to flow into the Pocasset River.

Funding came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Construction for this project was substantially completed by January 2011.

Funding & Permitting - This project was under crucial federal deadlines for project funding sources, and design and permitting were completed in just under three months. The permitting included more than one acre of wetland disturbance.

Public workshops - A critical element in explaining to neighboring residents how the proposed improvements would be completed and what benefits could be expected following construction.

Environment Infrastructure Community

New City Neighborhood Infrastructure Planning City of Easthampton, MA

The City of Easthampton has received Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to conduct a planning study for the New City Neighborhood to assess the need, and to develop a master plan, for physical improvements to aged and inadequate infrastructure (water, sewer, and stormwater), to the streetscape (walkability and ADA compliance, green infrastructure elements, tree canopy), and to community facilities (for improved public parks and amenities).

Fuss & O’Neill is providing multidisciplinary consulting services to address all components of this project, from engineering assessment and concept design, to facilitation of a community-driven, engaged design process, to creative and innovative designs presented in a way that will resonate with neighborhood residents, City Council, and funding agencies.

Fuss & O’Neill is developing an Infrastructure Master Plan for the New City Neighborhood to guide a 10-year project of infrastructure upgrades throughout one of the City’s oldest neighborhoods. The plan will include green infrastructure to address ongoing drainage problems and provide resilience for changing climate conditions, as well as concept designs for two neighborhood parks. These elements will contribute to beautification of the neighborhood and will be integrated with a phasing plan for replacement of underground utilities and accessibility upgrades to make neighborhood sidewalks ADA compliant and to improve connectivity to other parts of the City and the bike path. Unique engagement opportunities early in the project brought our expert designers and engineers together with almost four dozen neighborhood residents to co-create a vision for the neighborhood’s future.

Fuss & O’Neill hosted an outdoor public “walk-shop” to meet residents and walk the neighborhood with them to talk about their priorities for neighborhood improvements and infrastructure needs. The New City Neighborhood is one of the City’s most densely-developed areas, with a high concentration of low to moderate income residents and a significant renter population.

Mattapoisett Neck Road Flood Resilience

Town of Mattapoisett, MA

This project, which was funded by the Office of Coastal Zone Management’s (CZM) Coastal Resiliency Grant Program, addresses the coastal resiliency of one of Mattapoisett’s most vulnerable lowlying roadways, Mattapoisett Neck Road, which provides the only access/egress for approximately 250 residents who live along the road and on Mattapoisett Neck, as well as a decaying culvert underlying the roadway at Molly’s Cove.

Fuss & O’Neill, with the assistance of Woods Hole Group, assessed the area’s vulnerability to future flood risks from sea level rise and coastal storms. We developed a set of alternatives to manage risks and improve the long-term resilience of the Mattapoisett Neck Road causeways and Molly’s Cove culvert. The alternatives included a combination of roadway elevation enhancements, slope treatments, and culvert alternatives that could be utilized to control flood risks, control costs, and reduce impacts to adjoining resource areas.

Mattapoisett Neck Road is susceptible to frequent flooding due to it low-lying

Special emphasis was placed on how to maximize the value of living shoreline design approaches.

Madaket Culverts Evaluation

Town of Nantucket, MA

Fuss & O’Neill teamed with Woods Hole Group to evaluate and provide recommendations for potential culvert replacements or upgrades in the Madaket areas to address structural deficiencies, upstream flooding, and improve degraded water quality in Long Pond.

This project evaluated four structures on the Long Pond/ Hither Creek estuary system:

• culvert under Madaket Road connecting the middle and northern sections of Long Pond

• culvert conveying Madaket Ditch under Madaket Road

• culvert conveying Madaket Ditch under North Cambridge Street

• Massasoit bridge (Cambridge Street)

The project included a structural evaluation and development of a hydraulic model of the structures and estuary system to evaluate tidal exchange and coastal flooding impacts resulting from potential culvert replacements and removal of other hydraulic constrictions.

Recommendations included dredging of Madaket Ditch, which we anticipate would enhance tidal exchange and improve water quality in Long Pond. We recommended consideration of culvert replacement with larger structures and elevating portions of the associated roadways to increase the resilience of the Madaket area against future sea level rise and coastal storms.

Key Findings of Modeling - The existing conditions model results indicate that, under normal tidal conditions, the Madaket Ditch is the primary tidal restriction, rather than the study culverts. Improvements to the Madaket Ditch channel and replacement of the study culverts with larger structures would improve water quality and increase infrastructure resilience in the Madaket area.

Project Objective - The objective of this project was to provide the Town with prioritized recommendations for potential replacement or upgrade of the subject structures based on a comprehensive assessment of structural condition, flooding impacts, and water quality.

Environment Infrastructure

Farm Pond Coastal Restoration

Oak Bluffs, MA

Fuss & O’Neill assisted the Town of Oak Bluffs and the MA Division of Ecological Restoration with evaluation and preparation of designs to improve tidal flushing and restore shellfish beds in Farm Pond along Martha’s Vineyard’s eastern coastline.

Fuss & O’Neill conducted subsurface investigations and developed alternative designs for a replacement box culvert to increase tidal flushing to this coastal pond. Flood mitigation alternatives were identified and evaluated for flood-prone roadways and properties along the pond, incorporating vegetative elements to enhance resiliency, match the neighborhood’s natural character, and minimize long-term maintenance costs.

Fuss & O’Neill and Woods Hole Group recently worked with the Town of Oak Bluffs to submit a FY21 Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Action Grant application to implement the recommended infrastructure and living shoreline improvements.

Project Scope - We identified and evaluated alternatives, and conducted public workshops with the Town and DER to assist in identifying a preferred approach fitting the site’s natural character. Design alternatives were evaluated for protection of low-lying roadways and properties bordering the pond.

Detailed Study - Our study included evaluation of alternatives to safely improve tidal flow to Farm Pond, evaluation of performance and visual impacts of several alternatives to control impacts of storm tides, and evaluation of alternatives to protect low lying properties.

Environment Infrastructure Community

Harbor Brook Flood Control Analysis and Design

City of Meriden, CT

Fuss & O’Neill was selected to develop a comprehensive plan and then complete the design of improvements to reduce current and future flood risk along an 1,800 LF segment of Harbor Brook, which is home to City-owned infrastructure as well as privately-owned commercial and residential buildings. This project is being conducted in a manner that delivers co-benefits to the community by improving public access and creating open space while improving redevelopment potential. This is the next phase of a multi-phase project to improve flood resilience along the Harbor Brook corridor.

This project started with identifying and analyzing alternatives. The selected alternative results in removing 39 buildings from the 1% annual flood (i.e., 100-year storm) floodplain, floodproofing of three buildings that will remain in the floodplain, and removal of two buildings in the floodplain.

The recommended alternative use a hybrid design approach that combines nature-based and traditional gray infrastructure. Major design elements have been developed to improve flood conveyance by reducing existing obstructions: multiple bridge crossings; creating 5 acres of new floodplain storage capacity and using that space to remove contaminated soils; creating a riparian wildlife corridor; creating a linear trail system with park amenities; and incorporating nature-based design elements to improve in-stream habitat, including riffles and point bars.

Fuss & O’Neill is currently in the design phase for this project, which includes the design of two new bridges and channel retaining walls; design of floodproofing for three buildings; design of a new public park, wildlife/riparian corridor, and trail system; a soil remediation program; and hazardous materials investigation of structures to be demolished.

This project will reduce flood hazard risks and recurring damage by increasing channel dimensions, establishing local flood benches, and replacing or removing undersized bridges. It will improve channel aquatic habitat and water quality by re-establishing a vegetated floodplain in the developed channel corridor and increasing the brook’s cross-sectional flow area, and incorporating riffles and point bars as nature-based design features.

This project aims to revitalize Meriden’s downtown urban core by extending a community greenway trail along Harbor Brook and developing a small park.

Resilient CT Phase III - Flood Mitigation Planning and Design

Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA)

Fair Haven, Danbury, Branford, CT

Fuss & O’Neill was retained by CIRCA as part of Resilient Connecticut Phase III to develop conceptual designs for increasing flood resilience and resilience to heat impacts in Danbury, the Fair Haven neighborhood of New Haven, and Branford, Connecticut. The three projects involve assessment and modeling of drainage, riverine, and coastal flooding; development and modeling of alternative solutions to mitigate flooding and heat impacts; development of conceptual designs; and benefit cost analysis.

These projects also include significant community engagement with the municipalities, neighborhood groups, and other stakeholders to help shape the project recommendations and conceptual designs. The project will position the communities to leverage additional state and federal funding for final design, permitting, and construction.

Statewide Flood Mitigation

Fuss & O’Neill is conducting a statewide study on behalf of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) that will inform a better understanding of increased flooding and develop programmatic and policy-related recommendations to reduce the impact of flooding on municipalities.

The project involves development of a statewide survey of municipalities on local flooding issues and concerns; workshop meetings with a project Advisory Committee consisting of staff from a range of municipalities across Connecticut; meetings with state agencies and the regional Councils of Government; and development of recommendations for future implementation projects.

Coastal Flood Resilience Planning and Design City of Milford, CT

The City of Milford experiences frequent coastal flooding caused by high tides and storm surge, as well as interior stormwater drainage that has no ability to drain through flooded outfalls. Fuss & O’Neill partnered with the City to make three neighborhoods more resilient to existing and projected coastal flooding. Our services included planning, design, permitting, and construction administration of flood protection measures, which were funded through CDBG Disaster Recovery funding following Hurricane Sandy.

Calf Pen Meadow Neighborhood Scientific and engineering analyses were completed to identify the feasibility of hydraulic and barrier-type controls to improve future flood protection.

Beachland Avenue Neighborhood

The road was raised to provide access during projected future high tide events and protect private property on the inland side of the road from tidal following.

Bayview Beach Neighborhood

• Reconstructed, raised, and installed tide check valves on four storm drains discharging to the Sound.

• Reconstructed sand dunes and reestablished beach grass to control high tide overland flooding.

• A stormwater pump station to pump water from the street.

• Constructed emergency stormwater pumping system to allow a temporary pump(s) to be placed outside of the floodplain that would draw water from flooded streets and discharge to the Sound.

Through hands-on meetings, we engaged decision makers by working through alternative design approaches to obtain feedback and buy-in on the systems that they will have to operate and maintain. We conducted public meetings with residents who were concerned with their ongoing flooding problems. We used these meetings to engage residents on potential solutions and reach consensus on the final plan.

Regional Flood Protection and Resilience

Southwest Connecticut

Fuss & O’Neill has partnered with municipalities in soutwest CT for more than 30 years, providing comprehensive transportation, environmental, water resources, and civil engineering services. We have direct experience working with the COGs and many of municipalities in the region to develop and implement flood protection and resilience projects. We are known and respected by the municipalities, CT DEEP and other regulatory agencies, and funding agencies including FEMA and DEMHS. This experience is critical to engaging municipal and agency partners for developing and implementing flood protection and resilience projects.

Coastal Flood Resilience Plan, City of Stamford: Partnered with the City of Stamford on a successful FEMA BRIC/FMA grant application for development of a city-wide coastal resilience plan to address existing and future flood prone areas.

Neighborhood-Scale Flood Mitigation Evaluations, City of Stamford: FEMA HMGP Advance Assistance grant development for evaluation of flood protection alternatives to address riverine and drainage-related flooding in the Dannell Drive and Cummings Pond neighborhoods.

Flood Mitigation Evaluation and Design - Town of Darien: CIRCA Municipal Resilience Grant funded project to reduce flooding in the Heights Road area and adjacent train station using infiltration-based green stormwater infrastructure.

Municipal Stormwater Drainage and LID Manuals – Greenwich, Stamford, and Danbury: Developed design manuals for the design and implementation of improved stormwater management for private land development and municipal projects

FEMA Grant Development, City of Stamford Development of FEMA, BRIC, and HMGP grant applications for flood mitigation projects to address riverine, drainage, and coastal flooding (Cummuings Pond neighborhood flooding shown above).

Webster Parking Lot Green Infrastructure Project, City of Norwalk Design and construction of green stormwater infrastructure retrofits in a City parking lot to address flooding and water quality using Long Island Sound Futures Fund grant funding

Pine Street TOD District Mobility and Green Infrastructure Improvements City of Pawtucket, RI

Fuss & O’Neill provided the design services for the Green Infrastructure stormwater improvements along Pine Street in the Transit Oriented Development district.

The design for the Pine Street corridor within Pawtucket’s TOD Conant Thread District included roadway lane diets to provide a shared mutli-use path to increase bikeabilty and walkability to the new train station at the terminus of Pine Street as well as green infrastructure. The design was developed in charrette format that included key stakeholders in the district including City officials, RIPTA planning staff, and adjacent property owners.

Bioretention stormwater planters were incorporated into the design to help reduce peak runoff into the City’s combined sewer system and promote infiltration. The bioretention planters were placed along the curbside with inlets to capture roadway runoff.

Approximately 2.3 acres of stormwater runoff are managed by these improvements. The planters provide a separation buffer from the roadway, enhancing the pedestrian experience. The planters include engineered soil media and pretreatment sediment forbays, and are planted with low maintenance flowering perennials and native warm season grasses.

Existing conditions provided little impervious surface for stormwater runoff. The design includes introducing stormwater runoff through curb inlets and street side retention planters.

Planters include flowering native perennials, engineering soil media, and pretreatment sediment forebay and inlet sumps.

Pawtucket Stormwater Master Plan and Slater Park Green Infrastructure Improvements

City of Pawtucket, RI

The City of Pawtucket contracted Fuss & O’Neill to create a city-wide stormwater master plan to address impairments to Ten Mile, Moshassuck, and Blackstone Rivers and to develop a plan that would guide future stormwater improvements.

First, we identified separated stormwater system components and catchments, ranking them based on stormwater criteria (e.g., ability to infiltrate, imperviousness, and potential pollutant load reduction). For each catchment structural stormwater, best management practices were recommended with the goal of treating the entire Water Quality Volume (1” of precipitation). A matrix was created that evaluated criteria and estimated construction costs to meet water quality goals.

A project at Slater Pond Park was developed to showcase the stormwater master plan and to show the shortand long-term efficacies of these improvements. This demonstration targeted improvements designed to discourage geese populations from taking up residence and polluting. A waterfowl buffer has been installed along with educational signage.

Outreach - This project focused on enhancing the City’s stormwater education and outreach programs. We worked with the Town to develop a video and bilingual door hanger that explained the importance of stormwater and provided simple ways that the community can participate and benefit from increased messaging.

Stormwater Master Plan - To meet the regulations for both the MS4 program and TMDLs, we helped develop a Stormwater Master Plan. We worked with the City and the Northern Rhode Island Conservation District to enhance the City’s stormwater program using an approach focused on improving water quality through green infrastructure practices, as well as stormwater education and outreach programs.

Environment Infrastructure

RIDOT Linear Stormwater Manual

Rhode Island Department of Transportation – Statewide, RI

Fuss & O’Neill is developed a stormwater manual for the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) that is specifically focused on how to implement green infrastructure controls within a public right-of-way.

This manual addresses how to plan, select, design, construct, and maintain approximately 20 green infrastructure type controls. It addresses selection of stormwater controls to best meet site-specific stormwater quality issues and to satisfy maximum extent practicable requirements.

This project consisted of updating the Rhode Island Stormwater Design and Installation Standards Manual to reflect current design approaches and to address the unique challenges (e.g., lack of space, utility conflicts, and access for maintenance) working within the public right-of-way.

The key elements of the manual included:

• Methods to calculate stormwater management goals for every RIDOT project.

• Methods to select appropriate GSI controls based on goals while meeting Maximum Extent Practicable requirements.

• Detailed design standards for each GSI control, as well as pretreatment and other standard design elements.

• Design approaches to overcome challenges such as utility and space conflicts.

• Construction details and specifications for each GSI control.

• Maintenance requirements for each GSI control.

• Standard worksheets and forms for manual users.

The manual was developed to improve consistency and efficiency in implementing a large-scale stormwater infrastructure program.

This project required a series of workshops with stakeholders including RIDEM, CRMC, U.S. EPA, Green Infrastructure Coalition, and other non-profits.

Mechanic Street Parking Lot Green Infrastructure

Town of Spencer, MA

Fuss & O’Neill provided planning, design, permitting, and construction administration services related to the development of a new municipal parking lot and stormwater green infrastructure project on Mechanic Street in downtown Spencer. Funding for the project was secured through a FY19 Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program Action Grant.

The green infrastructure elements of this project include an internal bioswale to capture and treat parking lot runoff (approximately 2 acres of stormwater runoff management), a roadside bioswale to manage runoff from a portion of Mechanic Street, and a subsurface infiltration system below the parking lot to store and infiltrate runoff associated with the existing and projected future 100-year design storm under a climate change scenario. The project will be visible to the public and will provide a needed stormwater management benefit while allowing for educational outreach and a public green space as part of its everyday use.

This site was specifically identified as part of the Town-wide Green Infrastructure evaluation performed as part of the Spencer/Charlton FY18 MVP Action Grant.

Fuss & O’Neill was the consultant for the previous MVP Planning and Action Grants.

This site was chosen as an ideal candidate for Green Infrastructure due to the project’s location within the downtown core and the lack of any stormwater controls within this area.

Herring River Salt Marsh Restoration

Conservation Law Foundation – Wellfleet, MA

The Herring River Restoration Committee (led by MA DER, NOAA, NPS, and USFWS) and Conservation Law Foundation selected Fuss & O’Neill to lead the design of a $15 million green infrastructure project of a new bridge structure and two secondary dike structures across Mill Creek.

The purpose of this project is to replace an existing causeway with a bridge structure to allow gradual restoration of tidal flows to restore 1,100 acres of former salt marsh. This is the largest salt marsh restoration project ever undertaken in the Northeast. A major element of this project is to develop a bridge structure with a 160-foot span at the mouth of a coastal river in a manner that allows National Park Service scientists to control flows into the marsh system and provides future flood protection for homes and infrastructure around the restored marsh area. As a result, the bridge design is one of a kind and includes removable flood panels that can be inserted through the bridge as well as slide gates in some of those panels to provide more finite controls.

Workshops were conducted with stakeholders to review alternatives and to obtain critical feedback that allowed our team to refine the configurations and evaluate costs, impacts, and benefits. Carefully prepared reports, alternatives assessments, and cost/impact evaluations documented efforts through all phases off the feasibility studies. These reports were prepared in a manner to facilitate inclusion into later permitting and regulatory compliance filings.

Design Alternatives - Concepts were developed that allowed accurate assessments to identify which configuration would best meet the project’s unique functional requirements while minimizing impacts to adjacent natural resources, regulatory barriers, construction costs, and long-term operating and maintenance costs.

Conceptual Rendering of Bridge and Recreational Access Improvements - Workshops were conducted with the project partners and the public to present and discuss alternative bridge configurations and public access improvements. The new bridge over the Herring River will provide ADA compliant public boat and fishing access improvements for the public.

Environment Infrastructure Community

Public Engagement

Given the scale of this project and how it will transform flooded neighborhoods into public open space, substantial engagement of political leaders, municipal officials, and local residents was performed to get their buy-in and commitment to the project. To date, this has largely been accomplished through direct engagement with political leaders and municipal officials, as well as with public meetings in each municipality to directly engage the public, collect feedback, and address concerns.

During the design and permitting phase for the remaining design elements, our approach will include continued direct engagement of municipal officials with public meetings and on-line approaches to keep people up-to-date on progress. This is especially important as neighborhood residents are anxious that this popular project continues to move forward. Social media, including Twitter and Facebook, will be used to keep residents up to date.

Pocasset River Flood Resilience Watershed Plan and Design Rhode Island

The Pocasset River is an urbanized, 26 square-mile watershed that is located south of the City of Providence. About 1.5 square miles of this watershed consist of floodplain that has largely been developed, with the exception of the river channel. As a result, the neighborhoods surrounding this river routinely flood, with average annual flood damages exceeding $3.2 million and affecting 432 residences (including apartments) and 49 commercial and industrial properties.

The original flood resilience plan (prepared by others) relied on a series of flood walls and pump stations. After discovering that the costs for implementing this gray infrastructure-based plan far exceeded what was estimated in the plan, project owners retained Fuss & O’Neill to revise the plan. Our approach was to maximize the use of nature-based systems in order to reduce costs and create open space in a dense urban environment with environmental justice populations. Several of the key features of this project are shown here.

• Watershed-wide Flood Resilience Plan

Fuss & O’Neill updated the previously-prepared flood resilience plan to improve its cost-effectiveness. This included focusing on a more nature-based approach, as opposed to a traditional gray infrastructure approach. This plan included an assessment of alternatives for each of the seven impacted neighborhoods that incorporated several criteria. The cost-benefit analysis was based on opinions-of-cost for selected alternatives using HEC-FDA.

• Floodplain Restoration and Creation of Open Space Network

This project includes the acquisition of 134 privately-owned structures in the floodplain. These structures and supporting infrastructure will be demolished. The remaining land will be restored as floodplain that will reduce the long-term flooding risk to surrounding neighborhoods. This open space will also be used to create an open space park system for city residents that have little access to natural green spaces and the river.

Fuss & O’Neill has completed the design, permitting, and construction administration of two of these floodplain restoration projects that have been completed to date.

• Flood Walls and Pump Stations

While this project has a heavy reliance on nature-based systems, this project does include 2,400 linear feet of new floodwall and two pump stations. These are being designed in locations where there is inadequate space for nature-based systems to be costeffectively implemented.

• Structural Flood Proofing

Design of dry flood proofing for 25 structures that will not be protected by other improvements and depth of flooding is relatively minor.

Project Highlights

• Large project area: approximately 300 square miles and 11 municipalities in southern Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut.

• Led the development of a comprehensive flood resiliency management plan on behalf of the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association as well as local, state, and federal partners.

• The project was funded with a Hurricane Sandy Coastal Resiliency Grant through the U.S. Department of Interior and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

• Conducted geomorphic assessment of 40 miles of streams and developed river corridor planning recommendations.

• Assessed 400+ road-stream crossings to determine resilience to existing and future flooding.

• Assessed 70 dams in the watershed for flood resilience alternatives.

• Developed green infrastructure conceptual designs for 30 sites.

Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Flood Resiliency Management Plan

Rhode Island and Connecticut

The Wood-Pawcatuck watershed is vulnerable to floodrelated impacts. Flood damages have included overtopping and washout of roadways, damages to bridges and culverts, damages to and failure of dams, and flooding of properties and structures. The flood damages have been exacerbated by outdated and aging infrastructure, including culverts, bridges, dams, and storm drainage systems. Rainfall in southern New England is expected to continue to increase due to climate change, which will increase the risk of future river-related flooding in the watershed.

Fuss & O’Neill led the development of a comprehensive flood resiliency management plan to assess the vulnerability of the watershed to the growing risks from flooding, erosion, and associated storm-related threats and to develop a watershed-based management plan that will protect and enhance the resiliency of the watershed communities to future flood damages and improve river and stream ecosystems. The planning process involved assessing the watershed for vulnerability to flooding and erosion, as well as developing management recommendations and conceptual designs.

Client / Stakeholders:

Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management

Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

U.S. Geological Survey

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Watershed municipalities

Funding Sources:

Hurricane Sandy Coastal Resiliency Grant

U.S. Department of Interior and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

• Geomorphic Assessments of 40 Miles of Streams and Development of River Corridor Management Recommendations

Conceptual designs were developed for floodplain restoration, meander re-formation through the addition of engineered large woody debris, and other stream and river corridor restoration techniques.

• Field and Desktop Vulnerability Assessments

Deliverables:

Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Flood Resiliency Management Plan

Watershed Baseline Assessment

Geomorphic Assessment and River Corridor Plan River Corridor Mapping

Culvert and Dams Evaluation Report

Green Infrastructure Assessment Report

Watershed Wetlands Evaluation Report

Municipal Land Use Regulatory Review and Recommendations Report

Services Provided:

Bridge/Culvert Engineering

Climate Resiliency

Dam Safety Engineering

Flood Control

Green Infrastructure

Hydraulic Analysis

Stormwater Management

Watershed Management Planning

Wetlands Protection and Restoration

Assessments were performed for 400+ road-stream crossings (culverts and bridges). Prioritization of structures for replacement was based on hydraulic capacity, structural condition, geomorphic risk, flooding impact potential, aquatic organism passage, and climate change considerations. Field assessment methods and prioritization scoring were adapted from the North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative protocols. Hydraulic analyses were performed for each of the crossings based on hydrologic estimates of existing and future peak flows under projected climate change scenarios.

• Dam Vulnerability Assessments

Assessments were performed of ~70 dams for flood risk based on structural condition, hazard classification, and potential flooding impacts. Each dam was evaluated for potential removal, repair, repurposing for flood control, and provision of fish passage.

• Watershed-wide Green Infrastructure Assessment

The assessment identified opportunities for site-specific green stormwater infrastructure retrofits that would increase flood resiliency by reducing runoff volumes and peak flows and improve or protect water quality by reducing pollutant loads to receiving waters. The assessment identified approximately 30 site-specific project concepts in the watershed.

• Watershed-wide Wetlands Assessment

This assessment was conducted to evaluate potential wetland protection, enhancement, and restoration opportunities in the watershed to enhance flood resiliency, habitat, and water quality.

• Land Use Policy and Regulatory Review

A review was performed of the watershed municipalities relative to floodplain management, stormwater management, and related issues. The review identified recommendations for new or modified land use policies and/or regulations to enhance flood resiliency in the Wood-Pawcatuck watershed.

Creating Works of Life

The effects of climate change are broad, with implications for infrastructure, ecosystems, and human health. Understanding these implications and developing strategies to address them are the foundation Fuss & O’Neill’s approach to climate resiliency. The following pages highlight some of our recent resilience experience in New England.

We invite you to learn more about us by visiting our website at www.fando.com and by watching the following videos:

About Fuss & O’Neill

Fuss & O’Neill is a full-service engineering firm with a depth of staff and experience to complete any project – from initial design to final construction. Headquartered in Manchester, CT, our 300+ person firm has 9 regional offices throughout all 6 New England states. As we grow in size, we maintain our client-first philosophy. We work closely with all stakeholders to give life to a community’s vision. Our professional staff maintains licenses and certifications across a wide range of engineering, planning, landscape architecture, design build, scientific, and manufacturing disciplines.

MVP Experience

awarded projects

Water/Sewer

Green

Concept Design

Fuss & O’Neill provided planning, design, permitting, and construction administration services related to the development of a new municipal parking lot and stormwater green infrastructure project on Mechanic Street in downtown Spencer. Funding for the project was secured through a FY19 Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program Action Grant.

Climate

Project Purpose:

To combat salt marsh subsidence in the face of coastal erosion and sea level rise.

Project Highlights:

• One of the first thin layer deposition project in Rhode Island.

• Raised elevations of 24 acres of salt marsh.

• Placed dredged materials from the Narrow River and on the salt marsh areas.

• Established target elevations for the additional fill to allow salt marsh vegetative communities to reestablish.

• Bid documents included both dredging and placement drawings, as well as calculations to define the limits of dredging required to generate the fill required in each cell.

Narrow River Elevation Enhancement and Thin Layer Deposition Project

Project Purpose:

To combat climate related challenges (routine coastal and inland flooding; shoaling at the river’s mouth, as well as water quality issues to the river and public water supplies).

Project Highlights:

Fuss & O’Neill developed and implemented a comprehensive plan to address these challenges. This included addressing a number of bidding and phasing challenges that addressed needs and challenges among a range of lead agencies. We are working with individual partners to secure funding and implement each phase of the project, which are summarized here:

Third Beach Road Raising

• Designed, permitted, supported bidding, and provided construction administration to raise approximately 0.5 miles of paved road by an average of approximately 3 feet.

• Designed to avoid any filling of the salt marsh and treatment of stormwater on the road embankment.

Third Beach Road Culvert

• Designed, permitted, supported bidding, and provided construction administration a new double box culvert to divert the Maidford River to a new inlet.

• Existing inlet was abandoned and allowed to shoal in.

Hoogendoorn Farm Stormwater Controls

• Developed and designed a series of stormwater controls to address water quality issue

Green Infrastructure Improvements

• Designed, permitted, supported bidding, and provided construction administration for a series of GI improvements to reduce stormwater loadings to the river.

Maidford River Floodplain and Channel Restoration

• Designing and permitting a large-scale floodplain and riparian buffer restoration project.

Berkeley Avenue and Road Raising

• Completing conceptual design for this last phase of the project.

Maidford River Watershed Climate Resilience

Project Purpose:

To assess how existing water quality infrastructure (wastewater, clean water and CSOs) would be impacted by future coastal storms.

Project Highlights:

• Used the coastal flood modeling results by Applied Science Associates to identify at-risk Water Quality Infrastructure.

• Assessed each at-risk facility to determine what improvements would be required to protect that facility for specific coastal storms.

• Developed costs and an implementation to protect that infrastructure.

• Improvements included flood proofing structures, providing stand-by power and, in some cases, use of flood walls for critical locations.

Climate Change Vulnerability

Assessment for Water Quality Infrastructure

New Bedford, Acushnet, and Fairhaven, MA

Massachusetts

of

Habitat Restoration Services

Various Sites, MA

Fuss & O’Neill has been providing on-call services to the MADER for more than 15 years. We have completed a number of projects in a range of environments to plan and engineer solutions that restore degraded natural resources and improve their resilience to future impacts.

Some examples of the projects that we have worked with MADER include:

• Windswept Bog Restoration Concept Design, Nantucket, MA

• Piscatelli Bog Restoration Concept Design, Wareham, MA

• Herring River Salt Marsh Restoration Concept and Final Design of CNR Bridge and Mill Creek Dike, Wellfleet, MA

• Eagle Neck Creek Salt Marsh Restoration Concept and Final Design, Truro, MA

• Farm Pond Salt Marsh Restoration Concept Design, Oak Bluffs, MA

• Veterans Memorial Park Dam Removal and Fish Passage Concept and Final Design Marshfield, MA

Project Purpose:

To make three neighborhoods more resilient to existing and projected coastal flooding.

Project Highlights:

• Calf Pen Meadow Neighborhood

Identified the feasibility of hydraulic and barrier-type controls to improve future protection.

• Beachland Avenue Neighborhood

Raised a road to provide access during future high tide events and protect property from tidal following.

• Bayview Beach Neighborhood

Reconstructing, raising, and installing tide check valves on storm drains discharging to the Sound.

Reconstructing sand dunes and reestablishing beach grass to control high tide overland flooding.

Designing a stormwater pump station.

Constructing an emergency stormwater pumping system.

Milford, CT

Flood

Flood Mitigation Planning and Design

MA

Project Purpose:

To address tidal and drainage-related flooding in the Children’s Beach area of the Brant Point Neighborhood.

Project Highlights:

• Evaluated an existing stormwater pumping station to address performance deficiencies and to recommend improvements to the pump station.

• Provided cost-effective solutions for interim pumping station improvements.

• Performed a forensic evaluation of the pump station and developed alternatives for modification or replacement of the existing pumps. Conducting a study of the watershed to identify other green and gray infrastructure measures to mitigate flooding and enhance community resilience.

• Conducting a hydrologic and hydraulic study of the watershed to evaluate other stormwater and flood mitigation alternatives.

Project Purpose:

To create a community plan that holistically addresses climate change challenges while promoting economic redevelopment.

Project Highlights:

• The project included broad community engagement while assessing the feasibility of adaptation to climate change impacts in the low-lying Market Street area.

• The assessment was performed in parallel to creating a plan for redevelopment in the Metacom Avenue corridor for housing creation, economic development, transportation improvements, and stormwater improvements.

• This project is one of the first in the northeastern United States to engage community residents and leaders in discussions regarding long-term retreat and ecological restoration and, at the same time, to re-imagine the development of an auto-centric commercial zone into a true mixed-use, sustainablyredesigned neighborhood.

Market to Metacom

Warren, RI

Image credit to Union Studio Architecture and Community Design

Water Main

MA

Project Purpose:

To address the vulnerability of a water main in the coastal community of Pease’s Point and to provide coastal resilience to the water distribution and wastewater collection system between Pease’s Point and Point Connett, which were previously at risk due to sea level rise and storm surge.

Project Highlights:

• Inundation modeling and a beach stability assessment showed that the aging water main, which was already being exposed during coastal storm events, would be significantly inundated during future sea level rise and storm surge scenarios, and that even in a lower probability storm, the 100-year event, there would be significant change in the beach elevation that would expose the pipe.

• The adaptation solution consisted of horizontal directional drilling to shift the location and deepen the water main to protect against future erosion and inundation, as well as restoration of coastal resources.

Project Purpose:

To reduce flooding in neighborhoods surrounding the Pocassett River maximizing the use of nature-based systems to reduce costs and create open space.

Project Highlights:

• Watershed-wide Flood Resilience Plan

Updated the previously-prepared flood resilience plan to improve its cost-effectiveness.

Focused on a nature-based approach.

Assessed alternatives for each of seven impacted neighborhoods that incorporated several criteria.

• Floodplain Restoration and Creation of Open Space Network

Acquired 134 privately-owned structures in the floodplain.

Restoring land as floodplain that will reduce the long-term flooding risk to surrounding neighborhoods and will create an open space park system.

• Flood Walls and Pump Station

2,400 linear feet of new floodwall and two pump stations.

Designed for locations where there is inadequate space for nature-based systems to be costeffectively implemented.

• Structural Flood Proofing

Designed dry flood proofing for 25 structures.

Pocasset River Flood Resilience

Watershed Plan and Design

Fuss & O’Neill has worked on some of the most complex marsh and coastal inlet restoration projects in New England. Our clients include the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, CT Fund for the Environment/Save the Sound, the Nature Conservatory (CT, RI, and NY), MA Department of Fish and Game Division of Ecological Restoration, Cape Cod Conservation District, and Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Salt Marsh Restoration

Our projects include the largest salt marsh restoration project that has ever been undertaken in the Northern United States (2000 acres for the Herring River on Cape Cod). Our focus is developing designs that meet our client’s restoration goals that will be resilient to future conditions such as sea level rise impacts and intensifying coastal storms. Our team provides our clients with a holistic approach to address these issues by providing a multidisciplinary team that incorporates wetland scientists, water resource engineers, structural engineers, civil engineers, landscape architects and water quality scientists that provide expertise on the range of issues that may be required to successfully complete restoration projects. As part of our approach, we also think through constructability that ultimately controls costs and results in a more successful project.

Herring River Salt Marsh Restoration

Wellfleet, MA

Project Purpose:

To replace an existing causeway with a bridge structure to allow gradual restoration of tidal flows to restore 1,100 acres of former salt marsh.

Project Highlights:

• Largest salt marsh restoration project ever undertaken in the Northeast.

• Developing a one-of-a-kind bridge structure with a 160-foot span at the mouth of a coastal river that allows National Park Service scientists to control flows into the marsh system and provides future flood protection for homes and infrastructure around the restored marsh area.

• Design includes removable flood panels that can be inserted through the bridge as well as slide gates in some of those panels to provide more finite controls.

• Stakeholder workshops held to review alternatives and obtain feedback regarding public access.

• Developed concepts to identify which configuration would best meet the project’s unique functional requirements while minimizing impacts to adjacent natural resources, regulatory barriers, construction costs, and long-term operating and maintenance costs.

• Bridge design will provide ADA compliant public boat and fishing access improvements for the public.

Project Purpose:

To restore the Eagle Neck Creek salt marsh, which is tidally restricted by a culvert.

Project Highlights:

•

Performed a boring investigation to determine foundation requirements for culvert replacement.

• Completed site survey and structural analysis for design of the replacement structure.

• Prepared a drawing set for environmental permitting and MassDOT review.

• Soil and sediment to be excavated will be re-used to raise a low-lying road and to avoid impacts from higher tidal elevations upstream.

• Approximately 1,500 feet of a tidal channel through a degraded salt marsh downstream of the culvert will be dredged to improve its capacity.

• A portion of the removed material will be beneficially reused to create expanded salt marsh areas.

Eagle Neck Creek Salt Marsh Restoration

Truro, MA

MA

Project Purpose:

To determine potential for wetland restoration and infrastructure resiliency in the face of rising sea levels and climate change at this 30-acre salt marsh and freshwater wetlands site. Project Highlights:

• Evaluated potential wetland restoration opportunity at the retired Piscitelli Bogs cranberry farm.

• Considered exiting infrastructure that is subject to coastal erosion.

• Evaluated present and future hydrology, historical farming practices, and existing infrastructure.

• Developed a conceptual design of the site to direct restoration efforts.

Ninigret Pond Dredging and Salt Marsh Restoration

Project Purpose:

To address the continuing degradation and loss of valuable salt marsh areas in Ninigret Pond due to changing tidal conditions.

Project Highlights:

• Performed field investigations, data evaluation, design, and permitting of a technique known as thin layer deposition to raise the salt marsh’s elevation to provide resiliency to future sea level rise and improve its long-term health.

• Conducted sediment and vegetative assessments.

• Evaluated tidal records and sea level rise projections.

• Developed an integrated restoration plan, including implementation of adaptive management and associated post-restoration monitoring.

• Surveyed dredge areas and completed volumetric analyses to provide updated estimates of available dredge material volumes available to implement restoration.

• Developed targeted field investigations to collect data critical to characterize areas to place dredge sediment.

Renewable and alternate energy mitigate climate change by reducing pollution and greenhouse gasses, provide resiliency by reducing our reliance on foreign fuel sources, and provide a more resilient power grid. With new technologies such as battery storage, these energy sources are proving to be a viable source of backup power. Other new technologies, such as electric vehicles and electric heat pumps, consume a tremendous amount of electricity; energy sources such as these allow the utility to provide that power.

We provide energy planning and management services. Our Certified Energy Managers evaluate cost-effective solutions to reduce energy consumption and optimize performance. We focus on innovative solutions that satisfy our clients’ performance, energy conservation, and lifecycle cost objectives. We facilitate energy-use reductions and savings through improvements that maximize utility incentives.

Renewable and Alternative Energy

We have designed more than 250MW of solar PV. We deliver a comprehensive suite of engineering services for solar photovoltaic projects. Project types include roof-mounted, ground-mounted “greenfield” and ballast-mounted for landfills, and “brownfields” and canopy-mounted installations.

Barrett Street 16.5 MW Ground

Mount Solar Project

Project Purpose:

To develop a 16.5 MW DC solar electric generating facility on a former 130-acre hog ranch.

Project Highlights:

• Provided initial concept sizing and planning, as well as detailed design and construction.

• Met strict deadlines and requirements to qualify for energy tax credits by grouping bunches of 20 to 200 small subarrays that make up 12 larger array sites.

• 1,100 subarrays were all built in one location before being separated electrically and designated to their own string inverters, which convert DC power to AC power, to make a mini subarray system.

• System includes more than 1,000 string inverters.

• The 12 systems are tied into two interconnection points in a remote location.

• Some conduit was buried using directional boring to avoid damaging wetlands.

• Developed a predrill-and-drive installation process for the arrays’ H-piles, which allowed for the racking H-pile foundations to be used where there were obstructions.

Project Purpose:

To charge three 40-foot Proterra Catalyst E2 electric buses.

Project Highlights:

•

Determined possible facilities, assessed existing electrical infrastructure, and determined the optimal facility for the buses and chargers, as well as the existing electrical service impacts

• Designed necessary electrical distribution system modifications to incorporate the Power Control Systems and dispensers.

• Addressing additional buses and subsequent electrical load, including potentially incorporating solar PV at facilities.

• When added to RIPTA’s existing hybrid diesel electric buses, this investment will give RIPTA a fleet that consists of about 36% and low- and zero-emission vehicles.

Electric Bus Charging Stations

Providence, RI

Block Island Wind Farm Turbine Assembly Facility

RI

Project Purpose:

To support activities for the turbine assembly facility at the Port of Providence for the first offshore wind farm in the United States.

Project Highlights:

• Provided fast-track and integrated environmental and permitting services.

• Provided civil, electrical, structural, and mechanical engineering support for the construction and operation of a component assembly building and site improvements.

• A fully functional component assembly structure required significant electrical and mechanical design, coastal and local permitting, and a sub-slab geomembrane gas mitigation barrier and permitting due to subsurface methane gas from a nearby landfill.

Project Purpose:

To reduce the emissions of hazardous air pollutants by improving energy efficiencies of six boiler systems.

Project Highlights:

• Performed an energy assessment in accordance with the requirements of 40 CFR Part 63 Subpart JJJJJJ (Area Source Boiler MACT).

• Reported findings in accordance with the requirements of the Area Source Boiler MACT rule.

• Savings opportunities included repairs of leaking steam traps and recovering the waste heat from the boilers’ continuous top blowdown.

• Our opinion of the combined savings of implementing the recommendations was approximately $36,000 per year.

Energy Assessment

Springfield, MA

Project Purpose:

To identify energy saving opportunities at City buildings.

Project Highlights:

Analyzed energy consumption data.

Identified energy-saving measures, calculated energy savings, and estimated implementation costs.

Recommended 18 energy-saving measures, including: computerized energy management systems, highefficiency lighting, interior and exterior lighting controls, and condensing boilers.

Annual savings were estimated to be $126,000 for a total implementation cost of approximately $163,000, which is a combined simple payback of five years.

Solar Parking Canopy

Fall River, MA

Project Purpose:

To develop a 2MW AC / 3.2 MW DC solar canopy for Bristol Community College.

Project Highlights:

• Largest solar canopy in New England (at the time).

• Canopy includes 9,000 solar modules, covering 800 parking spaces and 5 acres of parking lot.

• Provided permitting, design, and construction administration services, including: Phase 1 ESA, survey, detailed civil design, and structural design of the solar module attachment to the canopies

• Provided electrical design, including: pre-design site assessment, modifications to the existing electrical service, and the utility interconnection application.

• Designed AC and DC from the individual modules to the inverters to the interconnection point, including grounding SCADA and metering.

• Will save more than $1.75 million in energy costs and reduce carbon emissions by more than 1,500 tons per year.

Mitigating climate change by transitioning existing and designing new building systems to be more energy efficient and reducing or eliminating greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) combined with making necessary building infrastructure such as heating, cooling, electricity and utility services less vulnerable to climate impacts, is critical to creating a more sustainable and resilient built environment.

Energy Efficiency and Resilient Infrastructure

Fuss & O’Neill combines decades of experience in energy efficient building design and resilient infrastructure design to help communities adapt to ongoing and anticipated changes in climate. In projects throughout the Northeast, we’ve worked to make existing systems more efficient and combine that with decades of experience in building, protecting, and maintaining critical infrastructure. We work with clients to identify climate mitigation actions including greenhouse gas reduction and alternative energy sources. Preparing for climate change requires financial resources and we know how to help our clients get funding for their projects – from both traditional and innovative sources – and put those funds to the best use. In many cases, we use innovative approaches that help position our clients for additional sources of funding. It begins with benchmarking an existing buildings infrastructure not only as it relates to efficiency and Green House Gas Emissions but assessing that infrastructure’s vulnerability to events due to climate change.

Regional Solar PV Projects

New England, NY, NJ, PA

Project Purpose:

Provide inspection and operational vulnerability assessment for the existing electrical distribution system at the Zambarano Unit of the Eleanor Slater Hospital which treats patients with acute and long-term medical illnesses and mental health conditions.

Project Highlights:

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Performed emergency evaluations of critical electrical service after the existing generator failed.

• Coordinated temporary modifications to return power prior to impending storm.

• Designed resilient permanent alterations.

Zambarano Hospital Emergency Services

RI

Project Purpose:

Fuss & O’Neill has provided on-going sustainability and resilience engineering consulting services to the City of Quincy, a coastal community of over 100,000 in the metro-Boston area.

Project Highlights:

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Performed studies for existing and proposed emergency shelters including modifying occupancies for COVID-19.

Quincy, MA

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Performed studies, evaluations and documentation of all existing buildings and pump stations for emergency and standby power.

Creating Works of Life

We design within the context of a space.

We realize that small changes can make a big difference.

We believe that working with the environment instead of against it benefits us all.

We know you have a budget and are beholden to others. We prioritize safety.

These are the tenets on which we base all our decisions. It is what we have been doing since our firm was established in 1924, and what we remain committed to do each and every day.