US Army Corps Wants To Install Giant Storm Gates To Protect NYC From Floods

Two weeks ago, New Yorkers were jolted awake by a flash flood warning, affecting parts of Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. Residents were told to avoid wading or driving through the flood waters, and to seek shelter on higher ground. 

As such, it’s rather timely that the US Army Corps of Engineers has recently released its US$52 billion proposal to keep the populous city safe from storm surges and costal flooding, suggesting giant storm barriers be built across major waterways.

The idea was picked from a range of five options as part of the NY & NJ Harbor & Tributaries Focus Area Feasibility Study (HATS), which was initiated following Hurricane Sandy in 2012, when nearly two million New Yorkers were left without power, and subway tunnels suffered significant damage from flood waters. 

The 14-year construction project will comprise erecting 12 storm gates, and coastal barriers along more than 41 miles of the region’s shoreline, and include building systems of flood walls across East Harlem, Lower Manhattan, southern Brooklyn, and the Rockaway Peninsula. 

At the moment, the agency is seeking feedback from the public on its proposal, which as Gothamist points out, if completed, will be one of the largest infrastructure projects in the city’s history. 

However, as with construction on such a massive scale, numerous ecosystems and wildlife species are expected to be impacted should the plan move forward. 

The report revealed the impact on wildlife, fish, and endangered species in the area would be “low to moderate,” apart from the Jamaica Bay Area where it would be “moderately high.” 

Naturally, conservationists have expressed concerns about the building of these storm barriers. Riverkeeper, a non-profit organization protecting the Hudson River, said that the construction project “would have catastrophic consequences for the Hudson and New York Harbor.” 

It still remains uncertain if the US Army Corps of Engineers will push through with the project, though it has said it is still looking into “measures to manage future flood risk in ways that support the long-term resilience and sustainability of the coastal ecosystem and surrounding communities.” 

[via Gizmodo and Gothamist, cover image via Palinchak | Dreamstime.com]