Indian Brook Watershed

LOCATION: Intersection of Federal Hill and Sawmill roads in the town of Bolton.

Indian Brook wetlands before restoration	Indian Brook wetland enhancement area in progress

ACTION: During the summer of 2011 we started construction on a second sediment basin at Indian Brook. This offline basin is designed to receive a majority of its flow during storm events. It is unique because the design also includes a wetland enhancement area. The basin structure will trap sediment and the vegetation in the wetlands will serve as a secondary filter, taking up nutrients that would otherwise end up in the Lake.
Dave Myers of Greystone Engineering was the designer of this project. Rather than construct the basin in the fall of 2010, we waited until the summer of 2011 so that the wetlands would have more time to become established.

In the fall of 2009 we created the first off-line sediment basin at this site. A small section of Indian Brook, formerly an old swimming hole, had been collecting sediment for a number of years. The swimming hole had filled in with enough material to establish non-wetland vegetation. The hole was cleaned out in the fall of 2009 to create an off-line sediment basin.

March - 2008	October - 2009	September - 2010

Approximately 500 cubic yards of material were removed from a small area in the brook. In the spring of 2010, native shrubs were planted along the bank to filter storm runoff.

In addition, roadside drainage improvements were made. A roadside ditch was stabilized and several check dams were put in place to slow the flow of the stormwater as it runs down the shoulder of Federal Hill Road. A small basin installed at the end of the ditch captures the flow and allows sediment and debris to fall out. Additional road shoulder work allows for some stormwater sheet flow to occur over a vegetated area. The remaining shoulder work reinforced and directed the flow around a bend in the road to another small basin that captures the stormwater.

RESULT: Stormwater now enters the brook with less velocity, carrying less material. The two sediment basins will capture sediment carried during high flow events, and the vegetation in the wetlands will take up nutrients. The sediment and nutrients will remain in the basins and wetlands, and will not flow into the Lake. 

PROJECT CONTRACTORS: Kingsley Construction, Greystone Engineering

PROJECT PARTNERS: Kieran Family, town of Bolton and SUNY Albany

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF PROJECT SUPPORT:  Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Water Quality Improvement Project Grant