As weather events become more intense, Hartford and East Hartford looking at aging levee systems to minimize flood risks

Hartford (Hartford Courant) - On the banks of the Connecticut River on Monday, U.S. Rep. John Larson and local officials stressed what’s at stake as they announced $200,000 in federal funding to study the aging levee systems in Hartford and East Hartford.

The devastation wrought on New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was alluded to several times during the announcement, as weather events in Connecticut are becoming more intense and with greater frequency.

“This is a critical issue for both sides of the river,” Larson said while addressing a crowd at the Great River Park in East Hartford. “This is a disaster that we must seek to avoid and oftentimes, simply because of the work that has gone on in both communities in Hartford and East Hartford, it’s somewhat taken for granted.”

Lt. Col. Michael Carvelli, deputy commander of the New England district of the Army Corps of Engineers, said the levees minimize the risk of harm to residents and property damage in the area.

“Like much of the levee infrastructure throughout the country, these systems were built decades ago and do not benefit from the modern engineering practices that we have available today,” he said. “Despite the initial protection provided years ago, the effects of time and weather have taken a toll on the system’s integrity, requiring significant capital investment. This is why the additional funding to begin the feasibility study is so important.”

Doug Wilson, East Hartford’s town engineer, quantified what’s at stake if the levee system — originally constructed in 1944 that includes three original pump stations that are 78 years old and running on original equipment — were to fail in his town.

“The area that the levee protects goes all the way [from the Connecticut River] to about a mile to Town Hall on Main Street,” Wilson said. “Inside of that area, there are 7,000 structures. There are $860 million worth of facilities that are protected by the levee. So investment in this levee is a great thing.”

Wilson says the town has maintained the levee system consistently post-Katrina, with about $26 million in state and town funds. That money, however, is running out after several projects are completed this year.

“Getting this study will assist us in tapping federal monies that we otherwise couldn’t touch,” Wilson said.

Frank Dellaripa, Hartford’s flood director, said the city is facing similar issues in Hartford, “maybe more,” and that he’s looking forward to having the study and its recommendations completed, so that some critical projects could be put out to bid.

“We want to make sure our antiquated system is up to par,” he said. “It’s old, the pump stations are old. We have closure structures where water can work its way through where the trains go.”

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin was unable to attend the event due to having contracted the coronavirus.

In a statement he said, it’s “increasingly urgent” to strengthen and upgrade the levees in light of “extreme weather events becoming more common.”

“The city of Hartford has made important investments in levee maintenance, prioritizing our investment together with the Army Corps of Engineers, but to make the full range of necessary upgrades requires a federal, state and local partnership,” Bronin said.

The improvements are also important to residents for another reason, Dellaripa said.

“If we don’t do a good job under the Army Corps purview, then all of a sudden FEMA kicks in, then you’ve got to get flood insurance,” he said. “No way is that acceptable.”

East Hartford lost certification after Hurricane Katrina, Wilson said.

“We’ve done a number of improvements that have brought us back into certification,” he said. “But there’s more to do.”