Watershed in Distress

Important meetings (Linked to Agenda)

Look here for important meeting info.

News Flash

Final Wal-Mart Scoping Document released, click here to read

	Tonawanda Creek Watershed Distress !!! OUR watershed cannot handle high density development inducement !!! "A 1 acre parking lot can produce 16x more storm-water runoff than a 1 acre meadow each year" source NYS Stormwater manual. The Town of Amherst and ALL county, and state taxpayers must consider the benefits of the promised $350,000 in increase to the Amherst tax base *vs. exacerbating over $30* million of waterway and drainage repairs needed right now!!! Below are the facts: Read the Tonawanda Creek Watershed Flood Control and Environmental Restoration fact sheet provided by the Army Corps in Feb 2006 here. Existing Watershed Problems:

	Hopkins Road/Ransom Creek Collapse About 1800 ft. away from the proposal, Erie County owned Hopkins Rd. is falling into Ransom Creek in 5 locations. Excessive new storm-water will be directed downstream towards this 1.8 million dollar existing nightmare. Click for more info Click Here to read a Feb. 2006 memo of why the Army Corps suspended analysis on this project



		http://www.mmce.net/pdf/HOP_0009.pdf



	Major Collapse - Erie Canal – April 2005 Buffalo Business First Article Army Corps of Engineers Public Notice Document 100 yards of the Erie Canal broke away from it’s banks and blocked the Canal. The cost to taxpayers for New York State Canal Corp. repairs is unknown to us at this time




	June 30, 2004 FEDERAL, STATE FUNDING SOUGHT FOR TONAWANDA CREEK ROAD COLLAPSE Erie County Legislator Michael H. Ranzenhofer (R-Clarence) and Town of Clarence Supervisor Kathleen E. Hallock announced today that they will be seeking the assistance of all levels of government in order to repair the fallen section of road on Tonawanda Creek Road. "We will be utilizing Town, County, State and Federal resources in order to implement a course of action regarding this section of Tonawanda Creek Road," said Ranzenhofer, who pointed out that a similar instance had occurred in 1991 approximately 1 ½ miles from the current collapse. "We are seeking the advice of the engineers from the Erie County Department of Public Works and the Clarence Highway Department on how to proceed." It is estimated that the Tonawanda Creek Road repair or relocation will cost $8.5 Million.

Tonawanda Creek Collapse - Lockport

Reynolds: House Approves $800,000 for Town of Lockport
Funding will be used to stabilize Tonawanda Creek Road North U.S. Representative Thomas M. Reynolds, R- Clarence, announced today that the U.S. House of Representatives has approved his request for $800,000 for the Town of Lockport, as part of a 2006 Energy and Water spending bill. The funding will be used to stabilize Tonawanda Creek Road North.

"This stretch of Tonawanda Creek Road, just east of Minnick Road, is being threatened by bank erosion, with the road already showing some signs of sinking," Reynolds said. "Obviously, this is a concern for local residents

Link to SEQR Info for this project(3rd project)

The applicant proposes a stream bank protection project located on Tonawanda Creek at Tonawanda Creek Road North near Minnick Road in the Town of Lockport. The project consists of the removal and subsequent reconstruction of 120 foot of the road, installation of a 4 foot diameter drainage culvert pipe and construction of a 230 foot long steel sheet pile retaining wall, with associated granular fill of 400 tons of crushed stone and a rock riprap revetment toe consisting of 800 tons of 18-inch stone to protect the streambank from erosion.

The cause of stream bank collapse is known:

Any change in the watershed feeding the stream, in the floodplain, or in the stream itself can upset this delicate balance. The three major causes for increased streambank erosion are:

Link to Document

Land Use Change: When we build houses, sidewalks, and roads over soil, we reduce the amount of water that can enter the ground. Consequently, water runs off faster, at higher temperatures, and with more erosive energy into streams. Streams become "flashy," erosive, and flood-prone. When we remove trees and vegetation next to a stream and allow livestock to trample banks, this exposes the soil. As a result, streambanks may erode more rapidly and slump into the water. Dams: When we build dams, the dams trap sediment and change the amount of sediment and energy in the stream below. Streams must move sediment, so the stream looks for a new source, the banks! Straightening Streams: When we straighten a winding stream, we remove the meanders that reduce the erosive power of water. In the past, streams were channeled to move water quickly through flood-prone or erosive areas. But instead of solving a problem, it only moved the problem downstream with even greater force.

Learn more from the USDOA’s Stream Dynamics Fact Sheet

Ransom Creek Watershed- “environmental feature of countywide significance”

The Amherst floodplain maps have not been updated since 1992. Comprehensive data and stormwater management plans that includes all municipalities who contribute water to the watershed problem are lacking. “Erie County has designated the Ellicott and Ransom Creek watersheds as “environmental features of county wide significance. Watershed management planning for these creeks in cooperation with other municipalities and possibly Erie County would be an effective way to address watershed-wide water quality and stormwater management issues”

Tonawanda Creek Rd. and Riddle Rd - ”an erosion rate of approximately 2 feet per year”

The project is located along Tonawanda Creek at the intersection of Riddle Road and Tonawanda Creek Road North, town of Royalton, Niagara County. Read more about this Army Corps project here

Tonawanda Creek at Block Church Road - ”The total project cost was approximately $1,000,000”

Read here about a completed Army Corps project to stabilize the bank on Block Church Rd.


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