In January 2023, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, in partnership with the city of Hartford and the town of East Hartford, initiated a flood risk management (FRM) study. Authorized under the Flood Control Act of 1970, this study examines two critical FRM systems: the Hartford FRM System, which protects the city from the Connecticut and Park Rivers, and the East Hartford FRM System.

Constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers after the severe floods of 1936 and 1938, elements of these systems are now over 70 years old. The passage of time, weather, and increased urban development have compromised their integrity. Significant investment may be required to ensure these projects continue to protect the communities as designed.

The study's goal is to investigate the feasibility of improving the resiliency of the Hartford and East Hartford levee systems to reduce risks to life and property over the next 50 years.

HARTFORD FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Located along the west bank of the Connecticut River and the city's Park River, the Hartford flood risk management systems protect approximately 3,000 acres of highly developed public, commercial, residential, and industrial land.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began construction between 1938 and 1944, with additional work occurring between 1956 and 1981. Today, the city of Hartford owns, operates, and maintains these systems.

A 2013 inspection by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers identified deficiencies in the Connecticut River system that required immediate attention. Since 2015, the city of Hartford has been working with the Corps to implement temporary and permanent solutions through the System-wide Improvement Framework (SWIF) program.

Failure of this system could lead to flooding in over 20% of Hartford's land area, threatening critical infrastructure such as the Hartford Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) regional sewage treatment plant, the I-84/I-91 interchange, a regional airport, and major employers.

You can find more information in the National Levee Database (NLD) at https://levees.sec.usace.army.mil/.

• Connecticut River Project: "CT Riv RB - Hartford, CT" (ID: 4305000011)
• Park River Project: "N&S Br Park Riv, Park Riv Conduit Sys-Hartford, CT" (ID: 4305000032)

EAST HARTFORD FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The East Hartford Flood Risk Management System, located along the east bank of the Connecticut River and the north bank of the Hockanum River, protects approximately 760 acres of residential, commercial, and public property.

Constructed between 1938 and 1943, the system is now owned, operated, and maintained by the town of East Hartford. It consists of about 3.6 miles (19,300 feet) of earthen levees, 1,400 feet of concrete floodwall, two closure structures, three pump stations, and a storage pond.

While the project is generally well-maintained, routine inspections have identified minor deficiencies. Although not expected to cause immediate failure, these issues reduce the system's reliability and must be addressed to ensure it performs as intended during a major flood.

Information on this project can be found in the National Levee Database (NLD).

• Project Name: "CT Riv LB & Hockanum Riv RB - East Hartford, CT" (ID: 4305000010)