The Spring Creek South study site is located on the northern shore of Jamaica Bay. The study will primarily focus on the vulnerable communities of Howard Beach, Old Howard Beach, Hamilton Beach, and Lindenwood (Howard Beach). These communities were impacted during Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, causing damage to property, interruption of services, and endangering public safety. Howard Beach experienced record flooding due to storm surge and tidal conditions. Jamaica Bay waters flooded into the streets and overtopped the bulkheads that border Shellbank and Hawtree Basins. In Howard Beach, 62 percent of all residential buildings were damaged by the storm. Nearly 2,000 homes in Howard Beach reported having flood depths of at least two feet in their interiors. In addition to flooding inside residential structures, the Queens Library in Howard Beach, the St. Helen Catholic Church, the Rockwood Park Jewish Center, the U.S. Postal Service Howard Beach Station, the Howard Beach Jewish Center, two Con Edison substations, and the PS 207 Rockwood Park School sustained flood damage. The Howard Beach pumping station located at 155th Ave. and 99th St. was also damaged and shut down, which resulted in back-flooding through the sewers into hundreds of homes. Additionally, the U.S. Geological Service high-water marks showed flood depths approximately 2.5 feet above the ground throughout the Howard Beach neighborhood. In the years since Hurricane Sandy this area has been susceptible to flooding due to storm surge, as well as, more frequent nuisance flooding. The purpose of this study is to investigate coastal storm damage risk reduction solutions. The integrated and comprehensive solutions would provide benefits to the Howard Beach communities.
AUTHORIZATION: House of Representatives Committee on Public Works and Transportation Resolution (Docket Number 2356) dated August 1, 1990; Congressional direction to expedite completion in WRDA 2020: Title IV- Water Resources Infrastructure, SEC. 202 Expedited Completions (a) Feasibility Reports (48) Project for ecosystem restoration and hurricane and storm damage risk reduction, Spring Creek South (Howard Beach), Queens, NY.
STATUS and FUNDING: $500,000 was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Bill in Fiscal Year 2022 and $1.2M was included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) in 2022 to initiate a multi-purpose feasibility study for ecosystem restoration and CSRM. The Feasibility Study is initiated following execution of a Feasibility Cost Share Agreement with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) as the local non-federal sponsor on 26 September 2024. The study would build upon prior investigations including the Jamaica Bay Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study, East Rockaway to Rockaway Inlet and Jamaica Bay Reformulation Study, Howard Beach NY Rising Community Reconstruction Plan, NYNJ Harbor and Tributaries Feasibility Study, NYSDEC/FEMA Hazard Mitigation Program and National Park Service Remedial Investigation.
STUDY COST:
Estimated Feasibility Federal Cost: $1,500,000 + $200,000 for Independent External Peer Review.
Estimated Non-Federal Cost: $1,500,000
Total Project Cost $3,200,000
CONTACT:
Mr. Ahmed Radwan
Project Manager
P: (917) 790-6155 and (C): (917) 923-3246
Email: ahmed.m.radwan@usace.army.mil
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District
26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278
Congressional District: NY-8