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 overall goal of this project is to restore degraded ecosystem structure, function, and dynamic processes to more natural conditions. This goal would be accomplished by excavating and re-contouring uplands to intertidal elevations; re-contouring existing wetlands to improve hydrologic conditions and wetland function; removing invasive vegetation; and replanting with native plant species. The Project would restore approximately 43.2 acres of degraded habitat to 0.7 acres of low marsh, 12.9 acres of transitional and high marsh, 5.2 acres of scrub shrub wetland, 11.3 acres of maritime grassland, 3.4 acres of maritime scrub shrub upland, and 9.7 acres of maritime forest. The overall project purpose is to improve the environmental quality (water, diversity, and wildlife habitat) of Spring Creek, its tributary Ralph’s Creek, and their associated salt marshes, as part of the overall Jamaica Bay ecosystem.
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 and 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 executed a Feasibility Cost Share Agreement (FCSA) in November 2014 with NYC Parks in order to complete the Feasibility Study. The draft FR/EA was submitted to NAD for review on 24 October 2016, approved for public release on 4 August 2017, and released for public comment on 6 September 2017. The Final report was approved in April 2018 and NAD 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, topographic/bathymetric surveys, bio-benchmarking survey, tree surveys, hydrodynamic data collection/modeling and utility surveys were completed in 2019-2020. The 30% designs (November 2021), Value Engineering Study (December 2021), geotechnical sampling/supplemental topographic surveys (January 2022) and 60% Plans & Specifications (P&S) were completed in December 2022. The 90% and 100% P&S submittals were completed in May and November 2023, respectively. Advertisement of the construction contract is awaiting the arrival of non-federal funds.
Federal construction funds of $7,395,000 were included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) 2022 and an additional $498,000 was received to reach the $10,000,000 federal funding cap for feasibility, design and construction. NYC Parks and NYCDEP will be funding the non-federal cost share and the enhancement activities.
STUDY COST
Total Feasibility Study Cost: $1,045,796
Federal: $572,898 and Non-Federal: $472,897
DESIGN COSTS
Total Design Cost: Approximately $2,420,000
Federal (75%): $1,815,000
Non-Federal (25%): $605,000
Non-Federal (100%- additional NYC Parks Enhancement Activities): $476,379
5,517,000
IMPLEMENTATION COSTS: TBD
Project Manager
P: (917) 790-8306 and C: (646) 385-1429
Email: lisa.a.baron@usace.army.mil
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District
26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278
Congressional District: NY-8