New York State Canal Corporation New York State Canal Corporation EMBANKMENT INSPECTION & MAINTENANCE GUIDE BOOK March 2021 NATIONAL FIRM. STRONG LOCAL CONNECTIONS. March 2021 NYSCC Embankment Inspection & Maintenance Guide Book TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Attachments .............................................................................................................................................................................. v Revision Summary Table .................................................................................................................................................................. vi General Limitations ............................................................................................................................................................................ vii Preface ................................................................................................................................................................................................... viii Glossary of Terms and acronyms .................................................................................................................................................. xi 1 Embankments Overview ...................................................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Overview and Manual Content .............................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 Canal and Canal Feeder Embankments .............................................................................................................. 1-2 1.3 Distinction Between Levees and Canal Embankments ................................................................................. 1-3 1.4 Vegetation Management and the Experience of Other Agencies ........................................................... 1-3 1.4.1 US Army Corps of Engineers ............................................................................................................................. 1-4 1.4.2 California Urban Levee Design Criteria ......................................................................................................... 1-7 1.5 New York State Regulatory Recommendations for Vegetation Management ................................ 1-11 1.6 Summary ....................................................................................................................................................................... 1-12 2 NYSCC Dam Safety Program ............................................................................................................................................. 2-1 2.1 Organizational Structure of NYSCC ..................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 General Organizational Structure of NYSCC Operations Staff .................................................................. 2-2 3 Embankment Rating System .............................................................................................................................................. 3-1 3.1 Hazard classification .................................................................................................................................................. 3-1 3.2 Condition Rating ......................................................................................................................................................... 3-2 3.3 FEMA Risk Urgency Rating System ...................................................................................................................... 3-3 3.4 Modified Risk Urgency Rating System for Use on Canal Assets .............................................................. 3-4 4 Embankment Inspections .................................................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1 Summary of Inspections ........................................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.1 Bank Walk Inspections ......................................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.2 Informal Inspections & Enhanced Embankment Monitoring ............................................................... 4-2 4.1.3 formal Inspections ................................................................................................................................................. 4-2 4.1.4 Special Inspections ................................................................................................................................................ 4-3 4.2 Identification, Review, and Programming of Corrective Actions ............................................................. 4-3 4.3 Related Items Concerning Inspections ............................................................................................................... 4-7 4.4 Emergencies .................................................................................................................................................................. 4-7 4.5 Safety Requirements .................................................................................................................................................. 4-7 5 Isolation and Dewatering of Embankment Segments ............................................................................................. 5-1 5.1 Isolation of Canal and Feeder Sections .............................................................................................................. 5-1 5.2 Locations of Embankment Segments ................................................................................................................. 5-1 5.3 Dewatering .................................................................................................................................................................... 5-2 6 Embankment Features ......................................................................................................................................................... 6-1 6.1 Typical Canal embankment Sections ................................................................................................................... 6-1 6.2 Embankment Features .............................................................................................................................................. 6-3 6.2.1 Embankment Zones .............................................................................................................................................. 6-3 6.3 Outboard Slope Embankment Features ............................................................................................................. 6-5 ii March 2021 NYSCC Embankment Inspection & Maintenance Guide Book 6.3.1 Erosion and Bank Protection ............................................................................................................................. 6-5 6.3.2 Drainage Channels and Ditches ....................................................................................................................... 6-6 6.4 Inboard Slope Embankment Features ................................................................................................................ 6-6 6.5 Crest Embankment Features ................................................................................................................................... 6-6 6.6 Structures Integrated within the Embankment ............................................................................................... 6-6 7 Embankment Maintenance ................................................................................................................................................ 7-1 7.1 Maintenance Categories .......................................................................................................................................... 7-1 7.2 Best Management Practices .................................................................................................................................... 7-3 7.3 Vegetative Maintenance .......................................................................................................................................... 7-5 7.3.1 Why It’s Necessary ................................................................................................................................................. 7-5 7.3.2 How It’s Done Safely ............................................................................................................................................. 7-6 8 Environmental Considerations .......................................................................................................................................... 8-1 8.1 Erosion and Sediment Control ............................................................................................................................... 8-1 8.2 Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species ...................................................................................................... 8-1 8.3 Surface Waters and Wetlands ................................................................................................................................ 8-5 8.3.1 Surface Waters .......................................................................................................................................................