Cuomo Reimagines the Canal
$300 million includes $65 million for flood mitigation
Governor Cuomo announced a $300 million plan to Reimagine the Erie Canal and this was one item of many highlighted in the 8 January State of the State address in Albany. This plan involves a host of projects in the Western, Central, and Mohawk sections of the Canal. The general idea is to capitalize on the iconic canal and focus on tourism and recreation. Some of the focus in the western section will be on irrigation and expanded fishing opportunities. Much of the effort in the Mohawk section will be on flood mitigation and the reduction of ice jams.
The Governor’s plan emerged from the recommendations made by the Reimagine the Canal Task Force. The 25-member Task Force submitted a summary document to the Governor late in 2019 after six months of deliberation and study.
At the State of the State address on 8 January, Governor Cuomo’s office released a summary of the effort:
Building on the findings of the Reimagine the Canal Task Force, Governor Cuomo is recommending that the New York Power Authority approve a $300 million investment over the next five years at the board's January meeting. A $100 million economic development fund will be invested in communities along the Canal and a separate $65 million investment will be devoted to solutions that will help prevent ice jams and related flooding in the Schenectady area. The remaining $135 million of the plan's funding will subsequently be allocated to research recommended by the Reimagine Task Force, as well as to solutions related to flood mitigation, invasive species prevention and ecosystem restoration.
A first phase of funding - $165 million - will start this year and involves two parts: [a] $100 million economic development fund to invest in communities along the Canal; and [b] $65 million investment in solutions that will help prevent ice jams and related flooding in the Schenectady area.
Mohawk region (eastern section) as highlighted in the Reimagine the Canals task force report.
The $65 million will target flood mitigation and solutions to lessen the impacts of ice jamming. The press release notes that this will be a multifaceted approach:
To help mitigate chronic summer and winter flooding in the Mohawk River Valley, an initial allocation of approximately $65 million will be used for deploying an icebreaker and undertaking dredging and filling in certain portions of the Mohawk to prevent ice jam formation; developing an Ice Jam Monitoring and Early Warning System to better alert communities to potential flooding; and retrofitting the New York Power Authority's Vischer Ferry power dam in Niskayuna to help mitigate summer flooding and ice jams around the Schenectady and Scotia areas, including the historic Stockade District. At the recommendation of the Task Force further studies will be undertaken to better assess additional approaches to both reducing flood vulnerability in the Mohawk and tackling the rise of aquatic invasive species across the Canal. [bold emphasis added]
The Reimagine the Canals task force submitted a summary report. In the executive summary they stated:
The Task Force recognized there are significant opportunities to mitigate the effects of ice jams, reduce summer flooding, and improve forecasting and early-warning systems in ways that allow residents to better prepare for flood events and lead to the benefits that come from reviving natural systems. The Task Force also recommends further study into Mohawk tributary restoration, which could prove an important method for enhancing water quality and improving the health of fish and wildlife habitats in this region.
This is a big step in the right direction.
This and other Notes from a Watershed are available at: https://mohawk.substack.com/