Bovina Awarded $250K Culvert Repair

Deteriorating Culvert on Russell Hill Road in Bovina.

By Mary A. Crisafulli

BOVINA - The Town of Bovina was awarded $250,000 from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to repair the culvert on Russell Hill Road.

Funds are a part of DEC's Water Quality Improvement Project which is administered by Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) for the area. The program supports projects that seek to protect drinking water, improve aquatic habitat, flood mitigation, or infrastructure improvements. Projects are available for municipalities, conservation districts, and not-for-profit corporations and require a 25% match. Bovina has agreed to the 25% cost share in the form of cash or in-kind services.

SWCD Stream Program Technician Jessica Patterson said the Russell Hill culvert, which crosses an unnamed tributary that transfers from Silver Lake into Little Delaware River, is too small and has deteriorated. The culvert needs to be wider to support stream and traffic flow, she explained. The concrete has cracks and the abutments, which are substructures at either end of the bridge offering support, are undermined, said Patterson. "The goal of the project is to install a larger structure to allow for increased water flow during storm events and will include new headwalls and the creation of outfall protection that will connect the new structure to the stream," she explained.

According to Patterson, deteriorated culverts, if repaired, would offer significant benefits including water quality and aquatic habitat protection and sustainment of agricultural or forest economies. In addition, Patterson said, "Replacing the culvert with a larger structure will stabilize the stream channel to protect public highways and ensure access to the Town residents and emergency services."

"With the increasing precipitation trends, the communities and New York City are driven to find solutions that provide long-term water quality benefits as well as economic sustainability," explained Patterson, "Replacing deteriorated and undersized culverts is one of many initiatives that have been identified in the Stream Management Plans and Local Flood Analysis Plans throughout Delaware County." Priority projects for the grant opportunity are ready for construction and have municipal support, said Patterson.

"This culvert project is an example of how climate-ready standards can maximize the life of the infrastructures and provide for a safe, reliable, and environmentally sound transportation system," said Patterson, "This collaborative approach leads to preserving and enhancing scenic, aesthetic, historic, community and environmental resources."

No official start date has been scheduled for Russell Hill culvert until DEC contracts are finalized, said Patterson.

For more information on the grant opportunity visit dec.ny.gov or for questions email user.water@dec.ny.gov.