White Rock Dam Removal

The White Rock Dam had prevented the passage of 85% of migrating fish and presented a risk of failure during flood events due to its poor condition.

The project funding schedule required fast-track project development entailing field investigations, alternatives modeling analyses, design, innovative bidding procedure and obtaining permits from both RI and CT state agencies agencies within ten months. Fuss & O’Neill managed efforts with project partners including The Nature Conservancy, NOAA, USFWS, RIDEM, and CT DEEP to develop a sediment management strategy incorporating channel shaping and bioengineered stabilization practices. Critical project elements included hydraulic modeling of channel configurations to maximize fish passage and flood protection benefits to adjacent industrial properties, and development of a control of water strategy that minimized construction time, costs, and impacts.