ANDOVER, MA | SHAWSHEEN RIVER NATURE-BASED FLOOD RESILIENCE VISIONING WORKSHOP AND DESIGN CHARRETTE – REPORT OUT 06/15/2023
WELCOME & THANK YOU Welcome! We would like to start by thanking and acknowledging: Members of the Andover community Town of Andover Staff, including: Joyce Losick-Yang, PhD, CEM | Director of Sustainability and Energy Marisa Browning-Kamins | Conservation Land Manager Jeffrey Cary, GISP | GIS Coordinator Bob Douglas | Director of Conservation Benjamin Meade | Conservation Agent Will Moulson | Andover High School Intern Milagros (Mily) Puello | Assistant Town Engineer MVP Action Grant Program, especially Michelle Rowden
OUR PROJECT TEAM Andrew Bohne, RLA
Associate - Senior Landscape Architect Jeffrey Dawson
Landscape Architect
Alex Maxwell, PhD
Project Manager – Resilience Planner Ian Law, RLA
Associate - Senior Landscape Architect
Lara Sup, PE
Lead Civil Engineer
Sarah Frisby, EIT
Climate Resilience Engineer
Michael Frederick
Landscape Designer Chelsea Zakas, AICP, CC-P
Environmental Planner
ANDOVER’S COMMUNITY RESILIENCE GOALS Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 MVP Project Climate adaptation goals: Reduce Vulnerability to flooding and intense rainstorms by
increasing the capacity for flood storage and mitigation through nature-based restoration and active management Strengthen Connectivity and Accessibility of open
space and preserved land by expanding and creating linkages to existing trails, recreation opportunities, and conservation areas Educate the local community by creating demonstration
areas that highlight the value of acquiring open space, protecting the local watershed, and adapting to a changing climate
ABOUT THE PROJECT
HISTORY OF FLOODING ALONG THE SHAWSHEEN Andover is, after Lawrence, the Essex County
community with the highest flood claim payouts through the federal flood insurance program Approximately 1,800 acres are within the existing
100-Yr flood zone (area with a 1% chance of flooding in any year) In recent history, the neighborhoods most
vulnerable to flooding in Town have included those along the Shawsheen River
MUNICIPAL VULNERABILITY PREPAREDNESS (MVP) PROGRAM Building off previous MVP project efforts 2019 Community Resilience Building (CRB) Workshop Community participants identified flooding as a top
hazard and made a top recommendation to undertake a strategic program of land acquisition along waterways to provide flood storage and reduce impacts Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 MVP Project
Assessed properties along the Shawsheen River Identified priority parcels for land acquisition
and/or restoration Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 MVP Project We are here
MUNICIPAL VULNERABILITY PREPAREDNESS (MVP) PROGRAM FY2023 Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Action
Grant project Develop a flood model for the reach of the Shawsheen
River that passes through Andover and neighboring Lawrence to evaluate current and future flooding conditions and potential flood mitigation solutions Develop model with Ballardvale dam-in and
dam-out conditions Develop concept-level assessments of nature-based
solutions
WHY HAVE A VISIONING WORKSHOP AND DESIGN CHARRETTE? Members of the community were invited to
co-create the conceptual visions to improve resilience along the Shawsheen River The purpose of the visioning workshop and
charrette was to help visualize and discuss concepts for key flood resilience projects and establish tangible benefits to make informed decisions about the future
OUR APPROACH
LOOK
LISTEN
CONCEPTUALIZE
CREATE
KEY FLOOD RESILIENCE PROJECT AREAS FOR 2022-2023
Lower Shawsheen Soccer Field
York Street
Stevens Street
SITE VISITS & WALKSHOP: MAY 22 & 23, 2023
SITE VISITS & WALKSHOP: MAY 22 & 23, 2023
SITE VISITS & WALKSHOP – WHAT WE HEARD Better river access for recreation – including signage so
people know where to go More native plantings Better canoe/kayak access points
Fix walls along river where it is channelized or remove Remove excess paving Increase shade trees Community utilizes existing open space for a variety of uses Update local Wetlands/Floodplain Development Bylaw
KEY FLOOD RESILIENCE PROJECT AREAS FOR 2022-2023
Lower Shawsheen Soccer Field
York Street
Stevens Street
YORK STREET – EXISTING CONDITIONS Private parcel north of the Haverhill St Bridge and east of
Riverina Road
Approximately half of the parcel is currently occupied by a
parking lot
Opposite side of this channelized reach of the Shawsheen
River are residential homes that fall within the FEMA flood zone
Some forested land is present
Steep slopes, high flows, and hard armoring create poor
connections to the surrounding floodplain
Socially vulnerable area of the Shawsheen, surrounded by
census block groups with relatively high percentages of both elderly (over 64) and young (under 5) populations
YORK STREET – EXISTING CONDITIONS
YORK STREET – RESILIENCE CONCEPT N
Total estimated cost: $10 million (M) to $15.4M
Riverside Trail
Access Road Between Kenilworth Street and Haverhill Street for Town’s Pump House
Ecological Landscape Enhancements
Streetscape Improvements (Shade Trees, Green Infrastructure, and Sidewalks)
Residential Properties to Consider Elevations
Riparian Terraces for Reconnected Floodplain and Flood Relief
KEY FLOOD RESILIENCE PROJECT AREAS FOR 2022-2023
Lower Shawsheen Soccer Field
York Street
Stevens Street
STEVENS STREET – EXISTING CONDITIONS Private parcels south of the Stevens St Bridge, Adjacent to the current site of the Andover
Commons apartment community and Whole Foods supermarket Forested and non-forested wetlands cover much of the
remaining area of the site Banks of the river are stable with minimal signs of
erosion Good connections to the surrounding floodplain Stevens St Bridge forms a barrier along the northern
edge of the site
STEVENS STREET – EXISTING CONDITIONS
STEVENS STREET – RESILIENCE CONCEPT
New Bridge with Pedestrian Crossings Stone Cross Vanes River Realignment Riverside Trail with Boardwalk Crossing River and Wildlife Viewing Dock Ecological Landscape Enhancements Access Road with Parking Areas Environmental Education Center Trailhead with Kiosk/Informational Signage
Total estimated cost: $9M to $13.7M
N
KEY FLOOD RESILIENCE PROJECT AREAS FOR 2022-2023
Lower Shawsheen Soccer Field
York Street
Stevens Street
LOWER SHAWSHEEN SOCCER FIELD – EXISTING CONDITIONS Public parcel south of the Balmoral St
Bridge Adjacent to several commercial and
residential uses Majority of the parcel is comprised of a
large oval track and soccer field Banks of the river on the site show
isolated areas of erosion Opposite bank is extremely steep and
shows evidence of downcutting Significant portion of this parcel is
located in FEMA regulatory area
LOWER SHAWSHEEN SOCCER FIELD – EXISTING CONDITIONS
LOWER SHAWSHEEN SOCCER FIELD – RESILIENCE CONCEPT Floodable Athletic Field
Re-oriented parking area (31 spaces) Green Infrastructure Measured Activity Track
Perimeter Trail Seating Walls Flood Relief Culverts Riparian Buffer Enhancements Landscape Enhancements Picnic Tables & Park Benches Residential Properties to Consider Elevations
Total estimated cost: $4.5M to $6.8M
QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION
QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION What did you like about the
concepts that have been developed to date? Are there any specific design elements that
you liked? Does the concept resonate with any ideas that
you have had for these sites?
REVIEW OF NEXT STEPS
NEXT STEPS Finalize illustrative site concepts and
update localized flood modeling Develop planning level cost
estimates FY24 MVP Action Grant application
THANK YOU Have additional questions/comments? Contact:
Alex Maxwell, PhD Project Manager
AMaxwell@fando.com
YORK STREET – INUNDATION MAPS
STEVENS STREET – INUNDATION MAPS
LOWER SHAWSHEEN SOCCER FIELD – INUNDATION MAPS