Letter to - Supervisors, Town of Hancock

[jaydub]

Supervisors, Town of Hancock
thetown@hancock.net

Dear Supervisors,

I write in response to the very strong communications I have been seeing from the Town regarding the dredging that has been taking place in the Township. I want you to know that my organization has also been investigating your activities and is deeply troubled by them. I urge you to invest time in revising your actions and planning for restoration.

The “debris removal” activities undertaken by the Town are not only extremely destructive environmentally, but put your communities at greater risk from more flood damages. Dredging of streams is a damaging practice, particularly when done by those without expertise in stream restoration work.

The stream dredging and scraping undertaken by the Town, the removal of rock, sediment, natural debris and streamside vegetation, the straightening of stream beds including removing natural meanders, not only wipes out important aquatic ecosystems including both food and habitat, but it can exacerbate and increase flood damages during future storm events. In fact, these efforts might create flood damages in the smaller storms which, but for this undertaking, would not have created harm. Dredging the stream, altering its shape, deepening and changing the form of the channel, changes the stream’s flow patterns, velocity and dynamics. This can result in erosion and changed flooding patterns as a stream tries to restore some semblance of a natural flow path. Scouring out the sides of the bank including the vegetation and root systems found there can create a flume like condition shooting water more quickly downstream onto downstream neighbors while at the same time increasing downstream erosion and scour. Furthermore, the removal of floodplain vegetation destroys the absorbent capacity of the floodplain, reducing its ability to help temper future natural flood events. Hardening of streambanks with materials like riprap similarly increases the velocity of a streams flow thereby creating downstream erosion and scouring and in high flow conditions pushes the water more quickly onto downstream communities. Increasing erosion damages stream ecosystems as well as riparian habitats and water quality.

We understand that the Town was hit hard by recent floods – but that cannot be used as an excuse to do wholesale harm to the environment and ecosystems. In addition, the Town of Hancock is not providing sound flood protection to its communities through these damaging dredging and vegetation removal practices – it is actually doing tremendous harm. The fact is, when it comes to flood protection, the best protection is provided when it is undertaken in a way that protects and enhances stream health, floodplain and flows.

The Town would be wise to start planning to restore the streams that have been so harmed. By implementing true stream restoration you will be providing greater flood protection as well as environmental protection to your communities and residents.

The Delaware Riverkeeper Network has a strong and solid stream restoration program. We may be able to provide some guidance and assistance and to point you in the right direction if that would be of help.

Please know, that we are very concerned about what is happening to the streams in the Town of Hancock, we are investigating and evaluating our most appropriate response.

Yours sincerely,



Maya K. van Rossum
the Delaware Riverkeeper