The West River Local Protection Project is located in the Waterville section of New Haven, upstream of the crossing of Route 63 over the West River. The project reduces the flood hazard and associated urban flooding along West River from Blake Street to Whalley Avenue.

Following the record flood of June 1982, the city of New Haven requested the Corps of Engineers to study the feasibility and justification of Federal participation in the construction of flood control improvements for the Westville section of the city. The study investigated a variety of measures to reduce recurring flood losses within the West River basin. The Corps of Engineers completed a preliminary investigation in August 1983 which found that further study was warranted. The more detailed study, finalized in 1985, recommended construction of a series of improvements to reduce flood losses in the West River area between Blake Street and Whalley Avenue in northwestern New Haven.

The project consisted of widening the West River as well as providing floodwalls and dikes along the West River and its tributary Wintergreen Brook. The channel work widened 1,150 feet of the west bank and 600 feet of the east bank of the West River. Floodwalls and a dike were constructed along 1,000 feet of the northern bank of Wintergreen Brook. The walls will prevent waters from overtopping the banks and flooding commercial and residential areas.

Construction of the improvements was completed in 1993 at a cost of $3.3 million.