Sauquoit Creek is known for flooding when there is a lot of rain because the water has no where to go, which affects the surrounding villages and its residents, as we saw in the devastating 2019 Halloween flood. Whitestown, just outside of Utica, is currently working on the second project in the Sauquoit Creek Channel and Floodplain Restoration Program.

A four-step mitigation program is currently underway for the area, with Project I completed and Project II in progress.

“Right here is Project II of the flood plain program: this is the inlet bench. This will act as flood storage and flood mitigation for future storm events. Late winter, early spring, if we have ice jam events, it will allow the ice to flow into that area and catch it," said Maggie Reilly, a project engineer with Ramboll Engineering. 

Maggie Reilly came on board in 2020, a climate change activist who is interested in mitigating the environment and adapting to changing weather patterns, saying this was the perfect opportunity to be a part of that.

“Here we have a sediment and erosion protection around the creek. In the summer, when we pick back up with construction, we’ll put in different nature-based bank stabilization methods along the creek," said Reilly.

Project II is expected to be competed by the end of summer, costing just under $4 million. Whitestown’s goal is to construct all proposed floodplain benches by 2025.

What You Need To Know

  • Project I: Construction of two floodplain benches at Dunham Manor Park in Whitestown

  • Project II: Installation of five additional culverts underneath the CSX rail embankment and construction of an inlet and outlet floodplain bench in Whitesboro, adjacent to the rail embankment

  • Project III: Enlarging the Project II floodplain bench in Whitesboro and construction of 1-2 additional floodplain benches on lower Commercial Drive in Whitestown

  • Project IV: Constructing remaining proposed floodplain benches in Whitestown/Whitesboro, along with bank stabilization

The CSK Bridge has played a key role in this because it’s so close to the creek. When the water level gets high, it floods and causes build-up with stray branches and other debris. The village wanted CSK to replace and widen the bridge, but the time and costliness of the project detered the railroad company from agreeing.

“Since that isn’t possible, we did get agreements with CSK in order to put in the five culverts underneath the rail bed, and they have allowed us to go onto their property," said Reilly.

The culverts are like tunnels that will allow the water to pass through. Reilly says she is confident that this new mitigation effort will lower the flood levels, citing the success from Project I near Dunham Manor Park after the devestation seen from flood waters in 2019. 

“We saw drone videos from after that storm and definitely the impact on Commercial Drive was less than the 2019 storm than it was in the 2017 storm,” said Reilly.

However, the 2019 flood waters were still powerful enough to move sediment and debris from Sauquoit Creek into Project I.

“We’re going to take out that huge sediment deposit that came during the Halloween storm. That will allow the creek to go back to its semi-original location," said Reilly.

Reilly says they will use native plants when restoring the zones they work in, which will be healthier for stabilizing the creek and allowing for less maintenance over time.

“To have to have a healthy ecosystem; we have to have our water bodies to be healthy. It’s something that I truly believe in and have a passion for," said Reilly.

Project II is expected to be completed by the end of summer, and the program is serving as a model for other communities that struggling with severe flooding events throughout the state.