A groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the start of construction of the Gardens Lake Flood Mitigation and Water Quality Improvement Project took place Aug. 6 at the site, next to Lakeside Drive, at the end of Myrtle Boulevard east of Weaver Street in the Town of Mamaroneck.
County Executive Robert P. Astorino was among the officials who attended.
The $1.1 million project is one of four flood mitigation projects for which the county committed a total of $4.5 million of capital funds in 2009. Westchester will contribute $750,000 for the Gardens Lake project, with the reminder paid for by the town. The other pending flood mitigation projects are:
- retrofitting the Blind Brook Dam at Bowman Avenue in the City of Rye/Village of Rye Brook
- storm water management projects at George Field Park, Cooper Green, Brewster Road and Butler Field in the Village of Scarsdale
- the Loh Park neighborhood storm water management project in the Village of Tarrytown
"Solving our county's flooding problems is a daunting task made even harder because we don't have the money to spend on projects that often are complex and costly," Astorino. "But we will continue to do what we can to help ease flooding in areas where county property is affected."
The goal of the Gardens Lake project is to mitigate flooding through stormwater management, to improve water quality and to protect county-owned infrastructure including the Lakeside Drive Bridge and a sewer line.
In another flood-related matter, the county has also issued a new booklet to help planning and development professionals make decisions on flooding and stormwater management. Flooding and Land Use Planning: A Guidance Document for Municipal Officials and Planners addresses local and regional topics on stormwater management, explains general concepts about flooding, describes tools to improve site plan reviews and includes an overview of the flood control regulations and programs of government agencies.
The booklet was funded through grants from the New York State Emergency Management Office and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
To obtain a CD copy of the flood guide, contact Lisa Vasilakos, environmental planner, at 995-4407 or .