Location

UMass Amherst

Start Date

28-6-2011 4:25 PM

End Date

28-6-2011 4:45 PM

Description

EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council have successfully designed, permitted, and removed Dyerville and Paragon Mills Dams, the second and fourth dams on the Woonasquatucket River, a federally designated American Heritage River. The Woonasquatucket River has a number of low head dams from former industrial uses that prevent passage of diadromous fish. Removal of these two dams, combined with the two fishways at Rising Sun Mills and Atlantic Mills Dams, the first and third dams, opened over 6 linear miles and 150 acres of habitat to diadromous fish, including American shad, blueback herring, alewife, and American eel. Providing fish passage at these two urban river settings presented numerous engineering and permitting challenges to address contaminated sediment management and state and federal regulatory requirements. Environmental investigations and engineering assessments were performed at each dam to address impacts on wetlands along the river and construction access issues. The assessments included hydraulic and hydrologic modeling; 30, 60 and 100 percent engineering designs; and local, state, and federal permitting applications. Contaminated sediment was found at Paragon Mills Dam, and the partial dam breach was designed to pass flood flow while maximizing the quantity of material that was stabilized in situ within the head pond. Cofferdam installation and control of water during dam removal and limited construction access between the mill buildings were the major challenges at Paragon Mills Dam. Dyerville Dam was a deteriorated timber crib dam with limited access through the Groden Center parking lot. Simple construction techniques were employed to minimize turbidity in the river and disturbance to the adjacent property and parking lot use during removal.

Comments

Thomas Cook, PE, is a Senior Engineer and Client Manager in EA’s Northeast Business Unit, where hemanages a staff of engineers and scientists in the Restoration Business Section. He provides 38 years of experience in project management, civil and structural engineering and design, hydrologic and hydraulic analyses, economic analysis, construction inspection and management, and design and management of water resource projects. Mr. Cook’s project responsibilitieshave included conceptual and detailed design of fish protection and passage technologies; dam removal projects; energy, economic, appraisal, and feasibility studies; Federal Energy Regulatory Commission preliminary permits and license applications; hydraulic design of intake structures; design modifications for plant rehabilitation; and independent evaluation of projects for bank financing and for power purchasing utilities. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in the states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware.

Share

COinS
 
Jun 28th, 4:25 PM Jun 28th, 4:45 PM

Session B6- Dam removals in an urban setting

UMass Amherst

EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council have successfully designed, permitted, and removed Dyerville and Paragon Mills Dams, the second and fourth dams on the Woonasquatucket River, a federally designated American Heritage River. The Woonasquatucket River has a number of low head dams from former industrial uses that prevent passage of diadromous fish. Removal of these two dams, combined with the two fishways at Rising Sun Mills and Atlantic Mills Dams, the first and third dams, opened over 6 linear miles and 150 acres of habitat to diadromous fish, including American shad, blueback herring, alewife, and American eel. Providing fish passage at these two urban river settings presented numerous engineering and permitting challenges to address contaminated sediment management and state and federal regulatory requirements. Environmental investigations and engineering assessments were performed at each dam to address impacts on wetlands along the river and construction access issues. The assessments included hydraulic and hydrologic modeling; 30, 60 and 100 percent engineering designs; and local, state, and federal permitting applications. Contaminated sediment was found at Paragon Mills Dam, and the partial dam breach was designed to pass flood flow while maximizing the quantity of material that was stabilized in situ within the head pond. Cofferdam installation and control of water during dam removal and limited construction access between the mill buildings were the major challenges at Paragon Mills Dam. Dyerville Dam was a deteriorated timber crib dam with limited access through the Groden Center parking lot. Simple construction techniques were employed to minimize turbidity in the river and disturbance to the adjacent property and parking lot use during removal.