DESCRIPTION: The Spring Creek North project area is a 47 acre portion of Spring Creek Park located adjacent to the banks of Spring Creek and Ralph’s Creek, located in northern Jamaica Bay counties of Kings and Queens. The proposed ecosystem restoration project seeks to improve the habitat in Spring Creek Park and Jamaica Bay. The construction, maintenance, and improvement of the network of channels in Jamaica Bay required the dredging of millions of cubic yards of material. Most of this material was deposited in nearby wetland areas, profoundly degrading the salt marsh community at Spring Creek. The recommended project would restore 35.1 acres of habitat, including 13 acres of inter-tidal salt marsh, 22.1 acres of maritime upland habitat and an additional 2.4 acres of maritime upland completed by New York City Department of Parks & Recreation (NYC Parks).
AUTHORIZATION: Continuing Authorities Program, Section 1135(b) of the Water Resource Development Act (WRDA) of 1986, as amended [33 U.S.C. 2309(a)]. The Water Resource Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) of 2014 (f), further amended Section 1135(d) of WRDA 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2309a (d)) increasing the $5,000,000 maximum federal expenditure to $10,000,000.
STATUS: A Feasibility Study was initiated in 2001 in partnership with NYC Parks to prepare an Integrated Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment (FR/EA). Field sampling including topography, soil (geotechnical, Hazardous Toxic Radioactive Waste (HTRW)), hydrologic, vegetation surveys, wetland delineation, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance, alternatives development, engineering designs and Federal/State Regulatory documents were completed. A draft FR/EA was prepared in 2010 with a recommended National Ecosystem Restoration (NER) plan which restored degraded ecosystem structure, function, and dynamic processes to less degraded and more natural conditions. This goal would be accomplished by excavating and re-contouring uplands to intertidal elevations, removing invasive plant species, and replanting with native plant species. The costs of the recommended plan exceeded what was then the maximum federal expenditure of $5 Million including both planning and construction costs. The restoration plan was then reevaluated to decrease overall costs and the Draft FR/EA was revised in October 2013. The District was then directed to negotiate a Feasibility Cost Share Agreement (FCSA) with NYC Parks in order to complete the Feasibility Study. A FCSA was executed with NYC Parks in November 2014 to finalize the draft FR/EA. The draft FR/EA was approved and released for public review on 6 September 2017. The Draft report was finalized in April 2018 and was approved by the North Atlantic Division (NAD) on April 2018. NAD then authorized the execution of the Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) on June 21, 2018. A PPA was executed between the District and NYC Parks on August 10, 2018 to initiate the Design and Implementation Phase.
Field sampling including wetland delineation, bio-benchmarking, topographic/bathymetric surveys, tree surveys, hydrodynamic modeling and utility surveys have been completed in order to advance the detailed engineering designs. Geotechnical and Hazardous Toxic, Radioactive Waste (HTRW) sampling is planned for the fall. Designs/Plans and Specifications are being developed through 2020/2021 with construction expected in late 2021.
STUDY COST
Total Feasibility Study Cost: $1,049,183
Federal: $524,591 and Non-Federal: $524,591
DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION COSTS
Total Project: $12,031,000
Federal (75%): $9,023,000
Non-Federal (25%): $3,008,000
Non-Federal (100%- additional NYC Parks Enhancement Activities): $5,517,000
Congressional District: NY-8, Representative Hakeem Jeffries
CONTACT:
Ms. Lisa Baron, Project Manager
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, NYD
Phone: (917) 790-8306
E-mail: lisa.a.baron@usace.army.mil
26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278-0090