Buffalo — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Buffalo District and officials from the Village of Gowanda are asking for property owners’ help in securing rights of entry where a proposed project alignment could potentially be constructed. The information gained from the rights of entry will assist the Corps of Engineers in determining the most optimum project for the community.

To proceed with the feasibility phase of the project, rights of entry will be needed to conduct Phase I and II Cultural Resource Assessments, wetland delineations, threatened and endangered species surveys and Phase I Environmental Site Assessments.

“All property owners will be contacted by the Corps of Engineers and work will only be accomplished if the property owner grants permission in writing to allow the agency and/or consultants to enter the property,” Chris Akios, Buffalo District project manager, said. “The Corps of Engineers will provide 72 hours notice prior to any planned activities if provided with a phone number on the written permission to access the property.”

“The Village of Gowanda is excited about this project and have supported the Army Corps of Engineers study from the outset. We hope that the landowners along Thatcher Brook are also in support of all efforts at flood mitigation,” Village Trustee Paul Zimmermann said. “We will be distributing right-of-entry packets in the very near future to all affected landowners.”

Thatcher Brook has been impacted by continual overbank flooding which causes damages to residences and commercial businesses in Gowanda. The feasibility study will formulate and evaluate measures to reduce the impacts of future flood events. The feasibility phase is expected to be complete in October of 2018. Once feasibility is complete, the design and implementation would begin.

The total study cost has been estimated to be $1 million and is cost shared evenly between the Corps of Engineers and the project sponsor, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Project stakeholders include the Village of Gowanda, Cattaraugus County, and Erie County.

“The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) has supported this project since its inception as the non-federal sponsor for the Corps of Engineers,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos.

“The Corps of Engineers’ ability to perform this field work is essential to the development of the study. DEC is looking forward to the conclusion of the study in order to implement actions to reduce flooding and the risk to properties and citizens of the Village of Gowanda.”