By Jennifer Marino
About 30 feet of the land surrounding the river in that area has been lost to erosion. One possible reason for the problem, according to village officials, is the use of jet skis in the vicinity. The project had to be approved by the Army Corps of Engineers and the state Department of Environmental Conservation. There was some delay as the village and the DEC figured out a viable plan of action.
Both the village and the DEC went back and forth with several suggestions and concerns before settling on the current plan, said Bill Fonda a DEC spokesperson. The permit was issued in spring of 2002. The gabions are mesh boxes filled with stones that allow plant life to grow in them. The structures therefore become more effective as time passes because more plants grow.
Along the east shore line, the gabions will be installed and there will be a small amount of filling in behind the structures. The filling in was deemed necessary from an engineering standpoint, said Fonda. The village was not able to reclaim all of the land lost because of the possible environmental impact, said Village Administrator Ronald Wasson. The area is considered wetlands and DEC policy does not allow for the filling in of wetlands.
The project will cost about $125,000 and will begin in spring 2003, said Wasson.
