The Federal Emergency Management Agency has authorized $1.3 million to replace aging retaining walls along Dove Creek in the City of Amsterdam. The project was identified as a priority in the March 2014 NY Rising Community Reconstruction Plan. According to the report, the creek is prone to overflowing and contributed to the flooding experienced in the west end of the city during Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011. During the event, the hospital’s basement flooded as they evacuated 70 patients out of concern that the creek’s retaining wall could fail.
According to a press release from the New York State Governor’s Office, the funds will be used to demolish and replace old retaining walls along 1300 feet of the creek, beginning at the intersection of West Main Street and Steadwell Avenue and extending north through the edge of St. Mary’s Hospital’s parking lot and ending just north of the Steadwell Avenue. The project will also entail cleaning out the bed of the creek and adding heavy stone to other areas of erosion along its banks. According to the release, FEMA previously authorized $182,500 for phase 1 design and engineering for the project.
