Little River Levee to undergo repairs

Westfield- Mayor McCabe is pleased to announce that the Engineering Department and the Department of Public Works have begun a rehabilitation project to remedy a minimally acceptable 2,500-foot section along the Little River levee. The collaborative project is in response to a report by the Levee Safety Program of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The routine inspection of the Little River Left Bank Flood Reduction System was conducted in April of this year, and it was determined that the interior drainage system of the levee was deficient

City Engineer Allison McMordie emphasized that the Little River Levee is a long-term priority for the City, “It protects the life and infrastructure in the City of Westfield from floods, so it is critical that we bring the levee up to its highest level of function,” McMordie notes, “DPW, Engineering, Conservation, as well as others are working work hand in hand. We are committed to understanding and implementing any measures needed to safeguard our city and residents.”

Acting Director of the Department of Public Works, Fran Cain, agrees. “The levee is vital to protecting life and property, and the DPW works hard every day to maintain and improve all of the infrastructure under its control, and help any and all City departments to that end”

The City Departments are collaborating with Tighe and Bond in the design phase of the repairs. The initial phase of the project entails either replacing or repairing the interior drainage system of the levee, depending on its current condition, which will be determined during the design phase. Two 24 – inch corrugated metal discharge culverts that run through the southwest portion of the levee, responsible for draining stormwater from an old canal into the Little River, date back to 1918. Significant corrosion to the pipes has caused the flap gates to prove ineffective against flow control, and there has been a problem with debris blocking both the inlet and discharge ends of the culvert.

“The interdepartmental cooperation between Engineering and Public Works is crucial to completing this project,” states Mayor McCabe, “I am looking forward to seeing this, and other projects, resolved through this level of teamwork.”

 The culvert rehabilitation project is underway and is estimated to be completed by the end of 2023.