Flood Control Improvement on Esopus Creek at Kingston, New York

17 May 1971 ENVTR01MENTA.L STATEMENT FLOOD CONTROL IMPROVEMENT ON ESOPUS CREEK AT KINGSTON, NEW YORK HUDSON RIVER. NEW YORK prepared by U.S. ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 8 June 1971 Esopus Creek, Kingston, Hew York ( ) Draft (X) Final Environmental Statement Responsible Office: U. S. Army Engineer District, Hew York, H. Y. 1. Hame of Action: (X) Administrative ( ) Legislative. 2. Description of Action: Flood~protection project consisting of levees, floodwalls, a ponding area and pumping station as well as associated interior drainage facilities in Ulster County, Hew York. 3. a. Environmental Impacts; Provide flood proofing of unprotected flood plains, allow for expansion and accelerated development of the flood plain, loss of natural wetland area. b. Adverse Environmental Effects: Loss of a small wetland area, levees and floodwalls may restrict river access to man and wildlife; loss of some large trees along the stream bank. 4. Alternatives: Reservoir control, diversion tunnel, deepening and widening channel, and "no development." 5. Comments Received: Water Quality Office, EPA W. Y. Dept, of Environmental Conservation Bureau of Water Hygiene, EPA Urban Renewal Agency Kingston, W.Y. Soil Conservation Service,USDA Dept, of Water Resources, Hew York, H.Y. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, USDI 6. Draft statement to CEQ_________________ . Final statement to CEQ 1 JtJL 1971______ . 17 May 1971 ESOHJS CREEK AT KINGSTON, NEW YORK FLOOD CONTROL IMPROVEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT 1 , Project Description: Esopus Creek at Kingston, Hew York, the site of the proposed flood protection improvement, is located near the Hudson River in Ulster County on the eastern edge of the Catskill Mountains, approximately 95 miles north of New York City. The planned improvement was authorized under the small project authority provided by Section 205 of the 19^8 Flood Control Act, amended by Section 205 of the Flood Control Act of 1962. The proposed improvement is designed to provide flood protection for lands along the right bank of Esopus Creek within the City of Kingston, New York, which includes a large shopping center and urban renewal area. • On the basis that the flood protection improvements will be implemented, the Kingston Urban Renewal Agency, which prescribes that planning pro posals shall be designed to prevent danger to human life or serious eco nomic loss, is presently carrying out an urban renewal project in the area. The protective works will consist of 1,667 feet of levees varying in height from 158.3 feet, to 159*2 feet above mean sea level, and 872 feet of floodwalls (approximate elevation of 158 feet above mean sea level) which will be located along the top of the right (South) bank of the Esopus Creek between the highway embankments of State Highway 28 and Interstate Highway 587. Along the Route 587 embankment at the eastern ' end of the improvement, a ponding area and a pump station with appur tenant interior drainage facilities will be constructed to collect and discharge interior drainage during flood flows. Structural elements of the improvement will be given special design considerations to provide a pleasant and aesthetic appearance. In addition, trees and shrubbery wall be planted along the levees and floodwalls to enhance the setting of the flood control improvement. The benefit-cost ratio (July 1970 price levels), based on an interest rate of 3~l/^ percent and 50 year life, is 1.2 to 1.0. The Detailed Project Report has been approved by the Chief of Engineers and has been transmitted to the Governor of New York to obtain official state indorsement. Upon receipt of this indorsement, notification will be given to the interested members of Congress and the State Governor informing them of the formal project approval and adoption under Section 2 0 5 . Subsequent to this action, the preparation of plans and specifi cations will be initiated. 2. Environmental Setting Without the Project: The topography in the Kingston area is characterized as an alluvial valley with stream meanders and flat gradients. The stream flood plain has been built up with material, eroded from the Catskill plateau. Esopus Creek, about 65 miles in length, flows generally southeast from its source in the Catskill Mountains into the Ashokan Reservoir which serves as part of the New York City Water Supply System. The stream, which is the only overflow from Ashokan Reservoir, then continues in a southeasterly direction to the Town of Marbletown about 25 miles above its mouth where it makes an abrupt turn to the north, passes through Kingston on the northern bound ary, and then continues north about lH miles before discharging into the Hudson River. In the vicinity of Kingston, Esopus Creek is a slow-flowing warm water stream containing small-mouth bass, pickerel, pike, pike-perch and pan fishes. This stream is heavily fished for recreation. These waters are considers. 1 to be only slightly polluted and are generally suitable for bathing. The entire basin was originally densely wooded with hard and soft wood trees. Now, a considerable portion of the basin, especially the uplands, is covered with second and third growths of timber. Some . wildlife exist in the area. About one-third of the land in the basin is cultivated as pastures or farms. ' ' The site of the plan of improvement involves a reach along the right bank of Esopus Creek of about 2 , 5 0 0 feet in length which includes a flood plain of approximately 60 acres. This area is bounded on the north by Esopus Creek (about 1 0 0 feet wide) flowing in an easterly direc tion; on both ends to the east and west by embankments of major highways; and on the remaining side to the south by a railroad embankment, all of which tend to effectively insulate the area from the surrounding urban development and countryside. The railroad embankment and Esopus Creek generally parallel the contours of the bluff which is occupied by Kingston*s major retail center and historic area. On the north across the stream, the areas are primarily agricultural. On the south side of the creek, the flood plain is being filled in and developed commercially. Approximately half of the area to be protected by the plan of improvement is already filled in, graded, and developed as a large "Shoppers Plaza" which will expand in the future to include a total of three quarters of this area. The remaining area, formerly residential, has been cleared for urban renewal development to include commercial facilities. The City of Kingston has a population of about 3 0 , 0 0 0 persons. 3. The Environmental Impact of the Proposed Action. Implementation • of the improvement will result in the enhancement of land values and will permit the use of land through the urban renewal program, which should result in an improved environment. As floods present a constant threat to the safety of the inhabitants, implementation of the project would bring peace of mind to the many residents in the area by providing the needed flood control protection to the existing establishments and encourage the upgrading of the environment through better upkeep and land improvements. Implementation of the planned improvements will also allow for the ex pansion and development of lands that will be considered safe from flooding, thereby, resulting in the creation of more commercial and industrial enterprises. This would increase job opportunities and generally contribute to a more healthy economy necessary to an improved environmental condition. Beautification measures will include the planting of trees and shrubbery along the proposed levees and floodwalls and will provide for the blending of structures with the attractive features of the surrounding area and produce a marked improvement of the lands as they now exist. This will compensate for the loss of those trees which will be removed for the construction of the project, and will generally create a favor- ' able change in the environment. Implementation of the improvements will not significantly affect fish and wildlife resources; however, enhancement of fish and wildlife resources is not anticipated by construction of the improvements. Any Adverse Environmental Effects Which Cannot Be Avoided Should The Proposal Be Implemented. Implementation of the improvement would require the removal of some large trees along the stream bank. It is anticipated, however, that the planned beautification measures will offset this adverse effect. As indicated previously, the area to be protected from flooding is insulated from the surrounding environment by manmade barriers on three sides and the river on the remaining side. The proposed levees and floodw'alls on the remaining side may restrict river access to man and wildlife, and obstruct the view of the river and farmlands on the opposite bank. Further, the natural environment would be affected somewhat by the loss of a natural wetland area lo cated at the eastern end of the protected area. Part of this wetland area will be modified and used as a ponding area and the remainder of the area will be filled and developed as the shopping center expands its facilities in the future. These adverse effects would be of little significance considering that implementation of the improvements will, in the long run, prevent a much greater uncontrolled degradation of the environment due to flooding. 5. Alternatives To The Proposed Action, One alternative to the ' proposed plan of improvement would be to use the storage space in the Ashokan Reservoir, or increase the capacity of the reservoir, to mod erate flood flows. This reservoir is owned by the City of Hew York and is used exclusively for water supply storage. The City, however, indicated an unwillingness to consider any use‘of the reservoir for flood storage and pointed out that in practice the reservoir is used to store the maximum amount of water that available storage permits.

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