CONCORD, Mass. – Construction of the Blackwater River flood risk management project in Salisbury, Mass., will be completed under the terms of a $4,396,250.00 contract recently awarded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District.
The non-Federal sponsor for the project is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, an agency of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. "The Blackwater River Flood Risk Management Project has been in development for many years, and the Baker-Polito Administration is pleased to provide an additional $300,000 in funding for this critical project, which will have a significant impact on the residents of Salisbury, in particular those who live along the Blackwater River," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton.
Work will be accomplished by Palmer Federal Constructors, Inc. of Lawrence, Mass. Construction is scheduled to start in early 2016 and take about 12 months to complete. The contract was awarded on Nov. 30, 2015.
“This project consists of construction of a flood risk management project around a residential neighborhood located adjacent to the Blackwater River tidal estuary in Salisbury,” said Project Manager Byron Rupp, of the Corps’ New England District, Engineering and Planning Division, in Concord, Mass. “The project site consists of an existing residential development of about 20 acres that includes approximately 135 homes located on 9th Street, 10th Street, 11th Street, 12th Street, Humphrey Avenue, Lewis Avenue, Florence Avenue, and Carter Street. Roadways within the project footprint are flooded as often as 1-2 times per month, and flooding affecting low-lying homes is commonplace.”
The project consists primarily of a 3,000-linear-foot sheet pile floodwall that will surround the project site and be built to elevation 7.7 feet NAVD88. The project will be constructed on private property within a neighborhood setting. All required easements have been obtained by the non-Federal sponsor prior to start of construction.
Other project features include upgraded storm drain lines and other drainage improvements (to include 9 outlet structures, 11 catch-basins, storm drains, trench drains, water quality inlet, etc), concrete sidewalk, granite curb, one underground 26 CFS pumping station, one back-up 100kW power generator located in an elevated utility building with gas and electricity connections, a stone lined channel, paving (to include repaving and new pavement), site work (including excavation in the marsh, gravel fill on the landside of the wall, grading, etc.), invasive species removal and plantings.
The project will be managed by the Corps under the supervision of a Corps’ Quality Assurance Representative to assure compliance with contract requirements. For contract information visit: www.nae.usace.army.mil/BusinessWithUs/Contracting.aspx. For general information visit: www.nae.usace.army.mil/. For Small Business opportunities visit: www.nae.usace.army.mil/BusinessWithUs/SmallBusiness.aspx.