Huntington Highway Completes Stormwater Remediation Project

As part of a long term multi-million dollar strategy to improve the quality of the water and waterways in Huntington the Highway Department has recently completed a project on Sea Spray Dr. in Centerport.

The Town’s drainage system that collects stormwater runoff from Sea Spray Drive in Centerport and delivers it to Northport Harbor, as well as a former bulkhead located in a drainage easement within the Sea Spray Civic Homeowners Association’s right-of-way, had collapsed due to age and the effects of decades of dredging, thereby impairing the Town’s drainage system and the Homeowners Association’s dock and pilings. In light of applicable New York State Department of Environmental Conservation permit requirements and altered shoreline topography from dredging, the best way to prevent further erosion of the shoreline was steel sheeting; and the Town’s drainage system and associated damage caused to the Homeowners Association’s right-of-way had to be repaired. The project included bulkhead construction and drainage improvements including installation of steel sheeting, gabion pads, removal and replacement of a portion of an existing concrete pipe, dock and pilings.  All work was performed in compliance with a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation permit which precludes working from the water and required all work landward of the former headwall, and in accordance with Town of Huntington requirements and construction specifications.

The Town of Huntington Highway Office secured a Stormwater Water Quality Improvement Projects/ New York State Department of Environmental Control (NYSDEC) grant in 2011 for the installation of drainage structures that improve the quality of stormwater entering our waterways. The project on Sea Spray Dr. directly affects Northport Harbor. The design of this project was undertaken soon after the grant was received and the Town Board voted in January of this year to fund the project. Because of the potential for further damage to the shoreline it was advantageous to get the job completed before this years’ Tropical Storm season.

The project at Sea Spray Dr. involved a steep slope catchment system that required a design that could process large volumes of water quickly. Highway used a product known as a Downstream Defender. Downstream Defender is a product manufactured by Hydro International.

The Downstream Defender is claimed to be the most advanced vortex separator (a method of removing particulates from water without the use of costly replaceable filters) available for the removal of sediment, oil and floatables from stormwater runoff. It combines specially designed polyethylene internal components in a standard concrete manhole structure. The Downstream Defender is proven to be more efficient than other structural treatment devices in as little as 1/2 the footprint and is the only separator with internal components proven to prevent pollutant washout. There is a YouTube video of this process below:

Hydro International website:

http://www.hydro-int.com/us/