MONSON, MA | CHICOPEE BROOK FLOOD RESILIENCE IMPROVEMENTS VISIONING WORKSHOP AND PUBLIC MEETING 05/04/2023
WELCOME & THANK YOU Welcome! We would like to start by thanking and
acknowledging:
Members of the Monson community Town of Monson Staff, including: Bob Ainsworth
Brian Harris Craig Jalbert Justin Larivee Ben Murphy
Tim Pascale Toni Uliana Jennifer Wolowicz
MVP Action Grant Program, especially Andrew
Smith
OUR PROJECT TEAM Andrew Bohne, RLA
Associate - Senior Landscape Architect
Lara Sup, PE
Lead Civil Engineer Claire Nauman
Jeffrey Dawson
Landscape Designer
Climate Resilience
Engineer Michael Frederick
Julie Busa, PhD, CSE,
PWS Senior Resilience Scientist
Landscape Designer Alex Maxwell, PhD
Resilience Planner
MONSON’S COMMUNITY RESILIENCE GOALS Town’s Hazard Mitigation Plan
(HMP) update characterized flooding as a high hazard for Monson – especially along the Chicopee Brook corridor Monson’s Municipal Vulnerability
Preparedness (MVP) planning process identified the development of a Flood Damage Reduction Plan (emphasizing nature-based solutions) as one of the highest priority actions needed to increase resilience
ABOUT THE PROJECT
HISTORY OF CHICOPEE BROOK Built up as historical hub for economic
and industrial activity Updated FEMA mapping (in 2014)
expanded the extents of the floodplain, with corresponding increases to the number of properties potentially at risk Hilly topography and rocky terrain
confine the brook In recent history, Chicopee Brook has
flooded Bunyan Drive, Fenton Road, and Pulpit Rock Road, submerging bridges and isolating critical facilities
MUNICIPAL VULNERABILITY PREPAREDNESS (MVP) PROGRAM FY2023 Municipal Vulnerability
Preparedness (MVP) Action Grant project Complete a hydrologic and hydraulic
(H&H) modeling study of the Chicopee Brook corridor – modeling current and future flood conditions Create concepts for potential
improvement scenarios at several key locations adjacent to the downtown area and priority areas
WHY HAVE A VISIONING WORKSHOP AND PUBLIC MEETING? Monson received an MVP Action
Grant to: Model current and future projected flood
conditions to identify anticipated floodplain impacts in Chicopee Brook Develop concepts for key flood resilience
projects along Chicopee Brook
Tonight, we are here to help visualize
and discuss concepts for key flood resilience projects and establish tangible benefits to make informed decisions about the future
OUR APPROACH
LOOK
LISTEN
CONCEPTUALIZE
CREATE
KEY FLOOD RESILIENCE PROJECT AREAS FOR 2022-2023 Bunyan Road
Cushman & Veterans Field
Bliss Street Impoundment Maple Street
SITE VISITS & WALKSHOP
SITE VISITS & WALKSHOP
SITE VISITS & WALKSHOP – WHAT WE HEARD
KEY FLOOD RESILIENCE PROJECT AREAS FOR 2022-2023 Bunyan Road
Cushman & Veterans Field
Bliss Street Impoundment Maple Street
MAPLE STREET – EXISTING CONDITIONS Undersized culvert in need of
replacement and realignment Passes under existing railroad bridge Currently blocked off to through
traffic
MAPLE STREET – EXISTING CONDITIONS
MAPLE STREET – CONCEPT Realigned and enlarged
open bottomed box culvert Nature-based bank
protection and flow deflection (root wads) Estimated Costs: $950,000 to $2.1 million (M)
KEY FLOOD RESILIENCE PROJECT AREAS FOR 2022-2023 Bunyan Road
Cushman & Veterans Field
Bliss Street Impoundment Maple Street
BUNYAN ROAD – EXISTING CONDITIONS Bunyan Road prone to flood, with
history of overtopping Temporary bridge structure in place
over primary channel Proximate to wetland habitat and
Monson Water Supply Land Residents and water supply land
vulnerable to being cut off during large storm events Need for access to residential
properties and water supply land
BUNYAN ROAD – EXISTING CONDITIONS
BUNYAN ROAD – EXISTING CONDITIONS
BUNYAN ROAD – CONCEPT Removal of Bunyan Road over Chicopee Brook Removal of abandoned railroad abutments
Restore wetlands and stream channel Construction of new road
Estimated Costs: $4.4 M to $9.3 M
Removal and restoration
KEY FLOOD RESILIENCE PROJECT AREAS FOR 2022-2023 Bunyan Road
Cushman & Veterans Field
Bliss Street Impoundment Maple Street
BLISS STREET IMPOUNDMENT – EXISTING CONDITIONS Proximate to old Omega Metal
Processing facility with history of chemical spill into Chicopee Brook Shallow impoundment with build up
of sediment Lacking parking and recreational
amenities Opportunity for ecological restoration
and potential flood storage
BLISS STREET IMPOUNDMENT – EXISTING CONDITIONS
BLISS STREET IMPOUNDMENT – EXISTING CONDITIONS
BLISS STREET IMPOUNDMENT – CONCEPT Formal parking area with green infrastructure Wildlife viewing overlook area
Dam removal Removal of mill buildings Site remediation
Restored stream with habitat and water
quality enhancements Integration of nature-based solutions
Trail network with boardwalk sections Historic, cultural, and educational signage
Estimated Costs: $7.2 M to $15.4 M
KEY FLOOD RESILIENCE PROJECT AREAS FOR 2022-2023 Bunyan Road
Cushman & Veterans Field
Bliss Street Impoundment Maple Street
CUSHMAN FIELD & VETERANS FIELD – EXISTING CONDITIONS Public land includes Veteran’s Field and
Cushman Field, which are prone to being flooding Underutilized when wet
Current and historical recreational
uses include youth baseball and soccer
Other uses include food truck events
and other community gatherings at Veteran’s Field
Desire to improve connectivity public
fields and incorporate multigenerational uses and universal design features
CUSHMAN FIELD – EXISTING CONDITIONS
CUSHMAN FIELD – EXISTING CONDITIONS
CUSHMAN FIELD – CONCEPT Formal parking area with green
infrastructure
Comfort station 12U baseball field Tot soccer fields Loop trail Wildlife viewing overlook Restored riverfront Storage shed Connection to Veterans Field Chicopee Brook Trail
Estimated Costs: $5.3 M to $11.3 M
VETERANS FIELD – EXISTING CONDITIONS
VETERANS FIELD – EXISTING CONDITIONS
VETERANS FIELD – CONCEPT Loop trail with fitness
stations Playground and splash pad Green infrastructure and
drainage improvements JV baseball field restoration Performance Pavilion Chicopee Brook Trail with
overlooks Restored riverfront
Estimated Costs: $3.4 M to $7.1 M
19 CUSHMAN ST
QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION
QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION What did you like about the
concepts that have been developed to date? Are there any specific design elements that
you liked?
Does the concept resonate with any ideas that
you have had for these sites?
What is one aspect you wish could
be improved about the existing concepts?
Are there design considerations that are
missing?
Is there a piece of the concept that could be
better represented?
REVIEW OF NEXT STEPS
NEXT STEPS Solicit additional feedback via form on
Town website Finalize illustrative site concepts Develop preliminary cost estimates
Prepare/submit FY24 MVP Action
Grant application
THANK YOU! Have additional questions/comments? Contact: Toni Uliana Conservation Agent Town of Monson (413) 688-0022 tuliana@monson-ma.gov
BUNYAN ROAD AND PALMER ROAD INUNDATION MAPS
BUNYAN ROAD INUNDATION MAPS
CUSHMAN FIELD TO CUSHMAN STREET INUNDATION MAPS
CUSHMAN FIELD INUNDATION MAPS
OAK STREET TO MAPLE STREET INUNDATION MAPS
VETERANS FIELD INUNDATION MAPS