Whitewater ParkWillimantic Whitewater Partnership (WWP)

28 Bridge StreetWillimantic Connecticut

Site HistoryThe Mill

Windham Cotton Manufacturing

Company Built 1823

Used until the 1920s Razed in 1939

Dam used for power Created 300Hp

Was raised 2ft in 1877 for more power

Site History Smithville Dam

Broken dam still in river

Wall and weir waste gate still on north

side of river South side of river

was a former quarry site (date unknown)

Other dams upstream and downstream of

site

Site HistoryOther uses

Scrap yard circa 1940s-1950sGas station circa 1960s-late 1980s

Home fuel deliveryCar wash

Future Whitewater Park

Current SiteThe site is undergoing remediation to prepare the

property for future use as park. It will provide access to the river, a place to gather, and rest along the Rails-to-

Trails pathway (3 trails meet at the site.

Site Remediation

Phase I, Phase II, and Phase IIISeveral Grants to cover cost of remediation

DECD (state) and EPA (federal)Discovered contamination; Extractable Total

Petroleum Hydrocarbons (ETPH), Arsenic, Lead, and Poly-aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)Clean site to a level to allow use by visitorsLeave site prepped to construction of park

Where the contamination is

Tank Removal

The 3 tanks from the former gas station

along with the pump islands were removed through a grant from

the State of Connecticut.

This work was completed in the fall of 2012. Some “hot spot” clean up was also done

at this time.

Sampling

Vegetation and more

Trees:• Red Maple• American Elm• Red Oak• Black Birch• American Basswood• Green Ash• Cottonwood• Eastern Hemlock• White Ash

Lianas:• Bittersweet• Poison Ivy• Grape• Virginia Creeper

Shrubs:• Japanese Barberry• Multi-flora Rose• Witch Hazel• Common Elderberry• Silky Dogwood• Sweet Pepperbush• Japanese Knotweed• Mountain Laurel• Shadbush• Winged Euonymous

Herbs:• Deer Tongue• Garlic Mustard• Canada Mayflower• Panicum Grass• Cinnamon FernLand Animals:

• Deer• Red Tail Hawk• Beaver• Crow• Gopher/Fox?

What is next?Design

Concept

Design Considerations

Upstream/Downstream flow Floodplain Management

Restoration of Fish passage: American Shad, American Eel, Blueback HerringWhitewater EnhancementsAccess to and from river

Viewing areaOther site uses

Questions

Environmental Engineer

Skills range from sustainability, water quality and treatment, management and restoration of water resources, and resource recovery from wastes.This encompasses fundamental civil engineering skills so they can solve environmental problems that require knowledge of geotechnical engineering (e.g., solid waste management and groundwater management), transportation engineering (e.g., urban planning, public transit, and sustainable cities), structural engineering (e.g., green building design), and health and safety.

Other skills and needs: research, writing, presentations, budgets, projectmanagement, physically demanding (e.g., weather, confined spaces, heights, odor, and bugs), travel, and crazy hours.

Median Salary; $80K